Tag: 2018 election

Florida Officials, Congressional Delegation Demand FBI Disclose Election-Hack Details

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by John Haughey   Russian hackers gained access to voter information files in Washington County, a sparsely populated Republican-dominated Panhandle county, where 77 percent of its 11,000 votes cast in the 2016 presidential election went to Donald Trump. The revelation was reported by The Washington Post Thursday night, citing two unnamed officials “with knowledge of the investigation,” who said Washington County was one of the two Florida counties breached by the Russian military spy agency, the GRU, in the days before the November 2016 election. The Washington Post also cites two unnamed Florida sources that the second county the FBI maintains was penetrated by the GRU in 2016 is “a mid-sized county on the East Coast of the state.” The disclosures have further inflamed already angry state officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Florida’s congressional delegation, who are demanding the FBI and the Trump Administration be more forthcoming in discussing with them and county election officials what its investigation has uncovered. “The public needs to know which counties were hacked and what steps are being taken to hold the bad actors accountable,” U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Orlando, said during a bipartisan Washington D.C. press conference staged by five of the…

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Rubio Warns: Dems Are Actively Trying to Steal the Florida Election

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by Luke Rosiak   Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is warning that the fate of his state’s governorship could hang in the hands of Florida’s Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes, whom he’s called incompetent for violating state and federal laws. A liberal candidate similarly painted her as incompetent and corrupt. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum initially conceded the Florida race to Republican Ron DeSantis, but backtracked after vote totals changed Thursday, narrowing the gap to less than half a percent in both the gubernatorial and senatorial races. Broward County is often the slowest of the state’s 67 counties to count votes, and its election department has repeatedly been faulted for wrongdoing. Now, Perkins Coie lawyer Marc Elias has been enlisted in a recount effort. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson is retaining Elias, who said it’s “not plausible” that, as Broward statistics suggest, 14,000 people voted in sometimes-obscure state-level races but left the Senate one blank. Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who, by initial appearances, beat Nelson in a race for Senate, said Elias will use aggressive techniques to “steal” the election. Elias worked for both the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC during the 2016 election, even before the 2016 presidential candidate became the Democratic…

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Newt Gingrich Says the Booming Economy and Personal Safety Will Keep GOP in Hunt for the House

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Newt Gingrich

by Nick Givas   Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the booming economy and a strong desire for personal safety will keep the House in play for Republicans come Tuesday. “Well look, I think the number one thing that’s relevant to the vote tomorrow is the economy,” Gingrich said on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom Monday. “And I think in a lot of districts, that’s propping up Republicans who might be in trouble on other issues.” Gingrich said the American people are taking notice of higher wages and more jobs, but said it will still be difficult for Republicans to retain control of both houses. [RELATED: Newt Gingrich Doubles Down On Red Wave Prediction] “The people look at it and they go, ‘there really are more jobs. Wages really are going up. The future really looks dramatically better.’ And so there’s a bias that’s, I think, actually held the Republicans up in both House and Senate races where they might have been in much more trouble,” he continued. “Off years are hard … We got to be a majority for the first time in 40 years in Bill Clinton’s first off-year election. So I understand how tough it is to be the…

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Protester Justin Jones Disrupted Blackburn Rally After Hearing What He Called An ‘Evil Prayer’ for President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh

Tennessee Star Staff

Left wing protester Justin Jones, who was arrested and booked in Nashville late Wednesday night on charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest for his disruption of a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville’s CabaRay Theater on Sunday, offered this insight into his conduct at that rally during an in-studio interview Tuesday morning on KSMS 92Q’s Kenny Smoov’s Morning Show: “I’ve never heard an evil prayer. And literally, before we were kicked out and thrown out, they had a prayer. And I’m in Divinity School. I’m studying to be a pastor. And we prayed for evilness. We prayed for a president who’s preying, P R E Y I N G, on our communities,” Jones told Smoov and the 92Q listening audience. “We prayed for Kavanaugh, who we know was accused of multiple instances of sexual assault, and instead of praying for the victims and survivors of those attacks, we prayed for this man, who is controversial,” he continued. “And we prayed for border walls. I said, the God I serve builds bridges and not walls,” Jones added. You can watch the full video of Jones’ interview here: (Jones’ “evil prayer” comments begin at about 04:14 and continue to 04:48.)   The…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Cabinet Speculation Begins

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Although Election Day is still two weeks off, the fact that Republican candidate for Governor Bill Lee appears poised to win handily over Democrat nominee Mayor Karl Dean has speculation already underway about who might fill his Cabinet. One name generating a lot of buzz is State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma). Bowling was one of Lee’s earliest supporters in the State Senate, publicly endorsing Lee while most of her colleagues in the Legislature were siding with the perceived front runners Diane Black and Randy Boyd. While the Lee team is avoiding any discussion of what role Bowling or any other potential Commissioners might fill, Education, Transportation and DCS would all fit her areas of expertise. Lee might prefer to keep her closer to the Governor’s office as a Legislative liaison with a portfolio that would include dealing with county and municipal leaders as well. (Bowling is a former Alderman in Tullahoma.) She is definitely high on the “secret” draft board at this point. Another name drawing attention is former legislator Jamie Woodson, who served in both the State House and State Senate before becoming Executive Chairman and CEO of SCORE in 2011.  As a former Chair of the Senate Education…

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Bredesen Lies About Not Financing Campaign, Dumps $2 Million into Schumer’s Effort to Retake Senate

Jason M. Reynolds

With two weeks until Election Day on Nov. 6, Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen reported giving his own campaign an additional $2 million, bringing his total donations and loans to $7.4 million The news comes from Politico Playbook. Last December, Bredesen was promising something different. The Tennessean reported last December that he promised not to bankroll his campaign: Perhaps surprisingly, Bredesen, a former Nashville mayor who has earned millions privately in the health care industry and helped bankroll some of his past campaigns, said he would not be contributing any personal money into his race. He said he doesn’t think it will be necessary.” “‘I think at this point, I’ve earned the right to go out and raise money,’ he said, adding that people have already stepped up in wide numbers over the last 48 hours.” The Tennessee Republican Party says Bredesen has lied to the tune of more than $7.4 million this year. “Well, now we have another report showing Bredesen pumping millions of dollars into his campaign (he has done the same in every quarter of this financial year),” a GOP press release said, citing a tweet from Gideon Resnick of The Daily Beast. “His total to-date stands at $7,455,000,” according to FEC filings. Tennessee…

