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Blackburn Puts Bredesen on Defensive in Second Debate Between Senate Candidates

October 11, 2018October 11, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) put former Gov. Phil Bredesen on the defensive Wednesday night at the second debate between the two candidates for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). Blackburn started out strong at the debate held in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee’s Howard Baker Center, and Bredesen never recovered. “Sparks flew in Knoxville Wednesday night as Democrat Phil Bredesen and his Republican opponent Marsha Blackburn squared off in their final debate leading up to November’s mid-term election,” NewsChannel 5 reported: The candidates traded barbs over everything from immigration, to education, and to the recent battle to appointment Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme court. When pressed on the issue, Bredesen once against reaffirmed his position that despite running as a Democrat he would’ve voted to confirm Kavanaugh to the country’s highest court. “I wanted to take my time with this, the obligation of a Senator is to consider all the facts,” he then went on to address the sexual assault allegations made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, “All things being equal I did not think those allegations rose to the level of being disqualified from the Supreme Court.” Blackburn quickly seized on…

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Bredesen Campaign Workers Admit on Video: ‘Fibber Phil’ Lied about Kavanaugh Vote in ‘Political Move’ to ‘Make Up Those Points’

October 10, 2018October 10, 2018 Admin

Campaign workers at Democrat Phil Bredesen’s campaign offices in Nashville say he was lying when he said on Friday that he would vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court if he were a member of the U.S. Senate, as revealed in an undercover video on Wednesday. “It’s a political move,” Bredesen campaign field organizer Maria Amalla said of Bredesen’s Friday announcement in the video released late Wednesday by Project Veritas Action. “So he’s trying to make up those points,” she added. “Seventy-four percent of Tennesseans wanted to see Kavanaugh confirmed. So, I, like, this isn’t like, what is it ? … messaging or anything. But like, logically, based on those numbers and what I’ve seen is that he had already known that that gap between him and her has grown more. And so, he thought that, like by coming out in support [of confirming Kavanaugh] that it would get more Republicans on his side. He wasn’t doing as well in the rural parts. And so, what he’s banking on is for people who are, like, Democrats and stuff, to, like, still come out and vote,” Amalla continued. Project Veritas Action sent a female undercover reporter into the…

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Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Blackburn

October 10, 2018October 9, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

The Fraternal Order of Police on Tuesday announced its endorsement of Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate. Speaking about the endorsement, Scottie DeLashmit, Fraternal Order of Police State President, said, “Marsha Blackburn has consistently been a friend to law enforcement in Tennessee. Her commitment to providing the resources we need to maintain law and order in our communities is paramount to our ability to care for the safety and security of the residents of our state. The Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police is proud to endorse and support Marsha in her race for U.S. Senate.” U.S. Representative Blackburn (R-TN-07) said, “The Fraternal Order of Police is a dedicated community of law enforcement officials committed to fostering a community of law and order. I am honored to receive the FOP’s endorsement in my race for United States Senate. As Tennessee’s next senator, I will always work to support the law enforcement community and ensure they have the resources they need to protect us.” Blackburn is running against Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen for the seat of Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. Blackburn leads Bredesen in the race by eight points, 50 percent to 42 percent, in a new CBS News Battleground Tracker poll,…

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Democratic Leader Says ‘There Are No Moderate Democrats Left,’ Begging the Question of Whether That Applies to ‘Fibber Phil’ Bredesen

October 10, 2018October 9, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Call it a Freudian slip at best, an unfortunate encounter with the truth at worst, with a top Democrat saying all the moderates have fled the party. That likely applies to Phil Bredesen as well. Speaking on MSNBC, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said “There are no moderate Democrats left…” https://twitter.com/michael_ahrens/status/1049455723107762176 Whoops. Garren Shipley, Republican National Committee spokesman, said, “Tom Perez had it right the first time. Moderate Democrats are a thing of the past. Phil Bredesen, who has based his entire campaign on the false promise of independence, is raising money today with billionaire Mike Bloomberg – an anti-gun zealot who has spent millions of dollars in an effort to abridge our Second Amendment rights. He is bought and paid for by Chuck Schumer, Michael Bloomberg, and national Democrats. Today’s Democrat party isn’t just Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi at the top, it’s like-minded people all the way down.” Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is his opponent. Shipley referred to a Tuesday fundraiser that billionaire Bloomberg hosted for Bredesen at his Manhattan home. The event was billed to financiers as an opportunity to “join Mike Bloomberg for an evening in support…

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Commentary: The U.S. Constitution Narrowly Prevailed Over Mob Rule And Character-Assassination

October 8, 2018October 7, 2018 Gregory Watson

On October 6, 2018, now-Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was formally confirmed by the U.S. Senate — in a rare Saturday session — with a slender vote of 50 yeas and 48 nays in the 100-member body. Both of Tennessee’s Senators, Republicans Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, cast their votes in favor of Kavanaugh joining the highest court in the land. The last time that someone gained membership onto the High Court by such a close margin was on May 12, 1881, when Thomas Stanley Matthews (nominated by President James Garfield) squeaked by with 24 yeas and 23 nays in the Senate. Matthews went on to distinguish himself on the Court as a foe of racial discrimination when he wrote the Opinion in the 1886 case of Yick Wo v. Hopkins, striking down the City of San Francisco’s then-policies of restricting the ability of Chinese immigrants in that city — and placing extraneous procedural obstacles in their path — to establish businesses there, thus infringing upon the federal Constitution’s 14th Amendment. A short time after this past Saturday’s 50-48 vote, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the official oath to Kavanaugh as the 114th Justice of the Supreme Court, thereby…

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Kavanaugh SCOTUS Nomination Shows Tale of Two Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidates, Blackburn Ad Says

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

The Marsha Blackburn campaign released an ad Thursday highlighting the choices that voters have in Tennessee’s U.S. Senate race when it comes to supporting Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination. The ad, which is available here, shows a tale of two candidates when it comes to the nomination – U.S. Representative Blackburn (R-TN-07) and Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen. The video also shows Tennesseans’ reactions. Blackburn has drawn a positive response for her strong commitment to Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, while Bredesen has stayed silent for months and even was booed by Democrats earlier this week, The Tennessee Star has reported. Blackburn and Bredesen are running for the Senate seat that is being left empty by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. Bredesen has tried to flee from his ties to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s, but that’s hard given that Schumer has poured money into his campaign. Schumer recruited Bredesen to run for the Senate. Blackburn has said that Bredesen is following Schumer’s directions to stay silent. Speaking about the contrast, Blackburn campaign communications director Abbi Sigler said, “Marsha has been upfront and honest with Tennesseans. She will always support constitutionalist judges and justices who will not…

