You searched for corker - Page 3 of 11 - Tennessee Star

Tricia Stickel Commentary: Conservatives Must Rally Around One Candidate to Defeat Bob Corker in GOP Senate Primary

September 21, 2017September 21, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

by Tricia Stickel We are thrilled with the announcement of Andy Ogles that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate. Tennessee has a history of fellow conservatives entering the race against a very good candidate and thus splitting the conservative vote. With rumors floating around since the announcement from Andy Ogles of his entering the campaign, we have history repeating itself. Being so tired of aspirational political greed, if our fellow conservatives insist on entering the race there would be only one conclusion, they have been convinced to support Corker by splitting the vote! This may sound harsh, but it may be the reality. We must find the “stakeholders,” mitigate the folly and bring reason, along with our mission to supporting one candidate, Andy Ogles. Many of us gave our everything to these contenders in past endeavors. It is time to ask other contenders what their opposition is to Andy Ogles as our next U.S. Senator? What would be their objection? Will it again be a “calling”? Will blind ambition or an insatiable craving to climb the political ladder that ultimately create the situation which will help Bob Corker retain his seat, merely by splitting…

Read the full story

Lee Beaman Launches Super PAC to Raise $4 Million to Support Andy Ogles and Oppose Bob Corker in GOP Senate Primary

September 20, 2017July 17, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

Middle Tennessee’s most recognized auto dealer has launched a Super PAC that intends to raise $4 million in a Super PAC for independent expenditures to support Andy Ogles and oppose Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) in the 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary in Tennessee. “Ogles is the former state director of Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch’s network. He declared his candidacy last week, and his campaign on Tuesday announced the formation of the super PAC run by Lee Beaman, a Nashville Toyota dealer,” the Associated Press reported. Super PACs can take unlimited contributions from wealthy donors, but they may not coordinate with the campaigns. Corker has not yet announced whether he will seek a third term. Two people familiar with a White House discussion between the senator and president last week told The Associated Press that Trump urged Corker to run during the meeting. Beaman said he plans to raise $4 million to support Ogles, citing his support for tighter border security, repealing former President Barack Obama’s health care law and cutting taxes and regulation. News of the hefty financial resources about to be trained on Corker spread quickly throughout the Volunteer…

Read the full story

Andy Ogles Campaign Hires Trump Media Advisor for Primary Challenge to Bob Corker

September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

On Monday, the Andy Ogles for U.S. Senate campaign announced that it has hired Innovative Politics, which “played a key role” in the Donald J. Trump for President campaign advertising team following the Republican National Convention in the 2016 general election campaign. The firm is “a nationally renowned political consulting and full-service advertising agency,” according to a statement released by the campaign, and has been hired “to run [the campaign’s] media strategy and voter contact operations.” Innovative Politics produced nearly 30 television ads for the campaign, which spent more than $75 million dollars on television advertising. Jay Connaughton, chief media advisor with Innovative Politics, played a key role in Trump’s heavily covered Baton Rouge, Louisiana, trip following the devastating floods in the state, as well as in the President-elect’s headline making visit to Flint, MI. The Presidential race was only one of the many significant achievements for Innovative Politics during the past few national election cycles. The firm’s impressive national work, particularly in battleground states, helped the Republican Party maintain control of the U.S. Senate with victories in the critical U.S. Senate elections in North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Iowa, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Florida. Connaughton praised Ogles in the statement. “Andy…

Read the full story

Bob Corker’s Much Vaunted Meeting With President Trump Uneventful

September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Washington pundits were abuzz with speculation late last week when it was announced that Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) would meet with President Trump at the White House on Friday. News reports about what transpired at that meeting when the two men finally met in person after several weeks of mutual public criticism suggest the results were largely uneventful. “The president and Senator Corker had a productive meeting in which they discussed a wide range of shared legislative priorities for the fall session,” the Washington Examiner reported “the White House said in a readout following the sit-down.” That plain vanilla statement about a “a productive meeting” is standard operating procedure in Washington for describing meetings where nothing of substance is accomplished. The Examiner story continued: Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sat down with Trump days before the president is slated to meet with several heads of state at the 72nd annual United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. The two men discussed the current state of foreign affairs and the administration’s desire for bipartisan tax reform, according to the readout. “The administration looks forward to continued partnership with Senator Corker and other members of…