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Beto Campaign Sued for Allegedly Sending Unsolicited Text Messages

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By Molly Prince   A lawsuit was filed against Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s campaign Friday alleging the Texas senatorial hopeful sent constituents text messages despite not receiving permission to do so. Sameer Syeed, a resident of Collins County, filed the class action lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas Court, arguing the Beto for Texas campaign violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, reported The Star-Telegram. The lawsuit alleges that Syeed received numerous unsolicited text messages from Beto for Texas and was unable to stop the automated messages despite both replying to the messages and reaching out to the listed phone number, only to get an error message or dial tone, according to The Star-Telegram. The suit further insists the campaign pay at last $500 per text message to the lawsuit’s plaintiffs. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act bans the use of “automated telephone equipment to send texts or calls to a person’s cellphone without their permission except for emergency purposes,” according to The Star-Telegram. This is not the first time O’Rourke’s campaign has faced backlash for claims of inappropriate use of text messages. The campaign came under fire in September for allegedly sending a text message to voters asking for “volunteers to help transport…

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Senate Candidate Marsha Blackburn Gets ‘True Reformer’ Award From National Immigration Watchdog Group

Anna Marie Bolton

NumbersUSA, an Arlington, Virginia based non-profit group that advocates for lower immigration numbers across the board, including restricting legal immigration, tracks and grades members of Congress and US Senators on their voting record on this issue of great concern to Americans. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013 and is now a candidate for the US Senate, has received a lifetime grade of A+ and has been designated a “True Reformer” by the one-million member organization. Since entering Congress 15 years ago, and even before immigration became a kitchen table issue for most Americans, her votes and public statements were in line with NumbersUSA positions. NumbersUSA describes its “True Reformers” designation this way: A “True Reformer” is a candidate who PROMISES to support all or nearly all of NumbersUSA’s top immigration priorities. In most instances, “True Reformers” have completed our Immigration-Reduction Survey, but there are a few incumbents who have also earned the “True Reformer” label through their actions in Congress, most notably by sponsoring all five of our “5 Great Immigration-Reduction Bills.” She has consistently voted to reduce chain migration and refugee fraud. She has voted to end anchor baby citizenship, a major…

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Newt Gingrich Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate

Chris Butler

Former Republican Speaker of the U.S. House Newt Gingrich endorsed Republican Marsha Blackburn for the U.S. Senate Thursday, calling her “the only conservative in the race.” “The choice is clear. I’ve known Marsha for years, I’ve worked with her in the Congress. She is hardworking. She is smart, and she is a solid conservative with courage,” Gingrich said in a YouTube video that accompanied the endorsement. “She will stand up and fight for the values of Tennessee. She will represent the conservative cause, and she’ll do what’s right for America. So, don’t be fooled by any of these ads or any of these claims about being a ‘moderate democrat.’ There are no moderate democrats.” Gingrich, of course, was referring to Phil Bredesen, who is running against Blackburn for the seat that current Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will soon vacate. Bredesen describes himself as a moderate Democrat. “You either give power to radicals like Chuck Schumer or you are with Mitch McConnell and the conservatives,” Gingrich said. Gingrich reminded viewers that Bredesen donated $33,000 to elect Hillary Clinton president and wrote a book saying Obamacare didn’t go far enough and the country needs a government-run health system. “I knew Bredesen when he…

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Senate Candidate Marsha Blackburn Says Voters Care More About Results Than ‘The Story Of Their Day’

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by Nick Givas   Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Rep. Marsha Blackburn said voters are more concerned with long-term solutions and judicial appointments than with flavor-of-the-moment news stories. She was responding to a question about singer Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Blackburn’s Democratic opponent on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday and how it will impact voters. “What we know is that Tennesseans care about the story of their life — not the story of their day, and really what they are focusing on is our positive message,” Blackburn said. “It is getting through, and that is what is going to carry people to the polls.” Swift came out with an Instagram post Oct. 7 endorsing Democrat Phil Bredesen over Blackburn, citing concerns over LGBT rights and racism. Blackburn said her platform of installing solid constitutional judges and limiting government regulation will win her the election and claimed Bredesen has a cloud of sexual harassment scandals hanging over his past cabinet. “They like this message of less regulation, economic growth. Good constitutional judges,” Blackburn continued. “And they’re remembering and finding out some of the things about Phil Bredesen — The sexual harassment scandals that plagued his administration with some of his cabinet. He had two tracks. One for friends of…

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Heller Pulls Away From Jacky Rosen in Poll as Nevada Senate Race Moves Red

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by Jason Hopkins   New polling shows Republican Nevada Sen. Dean Heller is pulling ahead of his Democratic rival, Jacky Rosen, indicating a sharp turnaround for the incumbent Republican. A new Emerson College Survey released Monday shows Heller with a commanding seven-point lead over Rosen, a liberal congresswoman vying for his seat, 48 percent to 41 percent. The poll of likely voters was conducted from Oct. 10 to 12, with a margin of error of 4.2 percent. The Emerson survey comes nearly a week after an NBC/Marist poll showed Heller ahead of Rosen by only two percentage points. As recently as Oct. 1, a CNN survey found Rosen in the lead by 4 percentage points among likely voters. Heller has now taken the lead in the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls. The latest numbers provide good news for Heller, a first-term Nevada senator who is has been described by many as the most vulnerable Republican running in this midterm cycle. Also, the change in direction provides further evidence of a “Kavanaugh bounce” for Republicans. Numerous GOP candidates have either closed the gap or surpassed their Democratic rivals shortly following the heated battle to place Brett Kavanaugh onto the…