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With FBI Report Done on Kavanaugh, It Is Time For Bredesen to Speak Up, Republican National Committee Says

October 5, 2018October 4, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen

The FBI report is in. Senator Bob Corker read it, and said there’s “zero corroboration” of the claims against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Other senators have reached the same conclusion. Then there is Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen. Republicans said they were confident they had the votes to confirm Kavanaugh after senators studied the FBI reports, the Los Angeles Times said. Two key Republicans, Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) praised the report. For nearly 90 days Bredesen has refused to say anything about whether he would vote for Kavanaugh if he were already a senator. Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring. His opponent, U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), has given very vocal support in favor of Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, who nominated the judge for the Supreme Court. She has repeatedly said Bredesen is following the orders of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to stay silent on the issue. Bredesen’s base wants nothing but resistance, as a booing crowd of Democrats in Chattanooga demonstrated when he dodged the Kavanaugh question, the Republican National Committee said in a press release. The RNC questioned his handling of sexual harassment claims…

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Bredesen, Bloomberg ‘Two Peas in a Pod,’ GOP Says

October 5, 2018October 4, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

New York native Phil Bredesen is at it again. Just two weeks ago the National Rifle Association chastised him for claiming an endorsement that was over a decade-and-a-half old. Now he is buddying up to perhaps the nation’s richest anti-gun advocate, Mike Bloomberg. The former Tennessee governor has a “D,” not an “A” rating from the NRA-ILA, like he claimed in an ad, The Tennessee Star previously reported. He received the “A” rating in 2002 as governor, but is currently down to a “D.” NRA-ILA Political Victory Fund executive director Chris W. Cox is using Twitter to call Bredesen out for his use of the old “A” rating, Breitbart reports. @PhilBredesen It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA. Its 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha is a 2A champion. You’re not. #stoplying pic.twitter.com/Wi0ORRmQTv — Chris Cox (@ChrisCoxCap6) September 20, 2018 Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring. U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is his opponent. Now, former New York Mayor and gun control advocate Bloomberg will host a…

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New GOP Ad Imagines Schumer, Hillary Clinton Giving Bredesen Instructions to Stay Silent on Kavanaugh Nomination

October 4, 2018October 3, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

The Tennessee Republican Party has launched a new digital ad to point out how Phil Bredesen is refusing to take a position on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s SCOTUS nomination per instructions from Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton. The Tennessee GOP’s video ad is available here. It shows fantasized text messages in which Clinton and Schumer tell Bredesen to stay neutral in the nomination and give him encouragement. Bredesen, a Democratic former governor of Tennessee, is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. His opponent is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). Blackburn has vocalized her support for the embattled Kavanaugh and has hit repeatedly at Bredesen for staying silent on whether he would vote for the judge’s confirmation. Blackburn said this week, “Tennesseans are very clear: they want their next senator to confirm good constitutionalist judges and justices, and they support Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Phil Bredesen, under Chuck Schumer’s direction, has stayed neutral as long as he can.” The Democratic former governor was booed by a mostly Democratic audience Monday in Chattanooga when he sidestepped the question about Kavanaugh. The Tennessee GOP says Bredesen’s lack of communication is in line with Senate Minority Leader…

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Billionaire Gun Control Advocate Bloomberg to Host High Dollar Manhattan Fundraiser for Bredesen

October 4, 2018October 3, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Former New York Mayor and gun control advocate Mike Bloomberg will host a fundraiser at his Manhattan home next Tuesday for Tennessee Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen, CNBC reported. The involvement by billionaire Bloomberg is likely to increase scrutiny on one of the tightest races in the midterm elections, as Bredesen, a former Tennessee governor, is trying to flip the seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. The event is being billed to financiers as an opportunity to “join Mike Bloomberg for an evening in support of Governor Phil Bredesen,” according to the invitation. The Tennessee Republican Party said, “When President Trump said Phil Bredesen wouldn’t protect the Second Amendment during his speech in Johnson City, he was more right than he could have known. Today we found out that anti-Second Amendment zealot Mike Bloomberg is holding a fundraiser for Bredesen in New York.” Bloomberg said in 2014, “And if you want to have a gun in your house, I think you’re pretty stupid – particularly if you have kids – but I guess you have a right to do that. Someday, there is going to be a suit against parents who smoke in their houses or…

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Marsha Blackburn: Tennessee Voters Want Brett Kavanaugh Confirmed

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018 Chris Butler

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn says voters across Tennessee want Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Blackburn also said voters have told her what they think of sexual assault allegations a California woman has made against him. U.S. senators hosted the woman during a Judiciary Committee meeting last week. “They think this is a PR stunt by the Democrats. They look at this as character assassination, and they do see it as dirty politics,” Blackburn said Saturday at a Vanderbilt football tailgating event. “They are looking at the Kavanaugh thing and thinking ‘I can’t imagine how I would feel if this was my brother, my dad, my son, my spouse. How would I feel when there’s an accuser who has no one that corroborates what she said?’” “People see this as an issue of fairness,” Blackburn said. Blackburn is currently running against Democrat Phil Bredesen, Tennessee’s former governor. Other Tennessee Republican Party officials attended the event. They said last week’s Kavanaugh hearings in Washington, D.C. — and voters’ reactions to them — will influence this fall’s U.S. Senate election. Tennessee Republican Party Chair Scott Golden, who attended Saturday’s event, told The Tennessee Star the hearings have “exposed…

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Blackburn Calls Out Bredesen Over Continued Silence on Kavanaugh Nomination

September 29, 2018September 28, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Marsha Blackburn, Phil Bredesen

Marsha Blackburn is calling out Phil Bredesen over his continued refusal to tell Tennesseans how he would vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh if he were in the Senate. “Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh testified extensively before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the American people on Thursday,” Blackburn said in a statement. “I appreciate their willingness to share their stories. Each of us saw more of what we have seen throughout this process: Senate Democrats behaving despicably and putting personal political ambitions above their constitutional duty to advise and consent.” “Phil Bredesen, under Chuck Schumer’s direction, has stayed neutral as long as he can, but now, the hearing is over and he has no other reason to stall. I have been clear from the start: I will always vote to confirm judges who uphold the Constitution. Obviously, Phil Bredesen will not make that commitment to Tennesseans because he’ll only vote when and how Chuck Schumer tells him. That’s not what Tennesseans deserve from their next Senator.” U.S. Representative Blackburn (R-TN-07) and Democratic former Governor Bredesen are running for the Senate seat being vacated by Bob Corker (R-TN). The Tennessee Republican Party said in a statement, “One of the…