Read the full story

Andy Ogles Announces Challenge to Bob Corker for U. S. Senate

September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 Christina Botteri

Long time conservative activist Andy Ogles announced Thursday he is launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). “In less than a year the Republican primary will give us an opportunity to make choices that will impact future generations of Tennesseans,” Ogles said in a statement. “Conservative leadership means more than making promises, it means keeping them.” Andy Ogles is perhaps best known at the leader of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a position he’s held since 2013. During his tenure as the state director, the grassroots army defeated Obamacare expansion twice, led the fight against Common Core and prevented multiple attempts to inflict so-called “Washington DC values” on Tennesseans. The volunteer organization worked to hold politicians accountable for bad votes, regardless of party affiliation. Unlike Senator Corker, who has repeatedly put himself at odds against President Trump and his policy goals, Ogles is aligning himself closely to the president’s ‘Drain the Swap’ message. “Over the past several months it has become increasingly clear that too many of our elected officials in Washington are failing our country, failing to fulfill their promises, and failing our future,” Ogles said. “Sadly, Republicans who promised to…

Read the full story

REPORT: Senator Bob Corker Considering Retirement

September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 Admin

Senator Bob Corker is considering retirement, according to a CNN report breaking this morning: Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, the influential chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee who was once considered for a spot in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, is weighing whether to call it quits next year. Corker told CNN last week that he has not made a decision about his future, and appeared to confirm Trump’s tweet that he asked the President for political advice about whether to run for reelection. “As far as what am I going to do in the future, I’m still contemplating the future,” Corker said in an interview. “It’s a tremendous privilege to do what I do, and to weigh in on the big issues. … But I have not decided what I’m going to do in the future.” The junior Senator has been oddly quiet about any 2018 re-election run as possible candidates consider challenging him in the August primary, and investigations into some too-good-to-be-true stock trades develop. CNN continues: A source familiar with Corker’s thinking said the Republican is legitimately torn about whether to remain in the body another six years or to return to his roots in the business sector.…

Read the full story

See How Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker Voted on the Pelosi-Schumer-Trump Debt Ceiling Deal

September 9, 2017September 8, 2017 Admin

Senate lawmakers voted Thursday afternoon to advance a bill that would provide emergency relief funding to the victims of Hurricane Harvey and would temporarily raise the debt ceiling and fund the government through mid-December. Lawmakers voted 80-17 in favor of sending the bill back to the House for renegotiations. The Senate’s vote comes off the heels…

Read the full story

State Rep. Judd Matheny Rips Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker for Harsh Criticism of President Trump

August 26, 2017August 25, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) on Friday said U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was out of line in his recent harsh criticism of President Trump. As a leading U.S. senator, Corker should know better than to undermine the president at a time when the country is facing tough challenges at home and abroad, Matheny said. “You don’t speak like that about the president. You just don’t. He ought to be ashamed,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star at Legislative Plaza, where Matheny was receiving an award from the Center for Security Policy for his efforts to fight terrorism. Corker told reporters in Chattanooga last week that “radical changes” are needed at the White House. He questioned Trump’s competence and his understanding of what has made the U.S. a great nation. Trump fired back on Friday with a tweet saying, “Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in ’18. Tennessee not happy!” Trump has been bombarded with criticism from the mainstream media, the left and establishment Republicans like Corker in the wake of his comments blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical…

Read the full story

Is a Mark Green Senate Primary Challenge to Bob Corker Back on the Table?

August 26, 2017August 26, 2017 Christina Botteri

Tennessee Star

Senator Bob Corker was greeted Friday morning with another withering rebuke by President Trump, in response to a series of criticisms hailed at the President over the past ten days, for which Corker – who is up for re-election by Trump-friendly Tennesseans next year – staunchly “stands by.” Meanwhile, State Senator Mark Green’s (R-Clarksville) refusal to rule out a run against the struggling incumbent could signal a re-consideration to challenge Corker in the 2018 Republican primary. “I’ve already told Senator Corker my thoughts about his comments about the President and that’s as far as I intend to go at this point,” Green told Breitbart News Friday afternoon. Earlier this year State Senator Green was eyeing a run to replace the termed-out Governor Bill Haslam when the Trump Administration nominated him for Secretary of the Army. The move was met with the broad support of the Senate and wildly popular Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. However, after a sustained, two-pronged attack by leftist groups against Green’s nomination using inaccurate accounts of remarks he made having to do with the so-called “bathroom bill” and the threat of radical Islam to the American way of life, he withdrew his nomination. In early August, Green announced that he…

Read the full story

President Trump Blasts Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in Tweet

August 25, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

President Trump took to Twitter Friday morning to lash back at U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) for Corker’s recent sharp criticisms of the president. Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in '18. Tennessee not happy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 Last week in Chattanooga, Corker told reporters that “radical changes” are needed at the White House and that “the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful.” Corker said Trump “has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” Corker’s comments came as Trump was getting criticized by the mainstream media, the left and some Republicans for blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical leftists. Critics said Trump’s comments indirectly showed support for white supremacists. In Chattanooga, Corker said, “I think that sometimes he gets in a situation where he doubles-down to try and make a wrong a right.…

