Chris Devaney Is The New TNGOP Chairman

By Kleinheider Posted on May 30, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Sen. Corker’s State Director Chris Devaney was elected chairman of Tennessee’s state Republican Party at the downtown Sheraton today in a squeaker of an election defeating current party treasurer Oscar Brock on the second ballot 28 to 25 with one write-in vote.

A third candidate, Rep. Eric Swafford was eliminated on the first ballot. Devaney will succeed Robin Smith in the role.

The campaign was briefly marred by accusations of financial mismanagement on the part of the current chairman as well as former Executive Director Devaney. Current Chief of Staff Mark Winslow was eventually moved to send an email to SEC members squashing the whisper campaign.

On the endorsement front, former Congressman Van Hilleary and National Committeeman John Ryder blessed the candidacy of Brock implying that other candidates might be biased in the upcoming governor race.

Devaney, meanwhile, boasted former Gov. Winfield Dunn as a supporter.

Devaney was a top aide to former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson and served as Executive Director of the Tennessee Republican Party under chairman Bob Davis. He and his wife Heather have four children and live in Chattanooga.

UPDATE:
Dru Fuller (FT: Devaney photo)
Andy Sher
The Associated Press
Chattanoogan
The official TNGOP release

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Tags: Chris Devaney, Eric Swafford, Oscar Brock, Robin Smith, TNGOP, TNGOP chairman