Tag: 2018 election

Chattanooga Tea Party Founder and President Mark West Endorses Diane Black for Governor

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Chattanooga Tea Party president and founder Mark West has endorsed Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) in her campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor in 2018. “I’m honored to endorse Diane Black for Governor. This election is a choice about the future of our state. Do we want strong leadership to make sure Tennessee is a beacon of conservative policies and traditional values? Or do we want to join other states in going the way of liberal bastions like California,” West said in a statement emailed to The Tennessee Star, adding: Diane is a strong believer in the importance of protecting our God-given liberties. Protecting the rights of healthcare providers to keep their jobs when abortionists want to compel them to violate their consciences is just one example of her track record of fighting for us. In addition to the Conscience Protection Act, she’s a co-sponsor of Kate’s Law. When murderers are allowed to roam free among us and our government refuses to follow the Constitution we need a fighter. Diane is fiscally conservative, socially conservative, a proponent of a strong National Defense and a bold Christian, who was willing to endorse the Nashville statement. She has been fighting in Washington…

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Lee Thomas Miller Names CapWealth Advisors CEO Tim Pagliara as His Campaign Finance Chair

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Congressional hopeful and nationally recognized songwriter Lee Thomas Miller announced in a statement Tuesday he has tapped Franklin-based businessman Tim Pagliara to be his campaign finance chair in his bid to represent the people of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. “Pagliara is founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin-based CapWealth Advisors, and is recognized as one of the top financial advisors in the state and nation,” the statement said. “Tim not only brings a wealth of contacts to the campaign, but also an extraordinary amount of insight into the issues relevant to getting people back to work, strengthening our domestic economy, making America more competitive in the global marketplace and overhauling our complicated and inefficient tax system,” Miller said in the announcement. “He will be a great asset as our fundraising leader, but will also be invaluable as an advisor to the campaign,” Miller added. “Finance Committee co-chairs and membership will be announced in the coming weeks, but we couldn’t have a better anchor tenant than Tim Pagliara to set the stage for our fundraising efforts,” Miller concluded. Pagliara was effusive in his praise of Miller. “As I have spent time with Lee and had the chance to get to know him, I have…

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GOP Congressional Candidate Mark Green Set to Open Clarksville Campaign Office

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Tennessee Star

State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) announced Monday he will open his first campaign office as part of his effort to become the Republican nominee for the 7th Congressional District in Clarksville on Tuesday, December 19. To celebrate the grand opening, Dr. and Mrs. Green will host a Christmas Open House for the community. “In this season of giving back, we hope you can join us on December 19th for our campaign’s Clarksville grand opening, where we’ll also be collecting canned goods and unwrapped toys for local charities to serve those in need in our community,” Green remarked. According to campaign officials, this will be the first of two headquarters in his 7th Congressional District election efforts.  The second is slated for opening in early 2018 in Franklin. Green is running to replace Marsh Blackburn, who in turn, is seeking to represent the people of Tennessee in the U. S. Senate. Green is a medical doctor, West Point graduate, and a career military veteran with a distinguished record of service. He is an outspoken advocate for limited government, secure borders, and fiscal responsibility. He is opposed in the August 2018 Republican primary by songwriter Lee Thomas Miller. Green was nominated earlier…

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Mae Beavers Delivers Keynote Speech at the Tennessee Guard Annual Banquet

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  Gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers delivered the keynote speech of the night to a full house at the Tennessee State Guard Annual Banquet Saturday night. During Brigadier General Chago Santiago’s introduction of Beavers, he recalled meeting Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady as she was referred to, on a couple of occasions in his career. “Tennessee is blessed to have their own ‘Iron Lady’ in Mae Beavers.” “The blood shed by the State Guard dating all the way back to America’s fight for independence, flows through the veins in this room tonight,” said Beavers. At the end of her speech, the gubernatorial hopeful was presented with a service award and an honorary toast from all in attendance. “It was such an incredible night. To say we were inundated with people wanting to donate and volunteer is an understatement. Like their fellow Tennesseans, those here are tired of the political games played by establishment,” said Beavers’ campaign manager, Ric McCluskey. “It is always a comforting feeling to have the help of the military men and women because they know how to mobilize and execute a mission.” Mae Beavers is a former state senator and representative who has served Tennesseans for two decades. First elected as a…