Read the full story

White House Slams Senator Bob Corker for ‘Outrageous’ Criticism of President Trump

August 24, 2017August 24, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

The White House blasted Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker as “ridiculous” Thursday for asserting that President Trump hasn’t shown yet that he can run the country. “I think that’s a ridiculous and outrageous claim and doesn’t dignify a response from this podium,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Speaking to reporters last week…

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S. Senator Bob Corker Stands By Statements Criticizing Trump Over Charlottesville

August 19, 2017August 18, 2017 Wendy Wilson

COLUMBIA, Tennessee — U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday defended his remarks Thursday criticizing President Trump for his comments about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend between white supremacists and leftist radicals. Corker was in Columbia on Friday to speak at a joint luncheon of the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs at the Memorial Building downtown. On Thursday in Chattanooga, Corker questioned Trump’s competence and said, “He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” Trump’s critics in the mainstream media and on the left, as well as some establishment Republicans, have maintained that Trump indirectly supported white supremacy by blaming both sides for the violence and saying there were innocent people on both sides. Asked by The Tennessee Star after Friday’s luncheon what he thought Trump should have said instead, Corker said he didn’t want to get into analyzing it further. “I’m trying to steer away from that,” Corker said. “What I said yesterday I think speaks for itself. Hopefully this, myself and maybe a few others speaking out, will have an effect. But I just want good…

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S. Senator Bob Corker Criticizes President Trump – Again – In Chattanooga Thursday

August 18, 2017August 27, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) sharply criticized President Trump on Thursday at a Rotary Club luncheon in Chattanooga and said “radical changes” are needed at the White House. Corker questioned Trump’s competence. “He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that,” Corker told reporters after the luncheon, according to WRCB Channel 3. Corker’s latest criticism of Trump comes after a long string of other attacks he has made on the president that do not sit well with Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Tennessee’s junior senator is up for re-election in 2018. Local reaction from Tennessee conservatives to Corker’s comments was harshly critical of the former mayor of Chattanooga, as these comments on the Nashville Tea Party Facebook page demonstrated. “Ready to put my name on recall petition! Trump has done more for this country in six months than Corker has in his entire senatorial career. And to speak on ‘character’, Corker wouldn’t have a clue what the word means,” Carole posted. “No Bob, it is the Senate who needs a Radical Change and that includes getting you and…

Read the full story

Tennessee’s Republican U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker Help Elevate Victim Status of Muslims Living in America

August 3, 2017August 3, 2017 Chris Alto

On April 5, 2017, Senators Alexander and Corker joined in the unanimous consent of the Senate and “agreed to” S.Res. 118: A resolution condemning hate crime and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence, or animus targeting a minority in the United States. Because S.Res.118 was introduced as a “simple resolution,” considered a non-binding statement of the Senate, no roll call vote is required, the House does not vote on it, and it has no force of law although it remains to be seen whether a bill will follow later. According to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), “[t]he drafting, introduction, and passage of this resolution [was] the result of a joint advocacy effort between MPAC and Emerge USA [a Muslim organization now renamed eMgage]. We ensured that the resolution went beyond rhetoric and resolves that the government take concrete steps to address hate crimes.” S.Res. 118 references acts of anti-Semitism, threats against Jewish institutions, anti-Black or anti-African American bias crimes, and “harassment and hate-based violence against individuals who are perceived to be Arab or Muslim, including members of South Asian communities in the United States, and Hindu and Sikh Americans” but reserves the opening and misleading statistic…

Read the full story

Alexander And Corker Both Vote For Failed Obamacare “Skinny Repeal” Amendment

July 28, 2017July 28, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

Tennessee’s Republican senators both voted early Friday for a health care bill amendment that would have repealed parts of Obamacare, though less dramatically than an amendment defeated earlier this week. The latest amendment, defeated by a 51-49 Senate vote, was dubbed “skinny repeal” and was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The stronger amendment defeated Wednesday was sponsored by his fellow Kentucky Republican senator, Rand Paul. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who voted against Sen. Paul’s amendment because it didn’t have an immediate replacement plan, but who voted to advance Sen. McConnell’s “skinny repeal” said: I voted to take the next step toward what I believed was our best opportunity to repeal and replace Obamacare. The Senate’s failure to do this leaves an urgent problem that I am committed to addressing: Tennessee’s state insurance commissioner says our individual insurance market is very near collapse. Unless Congress acts, many of the 350,000 Tennesseans who buy health insurance in that market—songwriters, farmers, the self-employed—face the real prospect of having zero options to buy insurance in 2018 and 2019. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said in a statement: My strong preference was for Congress to advance legislation I supported earlier this week to repeal Obamacare…