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Mark Green Commentary: To Solve the American Healthcare Crisis We Must Correctly Incentivise Care

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by State Senator Dr. Mark Green (R-Clarksville)   There has a been a lot of discussion lately about the healthcare crisis in America. Unfortunately, largely missing in that discussion is a real diagnosis of the problem–and thus, also missing is a real solution. If the diagnosis is cardiac disease, and you treat the person for cancer, you’re probably doing more harm than good. Having been an emergency medicine physician, CEO of a large ER staffing company, and cancer survivor, I’ve been on both sides of the stethoscope and have seen the problems firsthand. Most Americans want to help the poor and the elderly to have access to quality healthcare. No one argues that the current system is working. Yet, Obamacare and the prevailing attempts to fix it all fall prey to the same underlying principles, which led to our current healthcare crisis. There are three major issues with the current healthcare system in America: The first is inherent in the basic human response to incentives. The second is the impact of government price fixing and its impact on health insurance. And, lastly, defensive medicine is adding costs to those who ultimately pay the price for everyone’s health program. I’ll address…

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SCOTUS Clears the Way For Voter ID Requirement In Key Senate Race

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by Kevin Daley   The U.S. Supreme Court will allow a North Dakota law requiring voters to produce government ID with a current residential street address when casting ballots to take effect. The decision, which came Tuesday and drew a brief dissent, will effect one November’s most critical Senate races. A group of American Indians challenged the residential street address requirement, arguing that it imposes “impossible and severe burdens on the franchise for Native American voters,” as many live on reservations or otherwise lack ordinary street addresses. A federal judge agreed and prohibited the law. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted that order, so the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to restore the injunction. North Dakota argues that the law protects the integrity of the ballot box and improves the administration of elections — the state’s filing at the high court notes there were over 800 different ballots used in the state during the 2016 election cycle, which are assigned on the basis of address. The Supreme Court’s Tuesday order allowed the law to take effect for the general election. As is typical of orders of this nature, neither the vote count nor the reasoning was disclosed. Justice…

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‘There’s Is No Debate,’ Ron DeSantis is Racist Says AM Joy Guest Tiffany Cross

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by Nick Givas   Managing editor of The Beat DC, Tiffany Cross called Florida gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis “racist” on MSNBC’s “AM Joy” Sunday and said there’s “no debate” about his racial beliefs. DeSantis is running against Democrat challenger Andrew Gillum and has starkly contrasted himself against Gillum’s left wing policies. He also accused Gillum of trying change Florida into Venezuela. “When I look at races, particularly in the South … Andrew Gillum’s race. You have DeSantis who has come out and there is no debate. We don’t have to ask the question is he racist,” Cross declared. “He’s already shown his colors.” Cross also claimed the confirmation fight over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh has pumped up Democrats and said the party has to hire more Latinos and black Americans to target their fellow voters with greater efficiency. “The Kavanaugh vote energized the base. I think it is up to the people who are running to come in after that and make sure that they’re reaching out to the proper communities … rural black voters who remain untouched,” she concluded. “Something like 90 percent of Latino voters in the district, it’s escaping me now, had not been reached out to by a major campaign.…

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Tennessee Star Report Gets Exclusive Insights Into North Dakota Senate Race from Chris Berg

Julie Carr

On Monday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – the duo talked with Fargo, North Dakota’s Valley News LIVE news anchor and host of Point of View Chris Berg, about Lindsey Graham eating his power breakfast and whether or not Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) will be able to walk the ‘tight rope’ and please her constituents by voting to confirm President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. “So we are releasing a brand new poll today at six o’clock which will show you, I don’t want to give away and get ahead of our news department obviously and, let’s put it this way, if she does not vote (Heitkamp), assuming that there’s no major revelations here out of this extended FBI investigation so, assuming there’s no new information with that, if she does not vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh she will be voting for her own retirement,” Berg said. [NOTE: Later on Monday, Valley News Live and Strategic Resources Associates released the poll that shows Republican Kevin Cramer leads Heitkamp by 10 points, 51 percent to 41 percent, in…

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Next Step: Democrats Pledge To Investigate Kavanaugh, Float Impeachment If He’s Confirmed

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by Peter Hasson   Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh might keep facing political attacks from the left if he is confirmed to the nation’s highest court. Kavanaugh faced an onslaught of attacks from Democrats and liberal activists even before Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford accused him of drunkenly trying to force himself on her while the two were in high school. Kavanaugh denied Ford’s accusation once again in an emotional testimony Thursday. Brian Fallon, former press secretary on Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign, predicted Kavanaugh “will not serve for life” if confirmed to the Supreme Court. Fallon leads Demand Justice, a Democratic dark money group dedicated to opposing Kavanaugh’s confirmation, and previously called for Kavanaugh to be impeached from his current position on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. “If Senate GOP ignores Dr. Blasey Ford and tries to muscle an attempted rapist onto the Supreme Court: 1. They will pay dearly this November. 2. Senators up in 2020 (Collins, Gardner et al) will feel intense heat for next two years. 3. Kavanaugh will not serve for life,” Fallon predicted. If Senate GOP ignores Dr. Blasey Ford and tries to muscle an attempted rapist onto the Supreme Court:1. They will pay dearly this November.2. Senators up in…

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Commentary: A High-Tech Lynching Redux

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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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Thaddeus McCotter Commentary: We’re All Gonna Die! Vote Democrat!