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Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Endorses Diane Black for Governor, Will Chair Black’s Law & Order Coalition

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  Representative Diane Black’s gubernatorial campaign earned another big endorsement Monday as former U. S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gave Black the nod in her bid to be the Volunteer State’s next Governor. Gonzales will also Chair her Law & Order Coalition. “I’m proud to support Diane’s campaign for Governor,” Alberto Gonzales said in a statement. “As the nation’s former chief law enforcement official, I know that she’s the right leader to address the serious challenges our state faces. She has a strong record of conservative achievements and bold ideas on how to build a stronger and safer Tennessee and I look forward to helping her put those ideas into practice as Tennessee’s 50th Governor.” Alberto Gonzales served as the 80th Attorney General of the United States under President George W. Bush. Prior to that, he served as White House Counsel and as an Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He currently lives in Nashville, TN and serves as Dean and Doyle Rogers Distinguished Professor of Law at Belmont University College of Law. Diane Black said, “I’m honored to have Alberto Gonzales on my team and look forward to his insight and advice throughout this campaign. He’s a strong leader…

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Commentary: Republicans Hold the Key to Their Own Success in the 2018 Midterm Elections

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by Jeffrey A. Rendall   Now that 2017’s few elections and reflections on the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s triumphant win in the 2016 election are in the rearview mirror it’s time to look ahead to the all-important midterm elections of 2018. Midterms are always a big deal because they portend to reveal how well – or how poorly – a president is received by a wide cross-section of the American public. Ahead of next year’s vote media pundits are doing what media pundits always do, namely find any way feasible to describe the Republican Party as being in trouble. Their routines are predictable: wake up in the morning, put on a pot of coffee, take their anti-depressant medication, check Trump’s twitter feed, organize their angry thoughts and then scribble a story bashing Trump and predicting doom. In Trump’s case it’s been happening for well over two years now so liberal journalists have the shtick down cold. The only problem is their predictions rarely come true. Other commentators actually look at the facts and try to draw some reasoned conclusions. David M. Drucker and W. James Antle III of the Washington Examiner wrote earlier this week, “One year out from the midterm congressional…

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Commentary: The Democrats’ Electoral Windfall Is Not A Rejection of Trump, It Is a Rejection of the Republican ‘Status Quo’

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by Robert Romano   Republicans in Congress should be paying very close attention to the results in Virginia, where Ed Gillespie lost the gubernatorial race to Ralph Northam, and learn the right lesson for a change. Political parties serve very much as a function of their standard bearers, which is who voters will rally to. Right now, that standard bearer for Republicans is President Donald Trump, who one year ago was elected. And love it or hate it, the fortunes of Republicans in the House and to a lesser extent the Senate in 2018 will be tied to how successful Trump is at enacting his agenda in Congress. The formula for potential success is quite simple. Want to keep Congress in 2018? Enact the Trump agenda that won the day in 2016. The promises including cutting taxes, repealing and replacing Obamacare and building the southern border wall, among others. If the Republican Congress won’t implement the Trump agenda, how do we justify a Republican majority in Congress? It has been the failure to accomplish any major legislation in the first year that has driven down the approval of the Republican Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch…

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Delaware Senator Chris Coons Says the Key for Democrats in Red States Is to Keep Races Local

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Sen. Chris Coons said Wednesday that Democrats in red states need to keep their campaign’s local in next year’s midterm races. “The Democratic senators who are incumbents up for election this time in the five the states that you’re referencing – states like Indiana, North Dakota, Montana, Missouri, West Virginia – are terrific, active, engaged, local…

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Candidate Rebecca Ann Burke Responds to Jeff Ford’s Candidacy for District 61 State Rep. by Calling Him Out as a ‘Phony Conservative’

