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2008 Elections
Tennessee Democratic Party press conference: "We want someone who shares that common sense hope that we can get past partisan politics, we can get past wedge issues that divide us to solve some of the major issues in this country," said Obama organizer Jennifer Buck Wallace. ( categories: )
Here's a complete index of all KnoxViews 2008 Democratic National Convention coverage.  Tennessee Updates
 All KnoxViews Coverage | All TennViews CoverageDNCC News
More... ( categories: )
Al Gore has endorsed Bob Tuke for U.S. Senate: "I am pleased to endorse my friend, Bob Tuke, to be the next U.S. Senator from my home state of Tennessee. Bob's plans to immediately and aggressively produce alternative energy in Tennessee will help solve the climate crisis, clean our air, create new jobs, and relieve the heavy burden of energy prices across America. But Bob is more than a candidate with timely solutions to pressing problems facing our nation and our planet. He is also a man of great honor and integrity. Bob has the life experience that we need to turn our country around. As a Marine combat veteran in Vietnam, Bob led troops in battle. The U.S. Senate would be well served to have his perspective as we finally bring an end to the mismanaged war in Iraq. These are just a few of the reasons that I am proud to give him my full support and endorsement." ( categories: )
The Green Party of TN is honored to host Ms McKinney as she visits 4 communities across the state this week. “From community problems like landfill issues in Dickson to community solutions like the Biofuels plant in Memphis and community gardens in Nashville Ms McKinney will get to talk to people who are impacted and those with community-based solutions, a Green Party Key Value”, said Katey Culver Green Party of TN Co-chair. ( categories: )
Saying "We can not hope to maintain our rights as a free nation if we are willing to infringe one of our precious liberties – the right to vote," Davis concedes: "I am announcing today that even though I have the law on my side, I have decided not to pursue an election contest with the Republican Primary Board. I love East Tennessee and I love America, therefore it is in the best interest of everyone concerned that I concede the election to my primary opponent. I have contacted Mr. Roe and made him aware of my decision." More at the Knoxville News Sentinel and Post Politics. Press release after the jump... ( categories: )
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FDR signed Social Security into law on Aug. 14 1935. Read what John McCain thinks about Social Security at KnoxViews... ( categories: )
From the DNCC: Tuesday night’s featured speakers include Convention Co-Chair Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, both early supporters of Barack Obama, who will outline his detailed economic plan to grow the economy, create jobs, restore fairness and expand opportunity. Governors Ted Strickland of Ohio and Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania will discuss how the failed policies of the last eight years have betrayed our values and left an economy out of balance. Barack Obama believes you can’t have a strong economy when you have a weak middle class, and speakers like Senator Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania and Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will share how Obama’s policies have been directly shaped by the people he has met as he traveled the country. Building on Obama’s New Economy with New Energy message, Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana and Federico Peña, former Mayor of Denver and Secretary of both Energy and Transportation, will speak about the nexus between energy and the economy and highlight new and innovative policies to help working families in rural, urban and suburban communities. As announced earlier this week, Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia, will deliver the Convention’s keynote address, and Senator Hillary Clinton, who is a champion for working families and one of the most effective and empathetic voices in the country today, will be the headline prime-time speaker on Tuesday night. ( categories: )
For the sake of party unity, Rob Huddleston calls for 1st District Republicans to unite and tell David Davis to shut up and go away. UPDATE: Citing a little known Tennessee law and a vast left-wing conspiracy to illegally violate the integrity of the election, the "Sore Loser" Davis campaign is going nuclear. See their latest press release after the jump. NOTE: I don't know if it's been challenged in court, but the Tennessee law allowing primary voter challenges sounds unconstitutional to me, and probably not enforceable. It sounds like the law needs repealing, unless we want a new law, and probably an amendment to the Tennessee constitution, requiring party registration and closed primaries. The incendiary Davis press release follows... ( categories: )
The Tennessee Democratic Party, in partnership with the Obama campaign, has opened a "Victory 08" office in Nashville. We heard about it, of course, from Kleinheider, who has the details. ( categories: )
We've updated the TennViews 08 Candidate Central database to advance the primary winners and set the field for November. This is the first pass pending certification, and we hope we didn't miss anything. If you notice any errors or omissions, please let me know at rneal@rviews.com. Also as before, candidates are invited to submit photos, profile info, website links, contact info, etc. The full listing is here. And here are the top-level listings for: • Tennessee House In related news, Tom Humphrey surveys the field and handicaps the state House and Senate races. Most of the action will be in the state Senate races, which may decide party control of the Senate. ( categories: )