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Commentary: Republicans Must Hang Together Now or They’ll Hang Separately in November

September 28, 2018September 27, 2018 Admin

Brett Kavanaugh, Mike Pence

“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1776. As perhaps America’s quirkiest and most practical Founding Father Ben Franklin is remembered for many sayings, but this quote could be his most famous. Franklin spoke the words just prior to signing the Declaration of Independence, knowing full well the dangers of waging war against the Mother Country – the only options for he and his fellow patriots were win or die. On paper the colonies’ ragtag army and flotilla of privateers was little match for the time-tested land and sea forces of the world’s premier empire, Great Britain, but the men who signed the Declaration hedged their bets and sacrificed everything nonetheless. Today the political situation isn’t nearly as dire and grave as it was all those years ago. Elected officials serving in the nation’s capital won’t be tried for sedition or sent to the gallows unless they do something truly egregious (and even then, who’d convict them in today’s divided political environment?). The circus surrounding Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation is certainly heinous but doesn’t quite rise to the level of high treason (but should it?). Still, there’s something to be garnered…

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‘Fibber Phil’ Bredesen Claims ‘I Am Not Going to Be Voting for Chuck Schumer,’ But Even Politico Admits ‘The Pledge Is Functionally Useless’

September 27, 2018September 26, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen, Chuck Schumer

Phil Bredesen did his best to flee from Democrat Chuck Schumer during Tuesday’s U.S. Senate debate, the Republican National Committee (RNC) said. Bredesen is running against U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring. “We need to get new leadership. I can tell you right now that if I’m elected, and when I’m elected and go to Washington, I am not going to be voting for Chuck Schumer,” Bredesen said at the beginning of the debate. He managed to make news by saying he wouldn’t vote for Schumer to be the leader of the Democrat caucus, even though Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, recruited him. But there’s a problem with that. Politico said, “The pledge is functionally useless — unlike in the House, where the speaker is chosen by a majority of the chamber in a floor vote, Senate party leaders are chosen by a majority in a private caucus vote. While there might be enough Democratic House candidates to deny (U.S. Represesntative Nancy) Pelosi the 218 votes she needs to become speaker again, there is virtually no chance of Schumer being dethroned by the Democratic Caucus after the…

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Memphis Entrepreneur Says Bredesen’s Debate Claim He Can Be Effective as Moderate Democrat in Senate ‘Either Naive or a Charade’

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

“Phil Bredesen’s claim in the debate tonight that he can be effective as a moderate Democrat in the U.S. Senate is either naive or a charade,” Memphis entrepreneur Jeff Webb told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday night in an exclusive interview. The founder of Varsity Brands also questioned Bredesen for his opposition to President Trump’s tax cuts and economic program. “Bredesen continues to avoid saying what he would do to keep the current economic revival going,” Webb added. Former Gov. Bredesen, the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), squared off in a debate Tuesday night at Cumberland University with GOP nominee Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). “He’s talking like he’s running for governor,” Webb said. “He’s not going to be the policy maker, if he’s elected to the U.S. Senate. He’s going to be the junior senator from Tennessee. The question is, how is he going to vote. If he wants to be a chairman of a committee, if the Democrats win the majority in the Senate, or the ranking member on a committee, if they stay in the minority, he’s going to have to go along with the Democrat leadership, which…

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Steve Osborne Commentary: #ConfirmKavanaugh Now

September 25, 2018September 24, 2018 Admin

by Steve Osborne The Kavanaugh hearings have devolved into a disgraceful spectacle. As his accuser’s accusation falls apart, another accuser mysteriously appeared over the weekend saying the judge acted inappropriately during his freshman year in college. If you haven’t figured it out by now, let me tell you that this whole charade is an orchestrated attempt by the democrats, hoping to delay a vote on Kavanaugh’s appointment to SCOTUS. The Democrats see that there’s a possibility of retaking the majority in the senate. If they can delay the vote on Kavanaugh until after the midterm elections, the judge won’t get the necessary votes to be confirmed. All the while, the judge’s family has to endure unfounded mudslinging all for the sake of unseemly politics. Sadly, we’ve seen this movie before. The Honorable Robert Bork, nominated for SCOTUS by President Reagan, was publicly and unjustly ripped to shreds during his confirmation hearing, and failed to get the necessary votes to confirm his nomination. Justice Clarence Thomas was similarly defamed during his confirmation hearing by a democrat operative named Anita Hill. Thankfully, Justice Thomas, knowing Anita was a setup, read a statement prior to his vote in which he excoriated the…

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Bredesen ‘Bought and Paid for by Chuck Schumer’ by Failing to Support Kavanaugh, Blackburn Says

September 21, 2018September 20, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) released a statement on Phil Bredesen’s refusal to take a stance on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, saying he is following the Democratic Party’s playbook. “Campaigns are opportunities for candidates to show voters how they will serve them if elected. I have been clear and honest with Tennesseans: I will vote to confirm constitutional judges and justices, who uphold the rule of law every time. “My opponent is showing Tennesseans he will get it wrong every time. His campaign is bought and paid for by Chuck Schumer, and he is already following the lead of Democrat Party bosses who have orchestrated this eleventh hour smear and look for every opportunity to block the President’s agenda. Phil Bredesen says he’s applying for the job, but he’s leaving questions on the application blank.” Blackburn and Bredesen, a Democratic former governor of Tennessee, are running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). Late Wednesday, Bredesen told the Associated Press that Professor Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault her more than 35 years ago but has provided no corroborating evidence or witnesses, “has a very credible story,” The Tennessee Star reported.…

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Bredsen Still Equivocating on How He Would Vote on Kavanaugh SCOTUS Nomination, Says Accuser ‘Has a Very Credible Story’ Despite Lack of Corroboration

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Phil Bredesen, the Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), is still equivocating on how he would vote if he were in the U.S. Senate now and required to vote on the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, nominated by President Trump to serve on the Supreme Court. In contrast to Bredesen, his Republican opponent, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) remains fully in support of confirming Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Late Wednesday, Bredesen told the Associated Press that Professor Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault her more than 35 years ago but has provided no corroborating evidence or witnesses, “has a very credible story .” “But he said the Judiciary Committee should consider proceeding with a vote if she does not testify under oath,” the Associated Press reported, adding: “She has put herself out there,” Bredesen said of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her while they were both in high school. “If she decided at this point to not do something, I guess the committee has to go ahead and say, ‘Well, we were willing to listen, but if she’s not…