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State House Representative Charles Sargent (R-Franklin) announced in late October that after two decades of service, he would not seek re-election in 2018. The decision came after long-time conservative activist and firebrand Rebecca Ann Burke declared her intent to challenge him for the State House District 61 seat. This week, fellow Republican and current Williamson County Commissioner Jeff Ford announced his candidacy to replace state Rep Sargent – a move met with a vigorous response from Burke. “Mr. Ford presents himself as a conservative, but he is looking like anything but. He is willing to cut deal with members of the Swamp, the GOP establishment, to further his campaign. He has placed his campaign in the hands of a local political operative that the media reports has a history of hiding donations to use against strong, conservative candidates,” she said, adding that Ford does not live within the boundaries of District 61. Burke is referring to Gregory Gleaves of the political consulting firm, DirectEdge, who has reportedly skated a little too close to the ethical and legal bounds. In August 2016, Rocky Top Politics detailed evidence of Gleaves’ efforts to disguise money donated by political enemies to defeat conservative incumbents in the Tennessee…

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Commentary: Bannon and Viguerie Meet, RINOs and Democrats Get Halloween Fright

Tennessee Star Staff

by ConservativeHQ.com Staff   CHQ Chairman Richard A. Viguerie and executive chairman of Breitbart News Steven K. Bannon got together on Halloween at the Fortieth annual meeting of the Pumpkin Papers Irregulars – an annual dinner celebrating the life and legacy of Whittaker Chambers – and Washington’s RINOs and Democrats were left quaking in their boots. The icebreaker for the evening’s event was Mr. Viguerie’s Halloween costume – a Steve Bannon disguise, complete with a cork gun to blow away the Washington establishment. In his remarks to the group Bannon identified two existential threats to the United States and constitutional liberty; political Islam in an axis stretching from central Asia through Persia to the Mediterranean, and – especially important before President Trump’s trip to Asia – Chinese mercantilism. In his remarks Bannon emphasized the themes he injected into a flagging Trump campaign that rocketed Trump from being as much as 16 points behind Hillary Clinton in the early Fall to his 306 to 232 electoral vote demolition of Clinton on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Echoing remarks he made earlier this summer that the economic war with China is everything. And we have to be focused on that. If we continue…

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Brad Paisley, Kix Brooks, and Country Music Industry Leaders Urge Lee Thomas Miller to Run for Congress in 7th District

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Donald J. Trump was able to parlay his celebrity status into a successful run for the White House, can a Tennessee congressional candidate do the same thing? Some of the biggest names in the country music industry, both artists and songwriters, are publicly encouraging award winning songwriter Lee Thomas Miller to run for Congress in the 7th Congressional District seat that is being vacated by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn who is running for the U.S. Senate. Nearly 80 artists and songwriters have signed and released a letter supporting and urging Miller to run. Some of the names on the letter are sure to draw attention, including Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, Kix Brooks, Brandon Heath, John Schneider, Craig Wiseman, Chris Destefano, Larry Stewart, and famed drummer Paul Leim. Miller is an award winning conservative songwriter who lives in Williamson County with his wife Jana and their four kids. He has penned hit songs for some of the top country artists, including Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Tim McGraw, Joe Nichols and Brandon Heath. Among his best known hit songs are “In Color,” “The Impossible,” “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and “I’m Still a Guy.” Despite seven No. 1 songs and…

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Richard Viguerie Commentary: Be A Third Force, Not A Third Party

Tennessee Star Staff

by Richard A. Viguerie, ConservativeHQ.com Chairman   As the establishment Republican Party’s Capitol Hill leaders continue to fumble – many would say block – the agenda that elected Donald Trump and built a new and winning conservative – populist political coalition, the mutterings for the formation of a third political party to compete with the Democratic and Republican establishments has grown louder. As I explained in my book TAKEOVER, the ideological incentive for conservatives to bolt the Republican Party seems to grow every time weak and feckless GOP “leaders” hold sway on Capitol Hill – but the political reasons to resist it are overwhelming: Because of the weakness of the Republican National Committee and the GOP leadership on Capitol Hill, plenty of conservatives then [1970s], as now, were inclined to leave the Republican Party, at least for a while. Every time the establishment GOP would “me-too” the Democrats, or strong-arm conservatives in Congress or Republican Party politics, some conservatives would contemplate forming a third party. This conservative disillusionment with the GOP wasn’t new, as I’ve mentioned before; it went back at least to the 1950s and early 1960s, when a vehement group of libertarian-minded thinkers, such as author Ayn Rand,…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Diane Black Hits Hard on Randy Boyd’s ‘B-Roll Run’