Davis blames defeat on Democratic crossovers Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. David Davis said this morning that crossover Democrats voting in the 1st Congressional District Republican Primary contributed to his narrow defeat against GOP challenger Phil Roe. Spoken like a true Republican. According to the article, Davis has not conceded and has not ruled out a challenge. ( categories: )
Mike Padgett came in third in an expensive race for the U.S. Senate Democratic nomination: Bob Tuke 58946 32.3% Davis did will with little money or name recognition. That's gotta hurt. There was another interesting outcome over in the Tennessee Senate 8th District Republican primary, where Former Rep. Doug Overbey knocked off incumbent Sen. Raymond Finney by a scant 139 votes: Jim Bishop 977 4.6% Finney carried Blount Co. by a huge margin, but Overbey scored big in Sevier Co. Which is odd, because I would have guessed that nobody over there had ever heard of him. The 20th House district, Overbey's former seat that he gave up to run against Finney, is a relatively small part of Blount Co. Finney did not concede and says he wants a recount. Some other incumbents got the boot, including U.S. Rep. David Davis in TN-1, who lost in the Republican primary to challenger Phil Roe by 460 votes. In the State Senate 14th district Democratic primary, incumbent Sen. Steve Roller lost to Eric Stewart by 131 votes. Sen. Rosalind Kurita narrowly defeated Democratic primary challenger Tim Barnes by only 19 votes in a hotly contested race. Barnes is considering a challenge. In the "poetic justice" department, incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen hammered Nikki Tinker, who drew national attention and the ire of Barack Obama for running racist ads, by more than 60 points in the Tennessee 9th Congressional district Democratic primary. ( categories: )
Kurita wins by 19 votes districtwide Will Barnes contest the election? My guess: Yes. ( categories: )
CONTINUOUS COVERAGE: TN District One Race | TriCities UPDATED at 9:45p.m. ( categories: )
State primary races to watch: • Mark Clayton v. Gary Davis v. Kenneth Eaton v. Charles Jackson v. Leonard Ladner v. Mike Padgett v. Bob Tuke, D US SEN TN • David Davis v. Phil Roe v. Mahmood Sabri, R US REP 01 • Marsha Blackburn v. Tom Leatherwood, R US REP 07 • Steve Cohen v. James Gregory v. Issac Richmond v. Nikki Tinker v. Joe Towns v. M. LaTroy Williams, D US REP 09 • Jim Bishop v. Raymond Finney v. Doug Overbey, R TN SEN 08 • Steve Roller v. Eric Stewart v. Jim Woodard, D TN SEN 14 • Mike Niederhauser v. Charles Sebourn v. James Threet, R TN SEN 14 • David Barnes v. Rosalind Kurita, D TN SEN 22 • Jerome Cochran v. Kent Williams, R TN REP 04 • Thomas Baer v. Ryan Haynes, R TN REP 14 • Stacey Campfield v. Jonathan Katsiros v. Ron Leadbetter, R TN REP 18 • Steve Hargis v. Jim Melton v. Tona Monroe-Ball v. Bob Ramsey, R TN REP 20 ( categories: )
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander has donated 15-thousand dollars from his reelection campaign chest to United Way. Oil money greases the wheels of commerce in Congress! (By way of ACK) ( categories: )
When: Tue. October 7, 2008 8:00 PM
Belmont University in Nashville is hosting one of the scheduled presidential debates. First time a presidential debate will be held in Tennessee. 2008 will be the first time there will be no sitting president or vice president participating in a debate since debates were televised, starting in 1960. Ticket information: About 150 Middle TN voters may have the opportunity to ask a question. Second-tier tickets to be distributed by Belmont U. It is unknown how many are available or how you can get one. There will be an invitation only viewing party at the Ryman. ( categories: )
From the Padgett campaign, for immediate release: Padgett also said that his leading Democratic opponent, Nashville lawyer Bob Tuke, lacks a sense of the practical when it comes to the problem of energy. Best I can recall, this is the first time Padgett has mentioned his primary opponent in a formal press release. ( categories: )
The Murfreesboro Post: City Cafe releases straw poll results Murfreesboro’s most reliable poll is in. State Senate 16th District Democratic Primary candidate Jean Anne Rogers scored strong, with 60 votes compared to her unopposed Republican primary candidate at 52 votes. There also appears to be a general lack of interest in the Republican primaries. ( categories: )
A recent survey by the Every Child Matters Education Fund found that voters want presidential candidates to focus more on children's issues, including 13 million in poverty, eight million without insurance, and three million reported abused or neglected. The ECMEF's "Homeland Insecurity" report shows that Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, New Mexico and Nevada are consistently at or near the very bottom on key child well-being indicators, while other states such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota and Washington state fare better but still fall far short of the top G8 nations in the health and safety of children. Among the findings: • 82 percent, including 95 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Independents, are concerned about "a recent report from the international group UNICEF (that) ranked children in the U.S. as nearly the worst off in the industrial world". • Overall, 79 percent of voters say they would provide greater resources for health care for uninsured children. Large majorities of Obama's (93 percent) and McCain's voters (60 percent) would support greater funding as would 77 percent of swing voters, the only item where a majority of both sides agree needs more funding. • A quarter of registered