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Fact Checking Shows Bredesen Raised Taxes, Fees By Nearly $1 Billion as Governor

September 19, 2018September 18, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Republicans are checking the facts about Phil Bredesen’s “phony” claims to have balanced the state budget when he was governor, pointing out Tennessee’s constitution requires a balanced budget. “Phil Bredesen is touting his budgetary accomplishments in a recent ad, but he’s not giving Tennesseans the full story,” the Tennessee Republican Party said in a statement. Bredesen, a former Democratic governor, is running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. His opponent is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). The Tennessee Republican Party says their latest video shows “Bredesen doesn’t have a leg to stand on.” The video is available to watch here. Tennessee has balanced its budget every year since voters approved a balanced budget amendment to the state Constitution in 1978. The GOP points out how Bredesen fails to say that as governor he raised taxes and fees by nearly $1 billion, citing a 2010 story by the Times Free Press, and “raided hundreds of millions of dollars from the state’s highway fund so that he could pay for his own budgetary priorities.” “Our state constitution has strictly prohibited anything other than a balanced budget since 1978, so it’s pretty rich for Phil…

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Commentary: A High-Tech Lynching Redux

September 18, 2018September 17, 2018 Admin

by CHQ Staff We’ve seen this despicable Democrat tactic play out before. A Republican president nominates a person universally said to be the nicest guy in the world, with a resume chock full of good works, and stellar intellectual and legal credentials to sit on the Supreme Court. The nominee is days away from his confirmation vote. Suddenly, a liberal female university professor, with a tenuous decades-old connection to the nominee, steps forward out of nowhere to tell a “he said – she said story” and accuse the nominee of sexual misconduct. Democrats, who have known of the allegations for months, but did not share them with the Committee Chairman or the FBI during the investigatory phase of the nomination demand that, “due to the seriousness of the allegation” the vote on the nomination should be postponed, or perhaps the nomination should be withdrawn. In 1991 it was Judge Clarence Thomas who was subjected to this high-tech lynching, today it is Judge Brett Kavanaugh. An email from Taylor Foy, Communications Director for the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, summed-up the Democrat’s disgusting attempt at character assassination this way: It’s disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations from more than 35…

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Senator Lamar Alexander’s Poll Numbers Reflect Troubles Ahead in 2020 Re-Election Effort

September 17, 2018September 16, 2018 Admin

Lamar Alexander

As the 2018 election swings into full fury some are already looking ahead to the 2020 elections that will feature not only a Presidential cycle but also a likely reelection bid by Republican Senator Lamar Alexander. A new Tennessee Star poll of likely 2018 general election voters indicates that troubled waters like ahead for Alexander. 31.8% of the voters surveyed indicated they had a “favorable” view of Senator Lamar Alexander while 40.8% had an “unfavorable” view. 27.4% were “unsure or didn’t know” which is a remarkably high number for a political figure who has been a fixture in Tennessee politics for four decades. Alexander has not yet announced that he is running for reelection in 2020 when his current term ends, but he is expected to seek another six year term. Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill says that Alexander’s low approval figures can be traced to several factors. “First, his colleague Senator Bob Corker regularly attacks President Trump; Corker’s behavior is splashing back on Lamar despite the fact that he’s actually been very supportive of the President and isn’t launching the kinds of cheap shots that Corker constantly spews out. Not calling our Corker and standing more clearly with…

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New Ad Touts ‘Out of Touch’ Bredesen’s History of Supporting Tax Increases

September 12, 2018September 11, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Senate Leadership Fund on Tuesday launched a new advertising blitz targeting Phil Bredesen’s fixation with raising taxes on Tennessee families. The $1.1 million buy will run statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital. The ad is available to watch here. Bredesen, a former Democratic governor, is running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. His opponent is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). The ad, titled “Out of Touch,” highlights Bredesen’s 30-year record of supporting higher taxes and fees, and his opposition to the recently passed tax reform legislation. “Phil Bredesen is an out-of-touch multimillionaire who raised taxes and fees on Tennessee taxpayers by over $1 billion,” said Senate Leadership Fund Spokesman Chris Pack. “Bredesen never saw a tax hike that he didn’t like, which explains why he was so resolutely opposed to the Trump tax cuts that are helping Tennessee’s families and jobs.” Senate Leadership Fund’s website says this about the organization: “As an independent Super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund has one goal: to protect and expand the Republican Senate Majority when Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer, together with their army of left-wing activists, try to take it back in 2018.” The $1…

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A Vote For Bredesen is a Vote for Obstructionists Like Schumer, TN GOP Says

September 8, 2018September 7, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen, Chuck Schumer

The Tennessee Republican Party has released a new ad, highlighting Phil Bredesen’s support for the most ardent Democratic obstructionists in the Senate. The ad will run on digital platforms statewide and is available here. “While Phil Bredesen claims he wants to end ‘partisan squabbling’ in Washington, the fact is that the worst offenders are in his own party,” said Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden. “President Trump is fulfilling his promise to the American people to nominate constitutionalist judges and justices, but Senate Democrats are throwing up partisan roadblocks at every turn. A vote for Phil Bredesen is a direct vote for these obstructionists.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is leading the charge, telling CBS This Morning he’d oppose the President with “everything I’ve got.” His interview is available to watch here. In an off-the-cuff moment caught on video during a Labor Day parade in Brooklyn, Senate Minority Leader Schumer told a bystander who asked when President Trump would be impeached, “The sooner the better,” The Tennessee Star reported, citing Fox News. In an exclusive interview with Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill, U.S. Senate hopeful Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) called Bredesen out over one of his greatest vulnerabilities.…

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New NBC/Marist Poll of Likely Tennessee Voters Shows Bredesen and Blackburn Neck-and-Neck While Lee Leads Dean by Double-Digits