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Representative Diane Black’s latest hit on fellow gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd is sure to have news professionals chortling with the clever use of the media jargon ‘b-roll’ to describe Mr. Boyd’s 100-day publicity tour of Tennessee featuring his literally running across the state. The term ‘b-roll’ – sometimes called ‘cutaways’ – is a media industry phrase that is used to describe the images viewers see when the news-personality is talking about the story at hand. The lesser-used term ‘a-roll’ is the video of the interviewer or interviewee talking on-camera. For instance, when a story is presented about a bake sale, the footage of cookies, batter, icing, and cakes that show while the reporter talks about the where and when of the bake sale is ‘b-roll.’ Often, b-roll is considered the fluff or filler of a story. The strategy animating the ‘Run with Randy’ project is to showcase the Knoxville businessman’s outdoorsy, fitness-loving personality. However some are beginning to compare Boyd’s literal run to a similar strategy by fellow fitness enthusiast, Senator John Kerry, in his presidential bid of 2004. “Today, Randy Boyd completes his ‘B-Roll Run’ across Tennessee,” a statement from Diane Black’s campaign began. “But he’ll have to keep running if he wants to…

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Award Winning Songwriter Lee Thomas Miller Preparing for Potential Congressional Race in Tennessee’s 7th District

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Congressman Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN -07) decision to seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Bob Corker in 2018 has sparked a flurry of interest in filling her seat in Congress. State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) has already announced his intentions to run, and Williamson County Christian conservative activist Laurie Cardoza Moore is considering the race along with Franklin Mayor Ken Moore. However, another potential candidate is creating a lot of buzz as well. Lee Thomas Miller is an award winning songwriter and conservative advocate who lives in Williamson County with his wife Jana and their four kids. He has penned songs for some of the top country and Christian artists, including Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton and Brandon Heath, to name a few. Most people know his hit songs, like “In Color,” “The Impossible,” “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and “I’m Still a Guy.” With, 7 No. 1 songs, 12 top-10’s, CMA and ACM wins for song of the year, and three Grammy nominations, this son of a Kentucky tobacco farmer and small town librarian is well known in music industry circles though not yet in the political arena. But in an…

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Commentary: With Bannon as Their Guardian Angel, the GOP Senate Will Want to Live Again

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by Jeffery A Rendall   We’re still two months away from Christmas yet it’s never too early to anticipate the good times ahead when we’ll observe the sacred traditions that stimulate positive memories from the past. For me, one such ritual is revisiting the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the tale of everyman George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) and his look back at his own life alongside guardian angel Clarence who was sent to Bedford Falls to help the small town good-guy realize that he’d really led a very consequential and worthwhile existence. There’s a part of the legendary movie that reminds me a little of what’s going on with elements of the Republican donor establishment these days. In one famous scene, Mr. Potter, the film’s greedy old scrooge-like miser invites Bailey into his office to try and sweet-talk the man into abandoning his business, thus obtaining through addition what Potter couldn’t earn through beating his rival at his own game. Unsurprisingly, Bailey informs Potter he won’t be bought. How does George Bailey and Mr. Potter relate to today’s noxious DC swamp? Some GOP establishment groups are bringing in Steve Bannon to headline their events, in essence to “hire”…

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Arizona’s Senator Jeff Flake Abruptly Announces He Will Not Run for Re-Election in 2018

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Senator Jeff Flake suddenly announced Tuesday he will not run for re-election in 2018. CBS News reports: Sen. Jeff Flake abruptly announced Tuesday that will not run for re-election after all in the 2018 midterm elections, leave the Senate when his term ends in January 2019 and delivered a blistering rebuke of President Trump’s behavior. The Arizona Republican announced on the Senate floor that he could “better serve my country and conscience” by dropping his re-election bid, “freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth,” he said. Flake then turned his attention to President Trump, blaming him, in part, for his decision to retire. Flake issued a thinly-veiled take-down of President Trump, criticizing the “personal attacks,” the “threats against principles, freedom and institutions” and “flagrant disregard for truth and decency.” He argued that recklessness, outrageous and unhinged behavior have been excused as “telling it like it is, but he warned that when such behavior “emanates from the top of government,” he said it’s something else. “It is dangerous to our democracy,” Flake said. “Why didn’t you speak up? What are we going to say?” he asked rhetorically. “Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough.” “It…