Read the full story

Sen. Corker Votes To Repeal Obamacare, Sen. Alexander Votes No

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

Tennessee’s Republican senators in Washington, D.C., were divided Wednesday on repealing significant portions of Obamacare. Sen. Bob Corker voted for a health care bill amendment to repeal the Affordable Care Act, while Sen. Lamar Alexander voted against it. Put forward by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the amendment would have given lawmakers two years to develop a replacement plan. The Senate will now debate measures that won’t alter Obamacare as much as the amendment defeated Wednesday. Radio talk show host Phil Valentine speculated on his show Wednesday that Corker, considered a moderate by some conservatives, voted for repeal because he is up for election next year and knew the vote would play well with Tennessee voters. Corker has not said whether he will seek a third term. In a statement released before Wednesday’s vote, Corker said: As I have said before, I believe the best path forward is for Congress to repeal Obamacare after a reasonable transition period. This amendment would take us back to a level playing field where, by a date certain, all sides have incentive to work together to develop a health care replacement that would generate broad support and stand the test of time. I urge my…

Read the full story

Senator Bob Corker Issues Statement Supporting Repeal of Obamacare

July 22, 2017July 21, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tenessee Star

On Thursday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) issued a statement supporting full repeal of Obamacare: “After being involved in many discussions over the past several months with my colleagues and stakeholders across Tennessee, I believe the best path forward is for Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act after a reasonable transition period,” said Corker. “This takes us back to a level playing field where, by a date certain, all sides have incentive to work together to develop a health care replacement that can generate broad support and will stand the test of time. Regardless of how we move forward, it is my hope that our focus will be not only on coverage but also on lowering the actual cost of health care.” Corker participated in a lengthy meeting held by senators last night and also attended the lunch meeting held yesterday at the White House. Corker had previously opposed efforts to repeal Obamacare without having a complete alternative in place. Critics on the left criticized Corker’s change of heart, while conservatives, many of whom have fiercely criticized Corker in the past, applauded it. “Tennessee Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini and the U.S. Senate campaign of Democrat James Mackler were having…

Read the full story

Senate Health Care Legislation Stalls, Corker and Alexander Were Still Mulling Bill

July 18, 2017July 18, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

The Senate health care bill appeared to stall late Monday for lack of votes needed to pass. Last week, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said he was encouraged by the direction of the bill, while Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said he had concerns about its effects on Tennesseans and was waiting to see a report from the Congressional Budget Office. The bill was to have been considered this week, but was delayed until at least next week to give Arizona Republican Senator John McCain time to recover from surgery to remove a blood clot. McCain’s presence was needed to advance the bill, which has faced growing opposition. Then news broke late Monday that the bill in its current form has been brought to a halt after more senators stepped forward to say they wouldn’t support it. That means leaders will need to revamp the bill or scrap health care legislation this year. Some senators are opposed to the bill because they say the proposed cuts to Medicaid are too steep, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says it keeps too much of Obamacare intact. Paul mounted a campaign to convince fellow Republicans that the bill is not a repeal as promised. The bill has…

Read the full story

Six Potential Challengers to Bob Corker in the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Republican Primary

June 12, 2017June 21, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

With the new Tennessee Star polling data revealing significant vulnerabilities for Senator Bob Corker among likely Republican Primary voters, the speculation about potential opponents who may seek to exploit those vulnerabilities has increased dramatically. (Regardless of how many think about it, if more than one conservative challenger actually gets in the race they give it to Corker. And a successful race will almost certainly require a minimum of $7 million.) Who are these potential challengers? In alphabetical order: Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. Topping the wish list of many Tennessee conservatives is the Representative from Middle Tennessee’s 7th District. Having represented a wide swath of West Tennessee before redistricting she has a significant base of support in both Middle and West Tennessee, which was reflected in the cross tabs in The Tennessee Star Poll head-to-head poll with Corker. Blackburn won the Middle portion of the state outside the margin of error (43-38) and beat Corker handily in West Tennessee (49-36). Statewide the two were within the margin of error with Corker edging Blackburn 41-39. A Tennessean story that was widely repeated across the state and country reported that Blackburn has indicated that she will NOT run for the Senate in 2018.…

Read the full story

Tennessee Star Poll Summary: 86 Percent of GOP Primary Voters Support Trump, Corker Vulnerable, and Governor’s Race Wide Open