voters could not give any response when asked about Obama's and McCain's strengths on children's issues. Over a third (34 percent) of all voters, and 46 percent of swing voters, were unable to identify things Obama has promised to do for children and families if elected President. Nearly half (48 percent) of all voters, and 57 percent of swing voters, could not answer the same question about McCain. • Majorities of all voters (57 percent) and swing voters (61 percent) find investments in children's health, education, and safety a higher priority than tax cuts. When compared to balancing the budget, 49 percent of all voters and 53 percent of swing voters find investments in children a higher priority. • Two thirds of all voters, including 84 percent of Democrats, 42 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of Independents, say they would be willing to pay more in federal taxes to help level the playing field for all American children. ( categories: )
Kleinheider was asleep at the switch when he quoted a press release from Republican David Davis' campaign that accused Davis' opponent of using a Democrat-run consulting outfit (like there's something wrong with that?). It turns out that the press release identifies the wrong consulting outfit, so clearly it is Kleinheider's fault for letting this erroneous and misleading information get out in a Davis press release. Republicans, personal responsibility, accountability and all that, you know. Kleinheider is appropriately humiliated and remorseful. Speaking of Davis, Joe Powell is in the district and here's some of his recent coverage: • Editorial Board To Congressman Davis: Fail! • Davis Depends on PACs and Tax-Funded Brochures • Kingsport Newspaper Still Refuses Coverage of Candidate Rob Russell ( categories: )
Finney has fashioned himself into a sometimes quirky populist, frequently surveying residents, and became the first Tennessee legislator to catalog his votes online while breaking from Republican orthodoxy by introducing a bill to ban mountaintop-removal mining that irked big-business types. No Democrats are running in the primary, so this seat is probably safe for the Rs (there is one independent running, plus a third Republican.) Many locals see this race as the local GOP establishment (Overbey) v. a loose cannon (Finney). Finney is even picking up support among some Democrats for his support of the ban on mountaintop removal mining. Other than Tuke v. Padgett, there aren't really any competitive races in the Blount Co. state Democratic primary so there could be some crossover voting. A recent online poll by the local paper has Finney with 54.8% v. Overbey 44.2%, with 20+ times more online votes than usual for the newspaper's polls. Overbey gave up his seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 to run for Senate and no Democrats applied, so that one is safe for Rs, too. ( categories: )
Campfield was one of three area legislators who passed no bills in the last session of the General Assembly. He has a reputation for introducing conservative and sometimes controversial legislation... There are no Democrats running in the primary, so the seat is safe for Rs. Some local Democrats are of the opinion that Campfield is the best choice because he is so ineffective and entertaining, and because of the great image he projects for East Tennessee Republicans. ( categories: )
Howard Dean is taking a bus trip of the South. His focus will be "on winning over people who are struggling economically". The DNC has announced stops in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Georgia. Hey, Howard, here we are! Don't forget about us! We have a Democratic governor. Al Gore is from Tennessee. It could happen. ( categories: )
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Following are the fundraising totals for Democratic candidates for the State Senate, the Senate Democratic Caucus, and two State Senate related PAC's. These totals do not include the Tennessee Democratic Party. According to the State Senate Democratic Caucus, Republican candidates and organizations (including the legislative campaign arm of the state party - the Tennessee Legislative Campaign Committee - and Bill Frist's VOLPAC) raised $555,997.08 during the second quarter and have $1,742,557.90 on hand. This does not include totals for Bob Shutt, whose report isn't on the TREF website yet. The fundraising total also does not include $80,000 that the Senate Republican Caucus transferred from its account to the accounts of Diane Black and Jamie Woodson since those were not new dollars raised. (Black almost pulled even with her opponent for fundraising in the quarter by writing herself a $40,000 check from the Caucus.) The Republican cash on hand does include this $80,000. Democratic candidates and organizations (not including the Tennessee Democratic Party) raised $823,374.65 in the reporting period, and have $1,860,819.80 on hand.
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Jean Anne Rogers, Democratic primary candidate from Tennessee's 16h Senate District, raised $98,696 during the second quarter. Jim Tracy, the Republican incumbent who is unopposed in the primary and who will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Rogers and Dee Butler, has not released second quarter fundraising totals that we are aware of. Rogers presser after the jump... ( categories: )
From the AP, as reported in the Knoxville News Sentinel: State Senate Democratic candidates say they have raised more than $735,000 in the second quarter in their effort to tip the balance back in their favor in the General Assembly's upper chamber. Also, the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus has launched a YouTube channel. Here's an introduction, and here's an older video on the Helping Heroes Act. |