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Nancy Pelosi

by Thaddeus G. McCotter   Around 1994, R. J. Rummel offered the term “democide” to define the “intentional killing of an unarmed or disarmed person by government agents acting in their authoritative capacity and pursuant to government policy or high command.” Victims of democide include: “forced labor and concentration camp victims; killings by ‘unofficial’ private groups; extrajudicial summary killings; and mass deaths due to the governmental acts of criminal omission and neglect, such as in deliberate famines, as well as killings by de facto governments, i.e. civil war killings.” In sum, this is governmentally sanctioned murder that is not based upon race or nationality (“genocide”) or political beliefs (“politicide”), but rather it is equal opportunity oppression for the purpose of advancing a “public policy” whereby members of said public are to be killed “for the common good” (as defined by rulers who never believe their deaths should be part of the policy). Rummel believed that “democide surpassed war as the leading cause of non-natural death in the 20th century”; and its heinous practitioners names have been recorded in the annals of infamy—Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and others of their murderous and sadistic ilk. Now, the seers in the media warn that the 21st…

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Commentary: The Transitive Property Explains Democrats’ Covert Self-Sabotage Mission

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Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Donald Trump

by Jeffery Rendall   It’s human nature…try thinking of a sporting event where you’re supposed to root for one side but secretly hoped the opposing team prevailed on the scoreboard. Or if you’ve watched those super hero movies, did you ever wish the bad guy won in the end? We’re all guilty of low-level treason at some point in our lives. I confess to occasionally (and quietly) pulling for my son’s little league baseball foes if a loss meant being able to exit what would turn into an excruciating day-long tournament stay. I also admit having once favored my high school’s nemesis when a loss equated to finishing the season (and the drudgery that goes along with serving as a practice dummy every day yet never seeing any game time). Many a professional team has been accused of “tanking it” when a draft position was at stake, too. Every year at the end of the NFL season, for example, there are typically two or three squads in contention for the top pick. Everyone denies it, but deep down are fans hoping their team will lose so they’ll “win” the chance to select player X? Loyalties are certainly fungible when the right…

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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

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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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Commentary: It Isn’t Just Trump vs. Bernie in Florida Governor’s Race

Tennessee Star Staff
Ron Desantis, Andrew Gillum, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders

by George Rasley, CHQ Editor   Tuesday’s Florida Primary Election rocked the Florida political establishment of both parties and set up what will likely be the most expensive and certainly the most important gubernatorial election of 2018. On the Republican side Rep. Ron DeSantis (FL-6) one of the most visible conservative members of the U.S. House of Representatives rode his national media profile to a wipeout of Florida political icon, Republican Ron DeSantisCommissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. Putnam, once the youngest member of Congress and one of the Sunshine State’s most popular politicians, was long assumed to be on his way to the Governorship, the Senate and perhaps even the presidency. On Tuesday those expectations came crashing down – crushed in a wave of populist support for Congressman DeSantis, who has been one of President Trump’s staunchest defenders on TV and who proudly campaigned with Donald Trump’s endorsement. While DeSantis and Putnam differed little on real substance – both are solidly conservative Republicans – it was DeSantis’ campaign against the Tallahassee political establishment that defeated Putnam, who had, perhaps unfairly, become seen as the candidate of a notoriously corrupt state capitol. On the Democratic side another iconic Florida political name…

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Socialist State Senate Candidate Caught Lying About Supposed ‘Working-Class Background’

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Julia Salazar

by Joe Simonson   A socialist millennial running for a state senate seat in New is facing further scrutiny about her campaign after her brother implied she has been dishonest about her family upbringing in several interviews with leftist outlets. Julia Salazar, an ally Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Orcasio-Cortez, has centered her campaign, among many things, on her ability to relate to the issues faced by her constituents. Yet reporting by City & State New York reveals that Salazar might be deliberately misrepresenting her personal story in a bid to appear as an authentic representative of Americans struggling paycheck to paycheck. According to her brother Alex Salazar, the two grew up in a “middle class” house “along the river” in a “beautiful neighborhood” in Jupiter, Florida, thanks to her father’s “six-figure paycheck.” In previous interviews, like one she gave to the leftist Jacobin Magazine, Salazar spoke about her family struggling as her “mom ended up raising my brother and me as a single mom, without a college degree.” “[I grew up in a] working-class background,” Salazar told Jacobin. A picture of Salazar’s childhood home obtained by City & State shows a residence far from an average person’s idea of “working class.” While Salazar…

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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

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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Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Karl Dean Calls for Higher Gas Taxes

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Karl Deal

Democratic Party candidates in California are starting to distance themselves from a 12 cent a gallon gas tax increase imposed on drivers in their state and which is subject to a repeal effort this Fall.  At least 4 Democrat candidates are turning against their own party on the issue of increased gas taxes. But in Tennessee, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean is not only embracing last year’s IMPROVE Act fuel tax increase that raised gas and diesel taxes over $300 million a year, he wants to allow local governments to raise the fuel taxes even higher. Dean, a former two-term mayor of Nashville, says the state needs to expand on the IMPROVE Act, the 2017 law that increased gas taxes 6 cents a gallon and diesel taxes 10 cents per gallon. The tax increase was passed while Tennessee enjoyed about a $2 billion dollar SURPLUS. The phased in gas tax increase went up another one cent per gallon on July first.  The final cent in the six cent increase goes into effect July 1, 2018. “Unlike my opponent,” Dean said in endorsing local option fuel tax increases, “I believe passing the IMPROVE Act was the right move for Tennessee. But…

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One Nation Airs Ad Urging Alexander and Blackburn to Make the Trump Tax Cuts Permanent

Tennessee Star Staff
One Nation Ad

One Nation, a 501 (c) (4) public policy organization, has launched a $1.2 million ad buy in Tennessee focused on tax reform. The ads are currently running statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital. The ad, entitled “Tax Cuts,” discusses the positive impact that the recently passed tax reform legislation is having on small businesses and Tennessee’s unemployment rate. It highlights U.S. Rep Marsha Blackburn and Senator Lamar Alexander’s initial vote to cut taxes and urges them to make the tax cuts permanent. “Tennessee is experiencing record low unemployment thanks to Marsha Blackburn and Lamar Alexander’s vote in favor of tax reform,” said One Nation President and CEO Steven Law. “We encourage Blackburn and Alexander to keep fighting for Tennessee taxpayers by voting to make the tax cuts permanent.” Law is former Chief of Staff for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Transcript of ad “Tax Cuts”: ANNOUNCER: “Small business, the backbone of America’s economy. Nobody knows that better than Representative Marsha Blackburn and Senator Lamar Alexander. Blackburn and Alexander cut taxes for small businesses. Now Tennessee’s unemployment rate is at a record low. BLACKBURN: “The economic growth that you are seeing in Tennessee is…