June 10, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star Poll released earlier this week revealed some important information about the current attitudes of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Among the key results: 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee approve of President Trump’s job performance. No gubernatorial candidate has more than 10 percent support and the race is wide open. Senator Bob Corker’s re-election bid is in trouble. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is statistically tied in a one-on-one matchup with Senator Corker in a potential 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary. Opposition to in-state tuition for illegal aliens is close to unanimous: 84 percent to 11 percent. A Republican gubernatorial candidate who promises to repeal the gas tax increase is more likely to receive the support of 48 percent of likely Republican primary voters and less likely to receive the support of 29 percent of likely Republican primary voters. 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters support constitutional carry. The Tennessee Star Poll will be conducted periodically between now and the August 2018 Republican primary to provide current insights into voter opinion among Tennessee’s likely Republican primary voters. The next poll is scheduled to be conducted and released in September of this year. The June 2017…

Read the full story

Senator Bob Corker Continues to Undermine President Trump, This Time Over Qatar

June 10, 2017June 10, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tenessee Star

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) continued his recent history of publicly undermining President Trump this week, allowing himself on Tuesday to be portrayed as “speechless” over President Trump’s recent tweets about the country of Qatar. “President Trump set off a firestorm Tuesday when he conducted diplomacy-by-tweet, with key lawmakers stunned at the president’s flippant approach to a growing Middle East crisis and even the Pentagon saying it couldn’t explain the president’s comments,” the Hill reported: Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was left stunned and speechless when told by reporters of Trump’s tweets. Told by a reporter that Trump accused Qatar of being a state sponsor of terrorism, Corker responded, in a notably lower register, “The president?” Reporters caught Corker a few hours after Trump’s morning tweets, in which he took credit for the decision by Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries to cut off ties with Qatar, an ally that is home to a large base with as many as 10,000 U.S. military personnel. “During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “So…

Read the full story

State Rep. Andy Holt Considering Run For Bob Corker’s U.S. Senate Seat

June 9, 2017June 9, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

State Rep. Andy Holt is considering running for Bob Corker’s U.S. Senate seat next year. Corker has not said yet whether he will seek a third term, but Holt believes that if Corker does run as expected, there should be “a more conservative option.” “Somebody’s got to do it,” Holt told The Tennessee Star on Thursday. And that somebody – or one of them – might be Holt, though he’s still in the early stages of deciding whether to enter the race. Corker is vulnerable, according to a new poll released by The Star and conducted by Triton Polling and Research. Only 41 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters said Corker “deserves re-election.” Corker, who sometimes supports President Trump and is at other times critical, recently said Trump is “out of control” and the “White House is in a downward spiral.” The poll showed that only 20 percent of likely Republican primary voters agreed. Holt (R-Dresden) pointed to Corker’s key role in pushing former President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal through Congress as one reason why Corker must go. But he said a lot of the problems with Corker stem not from what he is doing, but what he’s not doing. Corker, along…

Read the full story

Poll: Senator Bob Corker May Be In Trouble With Tennessee Republican Primary Voters

June 7, 2017June 10, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tenessee Star

A new poll released by The Tennessee Star conducted of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee by Triton Polling and Research shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) may have trouble winning the nomination of his own party in its August 2018 U.S. Senate primary. First elected to the United States Senate in 2006, the former mayor of Chattanooga is up for re-election to a third term in 2018. He has not yet said that he will seek re-election, but many political observers would be surprised if he opted not to run again. When asked “As of now, do you think Bob Corker deserves re-election or is it time to give someone else a chance? ” only 41.1 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said he “deserves re-election.” An equal number, 41.6 percent, said “give someone else a chance.” There were not a great number who were undecided on this question–only 17.3 percent said “don’t know/not sure.” “An incumbent who falls below a 50 percent re-elect number should be wary, particularly when they have seen so much anti-incumbent turmoil in the electorate in recent years,” media consultant and political strategist Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. “But…

Read the full story

New Poll Shows Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn Statistically Tied in Potential Tennessee U.S. Senate GOP Primary Matchup

June 7, 2017June 7, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

A poll released by The Tennessee Star of 1,007 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is in a statistical tie with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7) in a potential 2018 Republican primary matchup for the Tennessee U.S. Senate seat. When asked “If the election was held today, and the candidates were Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn, who would you vote for U.S. Senator from Tennessee,” 41.4 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters selected Corker while 38.6 percent selected Blackburn. The 2.8 percent differential between the two is within the poll’s 3.1 percent margin of error, thus making the race a statistical dead heat. The bad news for Corker is that Blackburn beats him in two of the Volunteer State’s three geographic regions. Among West Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker soundly, 39 percent to 26 percent. Among Middle Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker 43 percent to 38 percent. Only in his home region of East Tennessee does Corker beat Blackburn. There, he wins by a margin of 49 percent to 26 percent. Blackburn’s current district covers much of Middle Tennessee. Prior to redistricting after the 2010 election, however, the district stretched from Middle Tennessee…