September 7, 2018September 7, 2018 Admin

Bredesen, Blackburn, Lee, Dean

A new survey of Tennessee voters indicates that the race for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) is essentially a dead heat between Democrat Phil Bredesen and Republican Marsha Blackburn, with Bredesen ahead among likely voters by a 48-46% margin with 5% undecided. Republican Bill Lee has a large lead over Democrat Karl Dean in the race for Governor, 53-40%, with 7% undecided. The NBC/Marist poll of Tennessee was conducted August 25-28 of 940 adults (which has a margin of error of plus-minus 4.0 percentage points), 730 registered voters (plus-minus 4.5 percentage points) and 538 likely voters (plus-minus 5.1 percentage points). Respondents were contacted both by landline and cell phone. While the poll data indicates that the respondents were sampled across regions in Tennessee based on population, there is no indication of the percentages of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who were surveyed. Among likely voters, Bredesen leads among Democrats (97 percent to 0 percent), African Americans (86 percent to 8 percent), women (55 percent to 40 percent) and independents (49 percent to 45 per-cent), while Blackburn leads among Republicans (86 percent to 9 percent), men (54 percent to 40 percent) and whites (53 percent to 42…

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The Tennessee Star Interview: Dr. Mark Green’s Real-World Experience in War and Life Prepares Him to Serve in Congress

August 31, 2018September 8, 2018 Anthony Accardi

Steve Gill, Mark Green

State Senator Dr. Mark Green (R-Clarksville), the Republican nominee for the 7th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), sat down for an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill earlier this month. The 53-year-old physician, a long-time resident of Tennessee, and decorated combat veteran of the Iraq war, where he served as an Army Ranger, told Gill that his Christian faith is a defining element of his own life, but that Christians are increasingly being blackballed from public service. Gill asked if this was a growing problem, citing the case of federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett. She was belittled for her Catholic faith during a September 2017 Senate confirmation hearing by Sen. Diane Feinstein, (D-CA), who said “the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern.” Green said Christians are often the victims of misunderstanding by those who don’t share their faith. “I think it’s just a misunderstanding that people have,” he said. “I am a Christian, and because I’m a Christian I love and serve everyone, even people who don’t believe the way I believe. When I went into combat I was going to potentially give my life for…

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Lamar Alexander Weighs in on Naming Building After John McCain

August 31, 2018August 31, 2018 Chris Butler

Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker

U.S. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee seems to want a wait and see approach on renaming a building in Washington, D.C. after the late Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said the debate is a way for U.S. Dem. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. to score political points against Republicans. Schumer’s endgame — he wants to portray the GOP as racist, Gill said. As Time reported this week, a proposal to rename the Russell Senate Office Building after McCain is floating around the U.S. Senate. The name Russell refers to the late Georgia U.S. Sen. Richard Russell Jr., whom the website described as “a Southern segregationist Democrat.” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly wants a bipartisan committee to find a less grandiose way honor McCain. Members of the U.S. Senate can best do that, McConnell said, by naming a conference room in McCain’s honor or hanging a portrait of him up on a wall. But Schumer’s seemingly single-minded focus is to rename the Russell Building. Gill said Schumer is not doing this to honor McCain. “He’s doing this because he wants to stir up political trouble,” Gill said. “Chuck Schumer and the…

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Marsha Blackburn: “I Will Always Support Policies That Keep Americans Safe”

August 29, 2018August 28, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Marsha Blackburn

Congress should build President Donald Trump’s wall on the Mexican border and punish officials who create sanctuary cities, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn said. Blackburn (R-TN-07) made her case on immigration in an editorial Monday in The Hill. She is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Bob Corker, who is retiring. Her Democratic opponent is former Gov. Phil Bredesen. Here is an excerpt of her editorial: “Every state is a border state and every town is a border town. That is what many believe to be happening due to the illegal entry taking place on our nation’s southern border. What we as Tennesseans have watched happen over the past decade is a problem that has spiraled out of control for local law enforcement and elected officials. It is due to the federal government not doing its job to enforce existing federal immigration law. The Obama administration pushed open-border policies, backed away from securing the border and pushed sanctuary city policies that have made us less safe. … “Tennesseans ask me every day what we should do to get the issues that come from illegal immigration into our country under control. The first steps we should take are to…

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Blackburn to Debate Bredesen Sept. 25 at Cumberland University

August 28, 2018August 27, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Marsha Blackburn, Phil Bredesen

Marsha Blackburn announced she will participate in the Sept. 25 debate in Lebanon for the U.S. Senate race. The 7 p.m. CT debate will be held at Cumberland University. Hosts are The Tennessean, the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, News Channel 5 (WTVF), Nashville Public Television and Cumberland University. The debate will air on NewsChannel 5 and NPT in Nashville and will be carried statewide on public television, and will stream online on the hosts’ sites. Blackburn and Bredesen are vying for the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker. “There are significant differences between how Phil Bredesen and I will serve Tennesseans in the Senate, and this debate will highlight that contrast,” said Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) in a press release. “I appreciate the hard work of the event’s organizers and volunteers. I look forward to a substantive discussion about the future of our state and our country as part of our general election debates.” NewsChannel 5 said anchor Rhori Johnston and David Plazas, the opinion engagement editor at The Tennessean, will co-moderate the debate. Blackburn is a better choice for Tennessee than Democratic former Gov. Bredesen, A recent poll by Gravis Marketing shows Blackburn leads Bredesen…

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Holt: Bredesen Wrong For Tennessee as Senator, Would Not Stand Up to Democrats

August 28, 2018August 27, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Marsha Blackburn, Andy Holt, Phil Bredesen

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is a better choice for the U.S. Senate than Democratic former Gov. Bredesen, one state representative said. Blackburn and Bredesen are running for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker. State Rep. Andy Holt (R-76) wrote the comments about Bredesen and Blackburn in an op-ed in the Jackson Sun. “Just look at his (Bredesen’s) failure to denounce Democrat Congressman Steve Cohen (District 9), who said he wished Marsha Blackburn would jump off a bridge, or Mark Brown, the spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party who called President Trump a “moron” and his supporters ‘idiots.’ I guess I am one of those idiots. If he won’t stand up to his Democrats buddies in Tennessee for using the violent and partisan language that he claims to despise, because it plagues our country, who’s to say he’ll be able to do it in Washington? “Now that he’s running for office, he is telling you what he thinks you want to hear — that he’ll work across the aisle and won’t block the president at every turn. The reality is legislators — especially in the United States Senate — must pick a team, and he will be…

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Commentary: If Republicans Care About Winning in 2018 They’ll Play Follow the Leader