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Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Supports Left Wing Democrats Like Fellow Harvard-Educated New Yorker Phil Bredesen

Anthony Accardi
Phil Bredesen, Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook has set itself up as the final arbiter of what is news and what is not, what is real and what is fake, a virtual referee with the power to promote certain articles while sending others down the memory hole, never to be seen by the reading public. But it is only the providers of conservative news who are unhappy with Facebook’s new extreme vetting process, launched in reaction to accusations that its site was used by the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential elections. Facebook removed three Tennessee Star articles Thursday morning that were critical of former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democrat nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in this November’s election, from The Tennessee Star Facebook page. 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. One can only surmise that it took that amount of time for Facebook fact-checkers to pore over the stories with a fine-toothed comb, looking…

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Phil Bredesen Making Millions Offering ‘Low-Cost’ Solar Deals, But Is He Being Totally Honest?

Anthony Accardi
Bredesen Solar Ranch

Democrat former Tennessee Gov. and current U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen is raking in millions of dollars off of deals involving his Silicon Ranch Corp. by pitching solar projects that appear on paper to offer a cheaper alternative to coal. But under closer examination, the Silicon Ranch numbers are skewed by federal tax credits that subsidize its solar-energy industry. Take, for example, the 194-kilowatt per hour deal Silicon Ranch recently signed with the Georgia-based non-profit Green Power EMC. Under the terms, Silicon Ranch will build, own and operate a huge solar farm in Georgia and sell the power, enough to serve 35,000 households, starting in 2021, to Georgia EMCs over a 30-year period. The “low cost” deal was announced at “less than 3 cents” per kilowatt hour. This is a very cheap rate, and there’s no denying that the cost of large-scale solar power has been coming down. But a significant chunk of the savings is coming compliments of the U.S. taxpayer, who is subsidizing solar projects and giving them a competitive edge over coal. However, even with massive tax breaks available to solar producers, the rate offered by Bredesen’s company will still barely beat the price Georgia EMCs are…

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

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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Governor Bill Haslam Wades Into Governor’s Race with Endorsement for Republican Bill Lee

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Bill Haslam, Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, current Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association (RGA), is working to ensure that while he works to keep or expand the number of Republican Governors across the country he doesn’t drop the ball in his home state. He’s endorsed Republican nominee Bill Lee in a new television ad purchased by the RGA. In the ad, Haslam touts the progress that Tennessee has made during his tenure as Governor and says Bill Lee is the “right choice” to take the state to the next level. The RGA has put $500,000 behind the ad buy. RGA ad “Right Choice” transcript: Bill Haslam: “For eight years I’ve had the privilege of being your Governor. Together, we’ve made a lot of progress. More people have jobs than ever before. Our taxes are lower, our students are improving faster than anywhere in the country. Tennessee is stronger than ever. Bill Lee is the right choice to take Tennessee to the next level. We can trust him to make the right decisions, not the political ones. He’s been doing that his whole life. I’m asking you to join me in supporting Bill Lee for Governor.” Ironically, much of the criticism directed at…

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

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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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Indicted Lawrence County Sheriff Jimmy Brown Loses Election

Jason M. Reynolds
Jimmy Brown

Lawrence County Sheriff Jimmy Brown, who is under indictment for alleged abuse of power, lost his re-election bid last Thursday. And, a race with statewide interest is drawing questions over irregularities. Military and law enforcement veteran John Myers, a Republican, beat the Democratic sheriff by 53 percent to 31 percent, The (Columbia) Daily-Herald reported Saturday. Independent Rick Osborne took approximately 16 percent of the vote. ‘Boss Doss’ loss raises questions The Lawrence County election process was called into question, especially over the narrow defeat of State Rep. Barry “Boss” Doss (R-Leoma) lost to newcomer Clay Doggett, The Tennessee Star reported. A 16 hour delay occurred in the reporting of the results in the Republican primary. “The fact that several different and inconsistent vote numbers have been reported from Lawrence County over the past 24 hours raises serious questions about whether the disparities are due to incompetence or actual technical issues or something more sinister. The fact that the Secretary of State’s office seemed to have no idea that there were problems indicates that an investigation or a full audit is in order,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said. Late Friday, the Election Administrator’s office confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Lawrence…

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

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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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Marsha Blackburn Launches Senate General Election Campaign with Series of Events in Middle Tennessee

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Marsha Blackburn

Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn is hitting the road hard on Primary Election Day to generate the enthusiasm and energy she is needing to propel her to a win over Democrat Phil Bredesen in their November U.S. Senate race. Blackburn started the day with a morning breakfast at the City Cafe in Brentwood with about 237 supporters, including Governor Bill Haslam, State Senator Jack Johnson, Williamson County Sheriff Bill Long, County Mayor Rogers Anderson, and several other local officials, party activists and community leaders. The packed crowd heard Governor Haslam point out that the race against Bredesen won’t just determine whether New York Senator Chuck Schumer gets another vote closer to running the Senate, but could clearly impact the future confirmation of conservative, Constitutionalist federal judges and Justices to the Supreme Court. Haslam also noted that if the Democrats are able to take control of the Senate, thanks to the votes of prospective Senators like Phil Bredesen, it also means a change in Committee Chairs in the Senate. “Phil Bredesen in the Senate could mean liberal Diane Feinstein replacing Chuck Grassley as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, making it almost impossible to have conservative judicial appointments get a hearing much less…

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The Tennessean Endorses Howard Jones Over Brenda Gilmore in State Senate Race to Fill Thelma Harper Seat