Read the full story

Peyton Manning Plays Golf With President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

Football star Peyton Manning reportedly played golf with President Trump and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker on Sunday. CBS Sports, citing various sources, published a story online Monday with video and photos of the three men outside the White House, on the golf course and sitting around a table at what appears to be the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. “Manning has long been someone who was rumored to have interest in getting into politics, primarily because of his immense popularity in the state of Tennessee,” the story said. “This latest encounter is hardly an indication that is happening, but it probably won’t stop people from speculating.” In March, rumors swirled that the University of Tennessee alumnus might run for Senate in 2020 to replace Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is said to be considering retiring. But Manning downplayed those rumors, according to the Denver Post. “I don’t know where that came from. Last week I was going to run a team, this week I going to apparently run for Senate, and next week I’ll be an astronaut,” Manning said at the time. “I have no interest in the political world, but would like to continue serving communities.” Manning, 41, retired…

Read the full story

Senator Bob Corker Repeats FAKE NEWS Narrative from Democrats and MSM, Calls for White House to ‘Bring Itself Under Control’

May 16, 2017May 24, 2017 Tina LaFleur

Tennessee Star

Tennessee’s Senator Bob Corker is once again singing from the Democrats’ hymnal. The chorus Corker joined on Monday is delivering the perennial favorite line for 2017, “the White House is in chaos,” with a dash of the debunked FAKE NEWS from the Washington Post, “White House/Russia classified intel disclosure.” “Obviously they’re in a downward spiral right now and they’ve got to figure out a way to come to grips with all that’s happening,” Corker told Bloomberg News on Monday. Bloomberg’s Sahil Kapur tweeted Corker’s additional statement that “The White House has got to do something soon to bring itself under control and in order.” BOB CORKER: "The White House has got to do something soon to bring itself under control and in order. It's got to happen." — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 15, 2017 But, as radio talk show host Laura Ingraham noted, the Washington Post “source” for the allegation “didn’t talk to ANY U.S. official” in attendance at the meeting in question: WH source with direct knowledge just told me @washingtonpost didn't talk to ANY U.S. official at mtg w/ Lavrov. "It's Fake News" — Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) May 15, 2017 and followed it up with Meaning of…

Read the full story

Marsha Blackburn Supports President Trump’s Firing of FBI Director While Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander Hedge

May 11, 2017May 10, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) gave her complete support of President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey, while both of Tennessee’s U.S. Senators, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) hedged in their official comments. Here is the reaction of these three Republican members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday. They made their comments in official press statements and on social media. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Republican: The FBI Director is entrusted to conduct business in an apolitical manner. What we have seen from Director Comey has been a breach of that trust and a politicization of the office. His removal from this office is warranted after his recent conduct in his position. Senator Bob Corker, Republican: While the case for removal of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey laid out by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein was thorough, his removal at this particular time will raise questions. It is essential that ongoing investigations are fulsome and free of political interference until their completion, and it is imperative that President Trump nominate a well-respected and qualified individual to lead the bureau at this critical time. Senator Lamar Alexander,…

Read the full story

BREAKING: Corker and Alexander Deliver as Republicans Break Filibuster, Clearing Way for Majority Vote on SCOTUS Nomination of Judge Gorsuch

April 6, 2017April 6, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), the two Republicans whose final votes on breaking the threatened Democratic filibuster of the confirmation vote on President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee were uncertain as late as this morning, delivered for the president and their party on Thursday afternoon. “Senate Republicans used the “constitutional option” to change longstanding cloture rules around 12:30 pm Thursday, clearing the way for Judge Neil Gorsuch to receive a vote of the full Senate on his confirmation to the Supreme Court,” Breitbart News reports: Republicans resorted to the party-line 52-48 vote after weeks of wrangling over Gorsuch’s nomination in which Senate Democrats threatened the first partisan filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee in American history. After the Democrats assembled the forty-one votes needed to prevent the end of debate under current rules, the constitutional option allowing cloture on a simple majority became the only remaining path to placing Gorsuch on the Court. Vice-President Mike Pence, who would have been needed to break a tie should any two Republicans have voted to maintain the 60-vote cloture rule, was not present for the vote, indicating Republican confidence their entire caucus would agree to the change. As…

Read the full story

Tennessee Bill Would Change State NIL Law to Match AG’s NCAA Lawsuit

April 1, 2024March 31, 2024 The Center Square

UT Football

The Tennessee Senate approved a bill that would put state law on college athletics name, image and likeness rules in line with a lawsuit brought against the National Collegiate Athletic Association by the Tennessee Attorney General.