August 27, 2018August 26, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Donald Trump

by Jeffrey A. Rendall Here’s a little quiz for you: what do West Virginia, Montana, Missouri, Florida, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio have in common? It’s an easy one for close watchers of the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, since all of these are states President Donald Trump won in 2016 and now feature Democrat incumbent senators running for (their lives and) Trump on immigration. Much has been made about the GOP’s golden opportunity to gain seats this year in states where large numbers of “deplorables” make up the voting population. Time will tell whether Republicans take advantage of the very favorable map. It should also be noted Democrats see Arizona and Nevada as possible pick-up chances for their side, considering the Grand Canyon State contains a sizeable Hispanic population (assumed by the media to be anti-Trump) and incumbent Sen. Jeff Flake is “retiring,” leaving his seat open. Right next door in the Silver State (which Hillary Clinton stole thanks to the presence of huge casino worker unions) where incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller is widely seen as a wishy-washy RINO who doesn’t inspire many people. We’ll see. Additionally there’s currently a tight race in Tennessee with…

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Blackburn: Privatization Of Military A Bad Idea For Fort Campbell, Nation

August 25, 2018August 25, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Marsha Blackburn

Privatizing the military is a bad move, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn said in an op-ed Friday in the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. Blackburn, a Republican who is running for Bob Corker’s U.S. Senate seat, represents the 7th Congressional District, which includes Montgomery County and Fort Campbell. The representative mentioned the death of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor J. Galvin, who was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell. He died while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. She also mentioned the ongoing threats from nations like China and North Korea. “This is why the call to privatize the United States military is a non-starter. Our military commanders in the field are on the front line,” she wrote. “They work each day to execute their mission and the best way to support them is to be certain they have the tools and equipment they need — not take them away and hand everything over to a corporate company.” President Donald J. Trump’s budget proposal calls for a new round of military base closures in 2021, raising questions over the future of Forts Knox and Campbell, WDRB News reported. The plan, unveiled in May as part of the administration’s…

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Facebook Temporarily Censors Tennessee Star Articles Critical of Phil Bredesen

August 24, 2018August 24, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

facebook posts

Facebook removed three Tennessee Star articles critical of former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate seat from Tennessee up in this November’s election, from The Tennessee Star Facebook page early Thursday morning. By early Thursday afternoon, all three of those articles mysteriously reappeared on The Tennessee Star Facebook page, along with four other articles that had also been removed early Thursday. All told, seven Tennessee Star articles that were posted on The Tennessee Star Facebook page shortly after midnight Thursday morning magically reappeared on The Tennessee Star Facebook page 12 hours later, at about 12:45 p.m. central time Thursday afternoon. The three articles critical of Phil Bredesen that Facebook did not want its users to read on Thursday morning are these: “Nashville Predator Crony Capitalist Backs Bredesen As Payback for Democrats’ Help” “Phil Bredesen-Supporting Elizabeth Warren Shows No Compassion for Iowa Girl Murdered by Illegal Alien” “Phil Bredesen Making Millions Offering Low Cost Solar Deals, But Is He Being Totally Honest?” The four other Tennessee Star articles temporarily removed from The Tennessee Star Facebook page are: “Commentary: The Politicians Who Killed Mollie Tibbets” “Controversies Surround Thompsons Station Development As November Election Approaches” “Megan Barry May Still…

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Nashville Predator Crony Capitalist Backs Bredesen As Payback For Democrats’ Help

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen hopes Tennessee voters forget about his ties to liberal national Democrats as he runs for the U.S. Senate, POLITICO reported. Meanwhile, Nashville Predators Chairman Tom Cigarran, a Republican in name only, is backing the former governor as thanks for his help. Phil Bredesen is trying to tell Tennesseans he will not help flip the Senate for the Democratic Party. “It’s not pessimism but self-preservation that tinges Bredesen’s assessment of the Senate landscape,” POLITICO said. “An upset win in Tennessee could, in fact, put Bredesen’s party in the majority if Democrats were to run the table elsewhere, and the former governor’s path to victory depends on convincing voters that they wouldn’t be handing power to national Democrats and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.” Trump won the state by 26 points in the 2016 election, and Democrats haven’t won a Senate race there since 1990. Early polls show Bredesen running close against U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), but he needs independent and Republican support. “If the question on the ballot were, ‘Do you want to send a Democrat or Republican to Washington?’ I would lose. If it’s, ‘Do you want to send Phil Bredesen or Marsha Blackburn to Washington?’ I think…

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New Video Clarifies ‘Phony Phil’s’ Claims

August 18, 2018August 17, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen

The Tennessee Republican Party is having fun with “Phony Phil” Bredesen’s latest campaign ad filmed outside his grandmother’s American-flag-clad house in New York state. “Phil Bredesen’s most recent campaign ad left out some crucial details, so we decided to make our own video that gives Tennesseans some helpful context,” the Tennessee GOP said in a press release. The GOP took the U.S. Senate candidate’s campaign video and inserted comments clarifying the Harvard graduate’s claims to be a regular guy who wants to stop Washington, D.C., Democrats from telling others how to live. The GOP added comical music and sound effects to complete the experience. Watch the GOP’s video is available to watch: Scott Golden, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman, said, “The lack of self-awareness in Phony Phil’s new ad is truly remarkable. Phil complains about ‘educated, secure people who love telling the rest of us how to live’, but he’s only describing himself: a Harvard-educated, limousine liberal who owns a private plane and describes himself as ‘more sophisticated’ than regular Tennesseans. Phony Phil doesn’t pass the smell test, and Tennesseans will let him know this November.” The Chattanooga Times Free Press filmed a video interview with Bredesen in which he said…

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Gravis Poll Says Lee Leading Dean by 11; Blackburn Over Bredesen by 4

August 15, 2018August 15, 2018 Steve Gill

Phil Bredesen, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Lee, Karl Dean

A new post-primary poll conducted by Gravis Marketing shows the Tennessee Republican candidates for Governor and Senate leading their Democratic Party opponents. The poll of likely November voters indicates that Bill Lee has an 11 point margin over Karl Dean, with 9% uncertain, in the Governor’s race. In the Senate battle to fill the seat of retiring Senator Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn leads Phil Bredesen by a 48-44 margin with 8% uncertain. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/GRAVITAS_Tennessee-August-12-2018-v2.pdf”] The poll surveyed surveyed 620 likely voters between Aug. 9 and 11. Polls by Gravis Marketing have not always been considered among the most reliable in political circles. In fact, they have been identified as the worst polling company in America by some. Based upon the relatively low approval numbers for President Donald Trump in this poll, 54% approval in a state he carried with over 60% of the vote, and 79% approval among Tennessee Republicans when other state and national polls have shown him with approval ratings in the mid to high 80s among his party, the Gravis Poll may be showing less support for the Republican candidates than they actually have. Nevertheless, there are some interesting tidbits within the data. Both Blackburn and Lee…