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John Miller Commentary: An Obscure Trade Dispute Could Upend Tennessee’s Senate Race

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by John Miller   Tennessee’s Senate race is poised to become a battleground in one of the most divisive issues facing the country: Can the United States make free trade work in the national interest? With Sen. Bob Corker out of the race and national figures like Breitbart chairman Stephen Bannon vowing to field populist candidates, the 2018 campaign could become a nationalized race that features intra-party debates on the trade issue. Fueling the debate may be an obscure trade dispute that is making its way to the president’s desk—one with significant implications for Tennessee. Earlier this month, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) unanimously held that trade practices by Samsung and LG Electronics are harming Whirlpool and other U.S. manufacturers. The decision follows two previous rulings by the ITC that Samsung and LG are dumping washing machines into the U.S. market. With the benefit of subsidies from the Korean government, the conglomerates are overloading the U.S. market with washers and selling them below market value in order to undercut U.S. manufacturers. Dumping is illegal under both U.S. and international trade law. President Trump will decide in the coming months whether or not to level tariffs and other remedies against…

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Bannon Expands His Target List of McConnell GOP Senate Allies to Defeat into North Carolina

Tennessee Star Staff

WASHINGTON — On Thursday morning, GOP strategist Karl Rove lambasted Steve Bannon in The Wall Street Journal for his involvement in Republican primaries. By Thursday afternoon, Bannon’s allies were already plotting their revenge: mobilization against North Carolina Republican Rep. Robert Pittenger — Rove’s pick in that race. “I’m familiar enough with Bannon’s 2018 efforts that this…

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Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) Endorses State Senator Mark Green for Congress’ 7th District to Replace Marsha Blackburn

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  Former Pennsylvania Senator and two-time presidential hopeful Rick Santorum announced his endorsement of Dr. Mark Green for Congress Thursday. “Mark Green has been a true champion for conservative values in the State Senate, and I’m confident he’ll bring that same much-needed leadership to Washington, Senator Santorum said in a statement. “Our country desperately needs bold conservative leadership, and Mark is the right man for the job.” Rick Santorum is a longtime leader in the conservative movement since he burst into national political scene in 1991 with a surprise upset victory over Congressman Doug Walgren in a heavily-Democrat district in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. After serving two terms in the House, Santorum ran for and won a seat in the U.S. Senate as a part of the historic Republican takeover of both houses of Congress in 1994.  His tenure was marked by several important votes, including voting against NAFTA; empowering schools to include theories of ‘intelligent design’ within ‘origin of life’ lessons; and defending enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding. Santorum rose quickly through the Republican leadership, eventually attaining the 3rd highest-rank as the Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. However, his plans in the Senate were cut short after a choppy 2006…

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Commentary: The D.C. Establishment Growing More Hysterical By the Day with President Trump

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by CHQ Staff   Just when we thought that Washington’s establishment elite couldn’t get any crazier along comes former George W. Bush aide and Washington Post token Republican Michael Gerson to snap us back to reality. Gerson’s column, “Republicans, it’s time to panic” asks “Is Trump psychologically and morally equipped to be president? And could his unfitness cause permanent damage to the country?” And then Gerson answers the question in the affirmative on the basis of anonymous leaks from a White House infested with Obama holdovers and President Trump’s recent very public and personal disagreements with retiring Republican Senator Bob Corker. The gist of Gerson’s attack is that President Trump is crazy, because he hurt poor little Bob Corker’s feelings. At the very end of Gerson’s column, our friends at Breitbart pointed out that the Post has embedded a video made by one of their staffers titled “How does the 25th amendment work?” The video’s caption reads: “The 25th Amendment sets forth a procedure for removing a president from office. Here’s how it’s enacted.” As the video explains, “Section IV of the amendment states that the Vice President and at least 13 of 24 cabinet members must agree to transfer…

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Senate Candidate Andy Ogles Calls on President Trump to Issue Executive Order Addressing Opioid Crisis