The bill would change Tennessee law to allow prospective students to hire an agent and would eliminate fair market value limitations on athlete pay.

Read the full story

Tennessee Drug Dealer Sentenced to Prison After Overdose Death

June 10, 2023June 9, 2023 Peter D'Abrosca

After employing an elaborate scheme to smuggle drugs into a Tennessee correctional facility, a man faces over seven years in prison after one of the recipients of his smuggled narcotics overdosed and died.

“On June 8, 2023, Michael Wayne Lee, 45 of Blaine, Tennessee, was sentenced to 87 months in prison by the Honorable Clifton Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville,” according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “Following his imprisonment, Lee will be on supervised release for three years.”

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S. Rep. Mark Green and Florida U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz Speak at 917 Society Constitution Celebration at Mar-a-Lago

January 30, 2023January 30, 2023 Laura Baigert

PALM BEACH, Florida – U.S. Representatives Mark Green (R-TN-07) was the featured speaker and Matt Gaetz (R-FL-1) was the special guest speaker at the 917 Society’s constitution celebration held at the Mar-a-Lago Club on Saturday evening.

Both congressmen were greeted with enthusiastic standing ovations on their introductions to about 200 supporters of the 917 Society, about double the number of attendees in 2022, who gathered in the club’s grand ballroom for a gourmet dinner that followed a cocktail hour held poolside.

Read the full story

Mayoral Candidate Debbie Matthews Talks About Investments for Small Business Entrepreneurs

October 13, 2022October 13, 2022 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Columbia, Tennessee mayoral conservative candidate Debbie Matthews in-studio to discuss Independent incumbent Chaz Molder, and how conservative policies work by keeping Columbia free from overwhelming small business regulations.

Read the full story

Governor Bill Lee Announces New Governor’s Office Appointments

August 16, 2022August 15, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

In a statement issued on Monday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced new appointments to the Office of the Governor, including the appointments of Erin Merrick to succeed Jonathan Skrmetti as Chief Legal Counsel, effective September 1, and Casey Black Sellers to succeed Laine Arnold as Director of Communications, effective September 2.

The Tennessee Supreme Court announced last week that Skrmetti will assume the role of Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter, succeeding outgoing Attorney General Herb Slatery who did not seek re-appointment to the role.

Read the full story

TN-5 Candidate Winstead Won’t Say Who Received His Vote in 2008 Democrat Primary

July 21, 2022July 21, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate Kurt Winstead won’t say whether he voted for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the 2008 Tennessee Democrat presidential preference primary.

The Tennessee Star reached out to Winstead’s campaign, asking if they could provide a comment as to whether Kurt Winstead voted for Clinton or Obama in 2008.

Read the full story

Club for Growth-Affiliated Super PAC Launches $400K in TV and Radio Attack Ads Against Kurt Winstead and Beth Harwell in TN-5 Race

July 9, 2022July 8, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

On Friday, a Club for Growth-controlled federal super PAC, the School Freedom Fund PAC, launched a nearly $400,000 television and radio attack advertising blitz against Kurt Winstead and Beth Harwell in the August 4 Republican primary in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.

The ads attack Winstead’s Democrat voter and donor history as well as Harwell’s endorsement in the 2018 Tennessee governor’s race from a teacher’s association that endorsed in both the Republican and Democrat primaries.

Read the full story

Kurt Winstead’s Democrat Donations and Voting Activity in Tennessee State and Local Races Revealed

July 8, 2022July 8, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

TN-5 candidate and retired Brigadier General Kurt Winstead’s past history of donating to Democratic Party candidates and causes in federal races has been well documented, and now, additional Democrat donations in Tennessee state races have been discovered.

A search of the Tennessee Online Campaign Finance website, which contains campaign finance reports dating back to at least 2000, shows that Winstead personally donated on at least seven occasions to Democratic campaigns.

Read the full story

Commentary: America’s Recycling Program Failed – and Scarred the Environment

June 6, 2022June 5, 2022 Admin

In March 2019, The New York Times ran a shocking story exploring why many prominent US cities were abandoning their recycling programs.

