Chattanooga businessman Tim Kelly is running for mayor, The Chattanoogan said Thursday.
The election is March 2021. Incumbent Andy Berke is term-limited.
Kelly owns businesses that include Kelly Subaru and Southern Honda Powersports.
Kelly drew only 6 percent in a recent poll of potential mayoral candidates, in a poll paid for by Nick Macco and Adam Boeselager of Legacybox, a Chattanooga company that converts camcorder footage into DVDs, according to a story by WRCB.
“The purpose of the survey was to elevate the views of Chattanoogans and spur a discussion about our future,” said Macco, who says the pair funded the project and has no specific affiliation with any of the names floated in the survey as potential candidates.
Fifty-six percent of the 445 adults surveyed were undecided, the poll said.
The poll is available here.
Kelly, who also is chairman of the Chattanooga Football Club, is the fourth candidate to announce, the Chattanooga Times Free Press said. The others are City Councilman Russell Gilbert, businessman Andrew McLaren and Monty Bruell.
Columnist Roy Exum of The Chattanoogan says Kelly is into more than just automobiles and soccer.
Tim Kelly, a Chattanooga auto dealer, is being encouraged by some but, because Kelly is in the thick of Chattanooga’s now-tainted “liberal elites” as the chairman of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, he may be best advised not to buy any political ads on credit.
The Tennessee Star reported in July 2019 that the Community Foundation was one of four foundations that funds UnifiEd, a far-left organization that seeks to replace conservative school board members with liberals.
Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga spokesman Joda Thongnopnua told The Tennessee Star Monday that Eidson’s letter lacked some important context.
“I want to be clear. We supported the (UnifiEd) 501C3. They have a 501C4 as well. That is a more political organization, but all our money went explicitly toward the 501C3,” Thongnopnua said.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Tim Kelly” by Tim Kelly. Background Photo “Chattanooga Downtown” by Imilious. CC BY-SA 3.0.
I’d rather have a wealthy Independent/Democrat than a wealthy Republican. Republicans are sociopaths.
You have just described the NEW Democrat party. They own cities. Or I should clarify… their ultra-wealthy elites own the cities. And the alliance of rich white liberals and poor ethnic minorities have proliferated the scam.
SUPER ULTRA ELITES…are smothering our cities all over AMERICA…so sad…such a shame…we must stop the MADNESS… hopefully Chattanooga has had enough!!
C’mon Chattanooga! You can do better than the next ‘woke’ loon who made money off his family’s wealth and name. Buy a Subaru…. feel the love? Stop being so gullible. Choose a mayor who can keep the finances of the city under responsible management! This guy is just a charicature of what the leftist elites have become. Reject Mr. Kelly!
Tim Kelly’s ad for mayor with the waterfall is so refreshing and calming. I love it😃
I don’t understand how someone can have such hate for a professional man of faith, who will leave a legacy much longer than either you…or I, and certainly Tim Kelly. Waterfall or no waterfall, such bogus crap.
Why can only the very rich win elections in the U.S., especially in Tennessee? The average Jane or Joe has no chance!
I agree. This should tell us all that the rich has taken control of our economy and our government. The financial burden is on the mid class and we can’t represent this country. The mid class is being played. They allow these rich to get us focused on social issues as they milk us financially. They get us to focus on hating each other that doesn’t put a dime in our pockets. Our focus should be getting people in office that wants to share the burden amongst all of us. I also believe the Able bodied poor should help as well. They can’t help financially but they can volunteer for social causes 5 to 10 hours a month. We all need to learn it takes us all and living isn’t free. This is one of the biggest mistakes in this country. We should be training our kids if you cant pay tax money, you still can participate for the good of this country by volunteering.
Love it Georgia…so well put…and BEAUTIFULLY spoken… that’s the REMEDY for our Great City!!
Will there ever be a “poor businessman” elected ever again? Looks to me like the only way to get elected in these times is to buy your way in.