Conservative Republican Judd Matheny picked up a big endorsement this week when Michael Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan and a former nationally syndicated talk radio host, visited Tennessee to promote his campaign for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. The August 2 Republican Primary will select a nominee to fill the seat being vacated by Congresswoman Diane Black, who is running for Governor.
“Judd Matheny has the conservative principles and statesmanship that my father so loved in a candidate,” Reagan said in making his endorsement. “Judd will uphold Ronald Reagan’s legacy in Congress and I urge you to vote for him and I support him fully.”
Matheny said that Reagan will be assisting his campaign in a variety of ways leading up to the Republican Primary. “Ronald Reagan was unwavering in his commitment to national security, economic freedom and prosperity, and the conservative principles essential to promoting and protecting liberty,” Matheny noted. “I am proud that Michael Reagan sees the same characteristics in me that were embodied by his father and am excited to have his support and friendship.”
Michael Reagan is the son of former President Ronald Reagan and Academy Award winning actress, Jane Wyman. He authored many successful books, including his best-selling autobiography, “On the Outside Looking In,” and “The Common Sense of An Uncommon Man: The Wit, Wisdom and Eternal Optimism of Ronald Reagan.” His book “Twice Adopted” is based on his personal story while his latest book “The New Reagan Revolution” reveals new insights into the life, thoughts, and actions of the man who changed the world during the 1980s.
Matheny is a veteran police officer, military veteran and conservative state legislator who was a founder and leader of the Conservative Caucus in Tennessee House that was developed on the model of the House Freedom Caucus in Washington, led by Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC).
Michael Reagan is a never Trumper who cashes in on his father’s name by being a “conservative” but in reality his politics are much closer to his siblings. He is probably about as conservative as Corker, Alexander, Haslam and Boyd. Which is to say he is a ruling class, status quo, cheap labor Republican. The fact that Matheny accepts an endorsement from a rabid anti-Trumper should be a red flag
Michael Reagan is a globalist, never Trumper who comes from the Corker/Alexander/Boyd wing of the party. His endorsement should be a red flag.
I concur, Matheny is the best candidate for the 6th District. Supporting a “political outsider” just on that basis alone is not a good strategy, especially if one of the candidates is a political insider that holds strong conservative values, and whose voting track record bears that out. Remember, Ronald Reagan began his political career as a union official with the Screen Actors Guild (and lower case liberal Democrat), ultimately becoming President of the union. He went on to become Governor of California and his leadership there is deeply resented to this day by the communists that now govern California…just as leftists, nationwide and globally, do to this day based on his successes as POTUS. So being a “political insider” is hardly a disqualifying criterion – just the opposite if the candidate has shown strong conservative values and a voting track record consistent with those values.
Based on a table top review of the GOP candidates for the 6th District, Matheny seems the clear choice and, if successful, would prove to be an excellent addition to the U.S. House Freedom Caucus.
We need more principled conservatives in the mold of Rep. Massie (KY), who stood fast against the passage of Trump’s “Obamacare Light” and Matheny seems to fit the bill.
Judd is going to get < 10% in the race. He's an abysmal candidate that parades around as a conservative (which he is not). He SQUANDERED nearly $300,000 of campaign cash and appears to be raising and spending money for himself instead of it's proper use as campaign funds. A new car? The guy bought a NEW CAR with campaign funds. That is so UNETHICAL!
I wonder what Benton does better, predict political races or ideologically label candidates? We won’t know about the former until August 3rd but as for the latter, Judd has been in the state House since 2002 and the American Conservative Union gives him an 88% lifetime score. Further, Judd is the candidate endorsed by THE organization of conservatives in the U.S. House, the House Freedom Caucus. So its ACU and the Freedom Caucus vs. Benton Temple conservatives of the Sixth District, who are you going to believe?
I can’t help but notice that Benton doesn’t endorse any other candidate. No, he just shoots spit balls and slings mud but no positive guidance. No surprise. I know, Benton knows, and the Freedom Caucus knows that someone is going to occupy the Sixth District’s seat in the U.S. House come January 2019 and its down to one of three people. For conservatives, given the obvious flaws in Rose and Corlew, Judd is the best, and frankly, the only rational choice!
Hi Stuart. Simple questions:
1. Is it ethical to buy a car for personal use with campaign cash?
2. Is it ethical to spend campaign cash on automotive repairs?
You do know that Judd raised close to $300,000 and blew it all, right? Ain’t nothing conservative about that. The social security trust fund is managed better than Judd’s own finances. Glad he will never get close to allocating my federal tax dollars.
One last thing. Speaking of rational choices, can you acknowledge that Judd Matheny thought that a mop sink in the men’s restroom in the capitol building was a foot bath for muslims? How stupid was that?
Who? Matheny is toast in this race.
Apparently you don’t follow politics too closely Ron. Judd is the only proven conservative in the race who has also been endorsed by the House Freedom Caucus. Once he gets to Washington Judd will take his place with Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan and Scott DesJarlais in that iconic organization that does so much to cause the Republican conference in the House to adhere to conservative principles found in the Republican Party platform.
Running against Judd is John Rose who is so liberal that after being encouraged to run by the centrist/tepid conservative wing of the Republican Party he has received funding from prominent liberal Democrat fundraisers and Bob Corlew who is the very model of a No Record Candidate. Sixth District conservatives, after looking forward to the day when Diane Black vacates their seat in the U. S. House hopefully will not miss this opportunity to replace her with a committed proven conservative, Judd Matheny.
Spot on, excellent analysis!
HIs main competitor claims to be a real conservative but it appears that is not really true. More of a crony political operative as far as I can tell. I plan to vote for Matheny.