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Howard Jones

The race to fill the vacancy in Senate District 19 created by Senator Thelma Harper’s retirement is heating up. The two front runners in the Democratic Primary, State Representative Brenda Gilmore and Pastor and educator Howard Jones, are locked in a dead heat according to many political observers in the district. A recent Tennessee Tribune/Tennessee Star poll, conducted by Triton Polling from July 13-16, showed Gilmore leading in the race but that the high number of undecideds meant the race was “wide open.” In that poll, Gilmore received support from 37.5%, Jones 12.5% and 46% undecided. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gil noted at the time that with Gilmore already representing a large portion of the Senate district, and with the high name recognition that she has due to her political involvement for two decades as a Metro Council member and state legislator, combined with the visibility of her daughter, Metro Councilwoman Erica Gilmore, the relatively low level of support signaled danger for Gilmore. “She has many of the advantages of an incumbent,” Gill said, “and any incumbent polling at that level should be very, very worried.” Since that poll, Jones has received the endorsement of Senator Harper, who has represented…

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Mark Skoda Commentary: Diane Black for Governor

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Mark Skoda

Over the years, I have observed Diane Black support pro-life issues, our 2nd Amendment gun rights and more recently, President Trump.  Her conservative bona fides are clear reasons for this endorsement.  Her experience and tenacity in the face of vocal opposition are what we need in Tennessee’s next gubernatorial term.   During her tenure as a Congressman, I have watched as Diane worked to ensure that conservative ideas were given voice. Her pro-life support and her stance on the importance of the family as the fundamental building block of society are well known.  She submitted her first bill as a Congressman to overturn funding to Planned Parenthood and has continued that effort fighting for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. When it comes to healthcare, Diane, a nurse, is well versed in legislative issues related to healthcare and its impact on people.  She also recognizes the importance to Tennessee both as a function of quality of life for Tennesseans generally and the business environment in particular.  She has been a steadfast opponent of Obamacare and worked to eliminate certain elements of that law that saved taxpayers over $13 billion dollars. More recently, Congressman Black has served on the House Ways and Means…

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EXCLUSIVE: Jim Jordan Explains His Bid For Speaker of the House

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Jim Jordan

by Robert Donachie    – Jim Jordan is running for speaker and he believes he can win.  – His main goals are to shake up how Congress operates, giving members more say in policy and more control over how the House operates.  – He wants to deliver on the promises Republicans made to voters in 2016 and thinks he is the perfect guy to make sure that happens. House Freedom Caucus co-founder Jim Jordan says he is running for speaker of the House to fix mismanagement and dysfunction in Congress and deliver on the promises Republicans made to voters in the 2016 election cycle, the congressman told The Daily Caller News Foundation. He also thinks he can win. Jordan, an Ohio Republican, formally announced his campaign for speaker of the House July 26 after months of speculation that the conservative stalwart would throw his name in the hat to replace outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan.The consensus in Washington and on Capitol Hill leading up to Jordan’s announcement this week was that Jordan, in league with his conservative HFC colleagues, was going on a shadow bid for the speakership to extract concessions from the two men in Republican leadership that Washingtonians have…

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Nashville Businessman Lee Beaman Endorses Diane Black for Governor

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Diane Black, Lee Beaman

Well-known Nashville businessman and conservative stalwart Lee Beaman endorsed Rep. Diane Black  (R-TN-06) for Governor on Monday. “There is only one true conservative in the race and her name is Diane Black,” Beaman said in a statement. “Diane will fight to protect and defend out Tennessee values. She will be an advocate for Tennessee businesses of all sizes, and she will always fight for families and the unborn. With Diane leading the way, we can become the most business friendly state in the nation while keeping our values intact,” he concluded. Rep. Black responded, “I am delighted to have Lee on my team;” adding: Lee is a man guided by his conservative beliefs who has worked hard for every success. From standing against the AMP and Metro Transit Plan, when he gets behind something, everyone better move out of the way. He is a stalwart fighter for the conservative cause who never waivers in his conviction. “Nobody in Tennessee has been a more consistent and dependable donor, leader and advocate for conservative causes,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said. “From personally dropping off cases of bottled water to protesters at Legislative Plaza to providing funds for countless conservative candidates at…

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Bill Lee Targets Memphis in Final Push for August 2 Win

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Bill Lee

As the bitterly contested Republican primary for Governor comes to an end, Bill Lee is targeting Memphis in a late push for votes in West Tennessee. Lee has surged in the past two weeks and the few public polls show him with either a slight lead or in a dead heat heading into Election Day. A new television ad that airs in Memphis highlights Lee’s ties to Memphis and his intent to focus on West Tennessee if he is elected Governor. LEE Campaign Ad “Memphis” transcript: Announcer: “For way too long, Shelby County and West Tennessee have been ignored.” Bill Lee: “My family’s from here.  My mom was born and raised in Memphis. I want you to hear it from me:  As Governor I’m not going to ignore this part of the state. My campaign was the first to open an office here, and the first to release a plan specifically for Shelby County. This area has always been important to me, and that won’t change when I’m Governor. I’d sure appreciate your vote.” Most political observers think the barrage of negative attack ads from Boyd, Black and their respective independent expenditure committees have slowed or stopped Lee’s momentum. Others…

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‘Eliminating Foreign Intervention In Elections Act’ Aims to Confront Illegal Voting

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Tennessee Star

By Printus LeBlanc   Since President Trump was elected in 2016, the mainstream media, the left, and the Washington D.C. establishment have gone mad over election interference. Facebook memes are serious business in the nation’s capital now. Yet despite millions of taxpayer dollars, thousands of man hours, and lives turned upside down by multiple investigations, not one piece of evidence has been presented that shows Russia voted in, changed someone’s vote, or influenced someone to vote for President Trump. But there are cases around the country of real foreign influence in U.S. elections, and U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) has introduced legislation to put a stop to it. Leftist cities around the nation are going to extremes keep their majorities. One of the more nefarious extremes is giving legal and illegal immigrants the ability to vote in local elections, and possibly federal elections. San Francisco is the latest city to allow such lunacy. This is the very definition of foreign intervention. Duncan has introduced H.R. 6482, the Eliminating Foreign Intervention in Elections Act. The bill states, “None of the funds made available in any Act may be used to make payments to any unit of local government that permits individuals who are not citizens…

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Letter to the Editor: Message, Media, Money, and Matheny