“Philadelphia is now burning about half of its 1.5 million residents’ recycling material in an incinerator that converts waste to energy,” Times business writer Michael Corkery reported. “In Memphis, the international airport still has recycling bins around the terminals, but every collected can, bottle and newspaper is sent to a landfill.”

Read the full story

Records Show TN-5 Candidate Kurt Winstead Donated to Democrat Candidates for Federal Office

May 18, 2022May 19, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

Gen. Kurt Winstead

Federal Election Commission records show that Tennessee Fifth Congressional District Republican primary candidate Kurt Winstead donated to federal Democrat candidates in addition to Republican ones.

Williamson County Election Commission records additionally show that Kurt Winstead voted in Democrat primaries in the past.

Read the full story

Hamilton County Mayoral Candidate Weston Wamp’s Tweets Show Enormous Distaste for Donald Trump’s Brand of GOP

January 13, 2022January 12, 2022 Chris Butler

Weston Wamp, son of former Tennessee Republican Congressman Zach Wamp, is running for mayor of Hamilton County, and his past tweets reveal an intense dislike and even a resistance to former President Donald Trump. In more than one tweet, Weston Wamp denied that Trump is a conservative. In another post, Wamp warned that Trump, as president, would likely derail the national economy and spark a recession. In another post, Wamp predicted that the former president would demolish the Republican Party.

Read the full story

The Star News Network’s Washington Correspondent Neil McCabe on the Kamikaze Suicide Mission of Liz Cheney

July 29, 2021July 28, 2021 Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed The Star News Network Washington Correspondent Neil McCabe to the newsmakers line to weigh in on the political futures of Liz Cheney, Anthony Bouchard, and Adam Kinzinger.

Read the full story

‘This is What Open Borders Agenda Looks Like,’ Trump’s ICE Chief Says

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 Admin

U.S. Border Patrol

Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said Monday that President Joe Biden sacrificed the U.S.’ safety at the southern border in order to win the 2020 election.

“This is open borders agenda, Joe Biden sold out this country and our border security to win the election, he wanted to win over the progressive left, have an open borders agenda, Homan said on “Fox and Friends First.” Biden called the border situation on Saturday a “crisis” for the first time while discussing the refugee cap.

“We’re going to increase the number [of refugees allowed into the country]. The problem was that the refugee part was working on the crisis that ended up on the border with young people,” Biden said. “We couldn’t do two things at once. But now we are going to increase the number.”

Read the full story

Transportation Sec. Buttigieg Says Mileage Tax Won’t Be Part of Biden’s Infrastructure Bill

March 31, 2021March 30, 2021 Admin

Highway Traffic

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday that a mileage tax won’t be included in President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal.

Buttigieg told CNN anchor Jake Tapper the tax is “not part of the conversation about this infrastructure bill,” despite floating the idea of taxing people based on how far they drive last week.

Read the full story

Cofounder of Global Fraud Organization Responsible for Stealing More Than $500 Million Sentenced to Ten Years in Jail

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Admin

A Russian national, who co-founded a global fraud operation that’s responsible for stealing more than $560 million from millions of victims was sentenced to a decade in jail on Friday, the Department of Justice announced.

Russian citizen Sergey Medvedev, 33, and Syvatoslav Bondarenko, who is from Ukraine, co-founded Infraud, court documents said, according to a Justice Department press release. Infraud, a worldwide criminal organization that engaged in financial fraud and stole identities, bragged about having more than 10,000 participants at its height, according to the press release.

Medvedev, the Russian national, conducted an “escrow” service for illegal transactions in the Infraud network starting in November 2010 until law enforcement shut down the organization in February 2018, court documents said, according to the press release.

Read the full story

‘That Is Not Leadership Position’: Pelosi Refuses to Back Effort to Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from House

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Admin

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that Democratic leadership won’t back the effort to remove Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House.

California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez introduced a resolution Friday to remove Greene from the House, saying the congresswoman “advocated violence against our peers, the Speaker and our government,” CNN reported. The resolution was backed by 72 House Democrats.

“I’m not gonna get into that,” Pelosi said. “Members are very unhappy about what happened here and they can express themselves the way they do. What Mr. Gomez did is his own view, and that is not leadership position.”

Read the full story

Biden Calls Kamala Harris ‘President Harris’

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Admin

President Joe Biden referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “President Harris” on Thursday.

“Now, when President Harris and I took a virtual tour of a vaccination center in Arizona not long ago, one of the nurses on that tour injecting people and giving vaccinations said that each shot was like administering a dose of hope,” Biden said during an announcement at the White House.

Biden previously appeared to forget Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s name during a March 8 speech over the nomination of two female Air Force generals.

Read the full story