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Bredesen Claims He Is More ‘Sophisticated’ Than Rural Americans

August 15, 2018August 14, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen

U.S. Sen. candidate Phil Bredesen released a campaign ad on Tuesday that was filmed outside his grandmother’s American flag-clad house touting his humble roots growing up among “secretaries, nurses, factory workers, and small business owners.” He pledged to stop educated Washington elites from telling Tennesseans how to live. Last week, in a video interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Bredesen said he is more “sophisticated” than rural voters. A clip shows him saying that when he attends family reunions in his native Upstate New York, he experiences “a culture that is different.” The Harvard graduate estimates 70 percent of his extended family voted for Trump but “are not crazy or anything.” Around the 1 minute mark, he says he has one foot planted in that world and one foot in a “more sophisticated” world. He touts his experience at an Ivy League college and his work as mayor, governor and CEO of a public company. Bredesen, the former Nashville mayor and Tennessee governor, is running for retiring Sen. Bob Corker’s seat. He will face U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) on Nov. 6. The Tennessee Star reported recently that while Bredesen claims to be a working stiff, he would become…

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PAC Releases New Ad in Support of Marsha Blackburn

August 11, 2018August 10, 2018 Chris Butler

Marsha Blackburn

A Super PAC that has the stated goal of protecting the people from “an army of left-wing activists” has a new commercial endorsing Marsha Blackburn for the U.S. Senate. That PAC, called the Senate Leadership Fund, released their commercial this week. According to the PAC’s website, the organization is devoted to protecting and expanding the Republican Senate majority. Members of the organization also say they want to stop the likes of Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Chuck Schumer from gaining more power. “The $1.3 million ad buy will run statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital,” according to a press release the organization put out this week. No one at the Senate Leadership Fund returned a request for comment Friday. The ad about Blackburn, entited “Tenacity,” highlights Blackburn’s working class background, along with President Trump’s full support of her candidacy. “Phil Bredesen is a liberal elitist who will oppose President Trump’s agenda at every turn,” said Chris Pack, spokesman for the Senate Leadership Fund. “Marsha Blackburn has the support of President Trump and is the only candidate who can be trusted to carry out his agenda that has the economy roaring back to life.” The ad describes…

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Bredesen ‘Masquerading as a Moderate’ and Used ‘Deceptive Advertising’ in New Commercial

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018 Chris Butler

Tennessee Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen is apparently resorting to less than honorable tactics to win Sen. Bob Corker’s (R-TN) U.S. Senate Seat. Bredesen will face off against Republican Marsha Blackburn on Nov. 6. Corker is retiring from the U.S. Senate. In an emailed statement to The Tennessee Star, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden said Bredesen is masquerading as a moderate. “Phony Phil Bredesen can pretend to be Republican-lite all he wants, but he can’t escape his liberal record. Phil donated $33,400 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign,” Golden wrote. “Phil admitted he’s Chuck Schumer’s handpicked candidate. Phil’s campaign called Trump voters ‘idiots.’ And now he’s relying on Bernie Sanders supporters to raise him money. Tennesseans aren’t fooled by Phil’s attempts to manipulate Republicans’ words to serve his own political purposes.” In a new Chattanooga Times Free Press column, Clint Cooper called out Bredesen for using what he described as “deceptive advertising” in a new commercial. “On Monday, the campaign, which had previously employed well-done ads in which the former Tennessee governor talked moderately and said earnestly he was ‘applying for the job,’ released a commercial in which some Republicans who don’t support him are shown saying kind things about him,” Cooper wrote. Among them — Corker, U.S.…

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Bredesen Makes His Case for Republican Votes in New Ad Featuring Favorable Republican Comments

August 7, 2018August 6, 2018 Admin

Scottie Hughes, Phil Bredesen

A new sixty second digital ad from the Phil Bredesen campaign is targeting Republican votes by promoting carefully selective clips of Republicans saying good things about his time as Governor. The ad features comments from former Trump surrogate and conservative commentator Scottie Hughes, Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), frequent Trump critic Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), lobbyist and former Hendersonville State Representative Debra Maggart (R-Hendersonville), and lobbyist Bill Phillips (who served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor under Democrat Mayor of Nashville, Bill Purcell). Phil Bredesen ad “Republicans” transcript: Scottie Hughes: “Folks do not realize this, a lot of Trump supporters are also Phil Bredesen supporters. And we have two Republican Governors who fought for an income tax and fought for a gas tax but you never saw a tax being fought for by Phil Bredesen.” Bob Corker: “Phil Bredesen is a friend of mine. I mean, OK. I have worked with him for 23 years. We worked together to bring the Titans to our state. When I became a Senator and he was Governor we worked to bring Volkswagen to our state. He was a very good Mayor; very good Governor; very good business person.” Chuck Fleischmann: “He had…

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Marsha Blackburn Launches Her General Election Bid for US Senate, Declares 2018 Will Be About Security

August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 Admin

Brian Wilson, Marsha Blackburn

U.S. Senate hopeful Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) appeared on WTN’s Nashville Morning News with Brian Wilson Thursday morning to discuss her reaction to the fallout from the foul-mouthed Democratic spokesman Mark Brown, as well as her plans for her campaign going forward in the general election against Phil Bredesen. After opening nicities, Brian Wilson asked, “So tell me, where does election day find you this morning? Where are you?” Rep Blackburn answered, “I’m going to be all over Middle Tennessee. Yesterday I was over in East Tennessee, and then today I’ll be in Middle Tennessee, I’m going to go vote – and looking forward to doing that – and then visit with volunteers as we get ready to go through this day. Looking forward to the results tonight.” BW: Well, this is really sort of the kickoff for you, because you are just starting your TV ads. Phil Bredesen has been out there for a while, trying to reach out to, you know, the moderate voters or some of the Trump supporters. He’s saying he can work with President Trump and he’s coming across – reaching out across the aisle – looking for voters on the other side. And yet…

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A Big-Time Tennessee U.S. Senate Race is Looming … in 2020!