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Judd Matheny

Dear Tennessee Star, It wasn’t until I heard an interview with the social research scientist Robert Epstein about the impact of Internet messages on political thought that I first grasped the complete gravity of this problem. Epstein’s conclusion was that moderate and conservative Republicans are the voter group most easily influenced by what they see in the media. Wow! Each time I witness political offices being bought like auction items instead of side by side comparisons, I remember the Marshall McLuhan axiom “the medium is the message.” Consequently, if you can afford to buy enough of the medium, you can own the result of the message. So what is the true message of a candidate for the US House of Representatives who once elected will earn a salary for 2 years at $175K, currently “loaning” their campaigns millions of dollars which they’ll earn back in after-win donations? And what common sense campaign finance law would permit a candidate to obtain a $500,000 loan at 3% simple interest from a local bank to finance such an operation? Such is the case in the TN 6th District House race. State Representative Judd Matheny is clearly the candidate most closely aligned with the…

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Gov. Haslam Says Possible Endorsement of Gubernatorial Candidate by President Trump ‘Not Helpful’

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Diane Blakc, Bill Haslam, Donald Trump

Outgoing Governor Haslam told reporters Thursday that he hoped President Trump would stay out of the Tennessee Republican primary to name his replacement. “I don’t think it’s helpful for the White House to be involved in primaries,” Haslam said, citing that as the current chairman of the Republican Governors Association, he and his group will not participate in primaries where the GOP candidates are running for open seats. Haslam said: I had a conversation with them back in February, them being the White House, saying we’re going to have 36 governors races. They’re going to be very competitive. We would like it if y’all would not get involved. We just think that’s best. We’re not going to get involved as [the RGA] unless we have an incumbent governor. If there’s an incumbent governor, we welcome your involvement. When he was asked if President Trump’s involvement in some gubernatorial races despite his request was frustrating, Haslam told reporters, “Well, they’re the White House. They can do what they want. But like I said, we would rather them not.” He said he believes there is “good reason for that in any mid-term election,” noting the November general elections “are difficult. And we…

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Flinn Hits Kustoff for His Attack on Pregnant Women

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George Flinn ad

George Flinn aired a campaign ad several weeks ago that featured three visibly pregnant women who said they were voting for Finn for Congress in West Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District. Flinn is challenging incumbent Congressman David Kustoff in the Republican Primary. The women pointed out that Kustoff had voted for the $1.3 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill that included about $500 million in funding for Planned Parenthood. They noted that Flinn is pro-life, like them, and that his support for unborn life was the reason they and their families were voting for Flinn. Kustoff responded last week with his own television ad and mail piece featuring a photo of the three women declaring them to be “fake news.” Now, Flinn has counterpunched back with a television commercial featuring one of the three women criticizing Kustoff for attacking “pregnant women.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD59jWVlDuM&feature=youtu.be FLINN AD “Fake News” transcript: Clip from Flinn ad: “…and that’s a vote for George Flinn, a true conservative.” Cecilia M.: “David Kustoff is calling us ‘fake news.’ We aren’t fake. We are real. He’s the one lying about his voting record and about us. I looked at his vote, and I told the truth. Kustoff is so desperate that he…

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Letter to the Editor: If You Want to Change State Politics Then Support Bill Lee for Governor

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Bill Lee

Dear Tennessee Star,   We all witnessed an historic change in American politics with the election of Donald Trump as President in November of 2016. A man who never held a political office of any kind defeated all the primary candidates of the Republican A-Team. A group so strong that the late Charles Krauthammer stated there was never a better group of candidates assembled in any prior election. The Republican Party was certainly confident that one of their establishment candidates would rise to the top with ease. Their first but not last choice of course was Jeb Bush. They backed Jeb with all the considerable money and connections they possessed. In any prior election cycle it would have been all over but the music for the remainder of the Republican candidates. What we all learned however is that 2016 was no normal election cycle. The movers and shakers of the political world had somehow lost both their bark and their bite. Even the media elites could not resurrect the campaign of “low energy Jeb,” as one of the candidates called him. Of course today you know I refer to Donald Trump who won the primary and went on to win…

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Rick Santorum Endorses Diane Black for Governor

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Rick Santorum, Diane Black

Former Senator and 2012 presidential contender Rick Santorum announced his strong endorsement of Diane Black for Governor Tuesday. “I’ve always known Diane to be a strong conservative leader, a passionate advocate for the unborn and a champion for religious liberty and traditional values,” Santorum said in a statement. “With Diane Black in the Governor’s office, I am confident that the conservative values that make Tennessee great will be protected and preserved.” Diane Black responded, “Rick Santorum is a champion for conservative principles,” Black said. “He’s a leader who is not afraid to fight for conservative values. Tennessee stood behind Rick in his 2012 race for President, and I’m proud to have him behind me in my race for Governor.” Throughout Rick Santorum’s career he has enjoyed a high level of popularity in the Volunteer State. During the nine-way Tennessee presidential primary election of 2012, Santorum received an extraordinary 40 percent of the vote. The Black campaign points out that in addition to Santorum’s endorsement, Representative Black has received endorsements from: – NRA – Susan B. Anthony List – National Right to Life – Tennessee Right to Life – Family Research Council – American Conservative Union – Nearly 3,000 elected officials and community leaders across…

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Tennessee’s 2nd District: Tim Burchett Releases New Ad Promoting His Support for President Trump

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Donald Trump, Tim Burchett

Knox County Mayor and Republican candidate for Congress in Tennessee’s 2d Congressional District has a new television commercial airing that promotes his support for President Trump.  This is Burchett’s second ad and it is airing on both broadcast and cable throughout the district. TIM BURCHETT “TRUMP” ad: Hey, I’m Tim Burchett, and I’m running for Congress to help President Trump shake up Washington. Everyone says they’re for Trump, but I’m the only candidate who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 primary. As mayor, I took on the tax-hikers and the big-spenders. And I fought to ban hiring illegal immigrants over Americans. I’m proud to be pro-life, pro-gun, pro-America. I’m Tim Burchett and I approve this message because I’m a true conservative and I will never pretend to be otherwise. Early voting in the primary election began Friday with Election Day on August 2. The winner of the primary in the heavily Republican district will be highly favored to replace retiring Congressman Jimmy Duncan who has held the seat for three decades. Burchett announced a big fundraising total in the second quarter of 2018 earlier this week.              