August 3, 2018August 2, 2018 Steve Gill

United States Capitol

As voters in Tennessee turn their attention from the just ended primary campaigns, complete with brutal attack ads, negative mailers, hateful radio spots and dinner-interrupting robocalls, get ready for a lot more of the same in the not-so-distant future. No, that doesn’t refer to the November 6, 2018 general election, though it will be a slugfest. I’m talking 2020! And that election battle started TONIGHT! Tennessee’s Republican Senator Lamar Alexander is up for re-election in 2020, the same year President Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be on the ballot seeking reelection in the March SuperTuesday Primary and the November general election. A recent Tennessee Star statewide poll (June, 2018) of likely GOP primary voters showed Alexander with a dangerously low mix of approval and disapproval numbers. Only 37.3 percent had a favorable view towards Alexander, while 38.1 percent viewed him unfavorably. Alexander was reelected in 2014, receiving less than 50% of the vote in the Republican primary. Alexander lost a dozen counties to Joe Carr in that primary contest, including most of the suburban counties around Nashville, plus Sevier and Blount County in East Tennessee. At this point, Alexander (who will be 80 years old in 2020) is…

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EXCLUSIVE: Marsha Blackburn Tells The Tennessee Star ‘Chuck Schumer Has Bought and Paid For Phil Bredesen’s Vote’

July 28, 2018August 10, 2018 Admin

Steve Gill, Marsha Blackburn

In an exclusive interview with Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill on Friday, U.S. Senate hopeful Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) hit her Democratic opponent square in the jaw, calling him out over one of his greatest vulnerablities. “Chuck Schumer has bought and paid for Phil Bredesen’s vote,” Blackburn told Gill. Senator Schumer (D-NY)- who is currently the Senate Minority Leader and is poised to become Senate Majority Leader should the Democrats’ “blue wave” come to the U.S. Senate in this November’s midterm elections – is said to have personally recruited Bredesen out of retirement to run when Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) opted not to run for a third term “When you look at the Senate race that you’re in the midst of, what we hear from Phil Bredesen is that he’s going to be a different kind of Democrat – but you don’t see different kinds of Democrats in the Senate. And when we look at what Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are saying – Chuck Schumer has recruited Phil Bredesen into this race – they want to raise taxes if they get back in control of the Senate and the House,” Gill noted. Blackburn made it clear Bredesen is…

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Dr. J. Lee Douglas Commentary: Can We Conservatives Be Smarter This Governor’s Race and Unite in Support of Diane Black?

July 24, 2018July 23, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Diane Black

When it was obvious in 2010 that we had influenced our first big election, do you recall feeling powerful, that we could shake things up? Then within another year, disgusted and disheartened because our victorious candidates seldom represented our wishes? They did it to us again, didn’t they? No. Here’s how we did it to ourselves.

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Bill Lee Holds Town Hall in Knoxville After Final GOP Debate There is Cancelled

July 23, 2018July 23, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Bill Lee

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee held a town hall in Knoxville on Sunday night, the city and date on which a debate between all four GOP gubernatorial candidates was scheduled to be held.

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VP Mike Pence Praises Marsha Blackburn and Diane Black at Lee University Event

July 22, 2018July 21, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Vice President Mike Pence praised Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) and Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) during a speech he delivered at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee on Saturday. “The former Indiana governor called the 2017 tax cuts the biggest in a generation and a generator of American jobs in front of a raucous crowd,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported: His wide-ranging 33-minute speech at Lee University addressed immigration, tax cuts, Supreme Court nominations, environmental rollbacks and chastised the “liberal left” before narrowing his message to tax cuts. “We cut taxes for working families” Pence said. “We think the average working family in Tennessee will save about $2,000. We cut taxes for businesses large and small so businesses here in Tennessee can compete and win against businesses anywhere in the world.” U.S. Reps. Diane Black and Marsha Blackburn, who are both in tight statewide races, joined the vice president on stage to compliment the administration’s work. The vice president spoke highly of both candidates before turning his attention to Trump’s recent European trip. Pence called the trip a “success” despite the president being criticized by members of his own party for backing Russian leader Vladimir Putin over the U.S. intelligence community.…

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Blackburn Raises More Money from Contributions Than Bredesen, But He Loans His Campaign Another $2 Million

July 18, 2018July 18, 2018 John Bryant

Marsha Blackburn, Phil Bredesen

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) raised more money from contributions during the 2nd quarter of 2018 than her Democrat opponent in the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee, former Gov. Bredesen. But Bredesen ended up with more deposits in his campaign account due to an additional $2 million loan he made to his own campaign.

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Blackburn Campaign: Phil Bredesen Will Go Down for the Count This November in ‘Death by 10,000 Cuts’

July 15, 2018July 14, 2018 John Bryant

Ward Baker, Phil Bredesen

Republican Marsha Blackburn campaign strategist Ward Baker predicted Democrat Phil Bredesen will lose to Rep. Marsha Blackburn in November by “death by 10,000 cuts,” also comparing Bredesen to a punch drunk boxer “who won’t survive the punches coming before the November election,” according to reports. “I believe when the TV ads are out, and we lay out our case, I think some of them will come back. And the ones that don’t, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that they have trouble living in the future,” Baker reportedly said by way of a joke aimed at Republicans who might cross party lines to support the Democrat. Baker supposedly called Bredesen “Phantom Phil,” citing his “disappearing act on the campaign trail” we’ve previously characterized as “duck and cover Phil.” Baker also hinted at a potential controversy to come that would dog Bredesen and set him apart from Blackburn as a candidate. He offered no further details. “We’re going to make sure that he is in a corner, and we are going to constantly punch him in his face over and over and over again. This race will not be won by death by a thousand cuts. It’s going…

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Black Campaign Hits Lee in a Pair of New Attack Ads

July 5, 2018July 4, 2018 Admin

Diane Black political ad feat Bill Lee

In yet another indication that the Republican Primary for Governor has tightened, with a surge by Bill Lee in Middle Tennessee threatening Diane Black in her own 6th Congressional District, the Black campaign has begun airing two new attack ads targeting Lee in the last 24 hours. Black aired an ad targeting both Lee and Randy Boyd as “Two Moderates” just last week. She added a second ad that focused solely on Boyd as being “anti-hunter” while touting Black’s endorsement by the NRA. In fact, the ad is titled “Anti-hunter” to make the point clear. Now Black has launched two new ads that hit Lee hard. The first is similar to the “Two Moderates” ad but focuses more on Lee than Boyd. The second “Two Moderates” Black ad transcript reads as follows: Steve Schmidt, former Republican campaign manager: [Trump is] An imbecilic former reality tv show host and con man. George Will, columnist: “He [Trump] would flunk a sixth grade civics exam. Announcer: Don’t you hate it when Republicans undermine President Trump? Randy Boyd disavowed Trump, and Bill Lee’s the kind of Republican who helps Democrats get elected. Bill Lee pushed for liberal Mayor Megan Barry. Bill Lee’s candidate pushed…

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