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Democrat SuperPAC Releases Poll (Lacking Backup) Showing Phil Bredesen with a 44-41 Lead Over Marsha Blackburn

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Phil Bredesen, Marsha Blackburn

Duty and Country PAC, a Washington DC based political action committee that is aligned with the Democratic Party, has released a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling that shows Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen with a narrow 3 point lead over his Republican opponent Marsha Blackburn. The poll was conducted among 583 likely voters June 10-11 and has a margin of error of 4 points, placing Bredesen’s lead within that margin of error. The poll indicates that Bredesen leads Blackburn 44 percent to 41 percent with 15 percent undecided. In the release, Duty and Country PAC did not include a topline summary providing data in the demographic and political affiliations of poll respondents, which is customary among most professional polling firms. Nor did they include a detailed description of the poll’s methodology, which is also customary, or more detailed crosstabs, which is a common practice among professional polling firms. The poll stands in marked contrast to the Axios-Survey Monkey Poll released earlier this week that shows Blackburn leading Bredesen by 14 points, 55 percent to 41 percent. Duty and Country PAC has raised about $2 million this year according to their latest Federal Election Commission filings.  Their latest report…

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Tennessee Right to Life Endorses Dr. Mark Green for Congress

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Mark Green

Tennessee Right to Life announced Tuesday it has endorsed Dr. Mark Green to represent the people of Tennessee’s 7th district in the US House of Representatives. “Mark Green understands the crucial importance of protecting human life and has devoted his public and professional life to the care of the weak and vulnerable. Tennessee Right to Life looks forward to continuing to work alongside Mark Green to affirm the dignity of every life,” the pro-life group’s  President Brian Harris said in a statement. The campaign said that with over 13,000 community health clinics that provide women’s services, Green believes “it’s past time to stop subsidizing Planned Parenthood—the nation’s largest abortion provider—with taxpayers’ money;” adding that – as one of only seven countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks – Green will lead the fight to pass the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. “As a physician, I know firsthand that life begins at conception, and it’s our moral responsibility as humans to protect the most vulnerable among us. If elected to Congress, I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless as I have been in the State Senate. I’m honored to receive Tennessee Right to Life’s endorsement,” Dr. Green said.…

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Move Over, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – Conservative Morgan Murtaugh Will Be The Youngest Woman Elected To Congress If She Wins

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Morgan Murtaugh

by Jessica Kramer   Morgan Murtaugh is a 25-year-old running for Congress in San Diego, and if she wins the race, she would be the youngest female ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is “poised to become the youngest woman in Congress,”according to news outlets like CNBC, Teen Vogue and Pacific Standard. Murtaugh, however, is younger and headed to the November general election as well after coming in second to the Democratic nominee in California’s jungle primary, where candidates from all parties run against each other. “There are no reliable counts of candidate ages by year … so amid this record-breaking year of women candidates, it’s hard to know exactly how big the wave of young women candidates is,” said Deborah Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, NPR reported Monday. “But like Ocasio-Cortez, there are multiple congressional candidates under 30, meaning multiple women could break that record for the youngest woman Congress member.” All of these women are first-time candidates. In addition to Murtaugh and Cortez, there are other women who are all 29 years old, vying for the record of being the youngest in Congress. In California, Sara Jacobs won her primary and is headed to the general, as did Mallory Hagan in…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Trump and Blackburn Enjoy High Approval Ratings Among Republican Voters, Corker Has 62 Percent Unfavorable

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Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn, Donald Trump

There is a reason Republican primary candidates across the state, whether they are running for Senate, Governor, Congress or state legislative positions, are clinging to President Donald Trump’s coattails. A new Tennessee Star statewide poll of 1040 likely Republican Primary voters conducted by Triton Polling from June 25-28, 2018 indicates that President Trump retains a sky high approval rating of 86.5 percent; only 7.9 percent have an unfavorable view of Trump, with 5.6 percent undecided. A Tennessee Star poll a year ago showed almost identical figures for Trump.  Likewise, Trump had an 84 percent favorability rating six months ago. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, who had a campaign rally with President Trump in Nashville just a month ago, is also very popular among likely Tennessee Republican Primary voters.  58.2 percent express approval for Blackburn, 17.8 percent disapprove and 24 percent don’t know or are not sure. A significant portion of the undecided Republican primary voters are in East Tennessee where the remains largely unknown among that large base of GOP voters. Blackburn is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker and will face off against former Democrat Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen in November. Tennessee’s two Senators did…

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FACT CHECK: Democratic Congressional Candidate Ocasio-Cortez Claims Illegal Immigration Was Not Criminalized Before 1999

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Ocasio

by Emily Larsen   Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview Wednesday that the U.S. did not add criminal penalties to immigration law until about 1999. Verdict: False The U.S. criminalized unlawful entry in 1929. Laws passed in the 1990s intensified criminal penalties relating to immigration. Fact Check: Ocasio-Cortez defeated incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley, one of the top Democrats in the House, in a New York primary Tuesday. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has called to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Ocasio-Cortez elaborated on her reasons to abolish ICE on NPR’s “Morning Edition” Wednesday. “What we’re really talking about is re-imagining immigration to be humane,” she said. “It wasn’t until about 1999 that we chose to criminalize immigration at all, and then once ICE was established we really kind of militarized that enforcement to a degree that was previously unseen in the United States.” Congress made unauthorized entry into the U.S. a criminal offense in 1929. Aliens who entered the country outside a port of entry or without examination by immigration officials could be charged with a misdemeanor. Previously deported aliens who tried to re-enter the country without authorization could be charged with a felony. Unauthorized entry and unauthorized re-entry remain misdemeanor…

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