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican conservative U.S. Senate candidate Andy Ogles issued a statement Tuesday calling on President Donald Trump to issue an Executive Order addressing the opioid crises. Ogles is asking Trump to direct the Drug Enformcement Agency (DEA) and other federal agencies to use all available means to intensify the investigation and prosecution of those engaged in the reckless, illegal and dangerous over prescription and distribution of opioids. “Congress has tied the hands of our law enforcement officials as they seek to crack down on the illegal distribution of opioids, but with the law enforcement powers they retain they should aggressively pursue those who are fueling the opioid epidemic,” Ogles said in the statement. “I urge President Trump to issue an Executive Order directing the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies to immediately intensify their investigations and prosecutions of those who are engaged in the illegal distribution of opioids to the fullest extent allowed by law,” the former head of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity noted, adding: While Congress tries to figure out how to clean up the legislative mess they have created, the Trump Administration needs to have an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to reducing the addictive…

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Former Governor Phil Bredesen Eyes U.S. Senate Run

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Former Governor Phil Bredesen, the man who was the last Democrat to run and win a statewide campaign in Tennessee, is now eyeing a run for the U. S. Senate to replace the retiring Bob Corker, the AP reports: In a statement Monday to The Associated Press, Bredesen said he is mulling an entry into the race after several people urged him to reconsider his initial statements that he had no interest in running. “In the days ahead, I’m going to do some research, talk with people and carefully think this through,” he said. “I’ll make a decision quickly.” The former governor has led a relatively quiet private life since leaving public office – a time before social media. He does not appear to have a Twitter account, and an unverified ‘Phil Bredesen’ Facebook account has no entries, but the profile picture is of him, fishing. Breseden has been complementary of incumbent Corker’s tenure, telling the AP: “We are of different parties and don’t always agree on issues, but I have long admired the way in which he puts the interests of Tennesseans and our nation ahead of political gamesmanship,” Bredesen said. “He educates himself on the issues and thinks independently…

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Mark Green Nabs Club for Growth Endorsement After Announcing Candidacy For 7th Congressional District Seat

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State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination to represent the 7th Congressional District in the House of Representatives last week. He was endorsed almost immediately by the Club for Growth for the seat that opened up when the incumbent, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) announced that she is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat from which Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) is retiring. In an email to supporters, the Club’s president David McIntosh, a former Congressman from Indiana, said, “Mark Green may be the toughest conservative candidate we’ve ever met. If we can help Mark win his primary, he will go on to be a conservative rock star in Congress.” The Club for Growth endorsement continued, saying: “Club for Growth PAC is thrilled to announce support for Mark Green and his campaign for Congress,” stated Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. “Mark has been an outspoken conservative in the Tennessee legislature.  He led the fight to oppose Medicaid expansion as well as fought against the Hall Income tax and big government regulations like occupational licenses. “Mark is an outstanding advocate for economic growth and would bring fiscal sanity with him when he comes to Washington.” “The Club for Growth’s endorsement is sought by every conservative in the…

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Commentary: Richard Viguerie and Other Conservative Leaders Demand New GOP Senate Leadership

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by Richard A Viguerie, CHQ Chairman   Today, CHQ Chairman Richard Viguerie joined conservative leaders Ken Cuccinelli II, President, Senate Conservatives Fund, L. Brent Bozell III, Jenny Beth Martin, Co-Founder, Tea Party Patriots, David Bozell, President, For America and Adam Brandon, President, FreedomWorks sending a letter to the Senate Republican leadership making the case that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s failed leadership and betrayals of the conservative – populist voters that brought President Trump to the White House have become an anchor around the neck of Republican Senators in the 2018 Republican primaries that can only be removed by the resignation of McConnell and his entire leadership team. “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s failures and betrayals of the conservative populist voters who brought President Trump to the White House have become an anchor around the neck of Republican Senators in the 2018 Republican primaries,” said conservative direct marketing pioneer Richard A. Viguerie. “Mitch McConnell acts like a Minority Leader, letting Far Left Democrats run the show on Capitol Hill, charged Mr. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com. “As the leader of the alleged conservative party on Capitol Hill he is at best incompetent, and more likely on the other side, leading the opposition…

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Blackburn: I’ve Fought ‘Against the Establishment All of My Political Life’

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Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said that President Donald Trump “would win” against his outgoing critic, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), in a hypothetical 2020 presidential primary, during an interview Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Blackburn announced Thursday that she will be running for Corker’s seat after he announced he would not be running for re-election in…

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Citizens United Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U. S. Senate

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The political action arm of the powerful and influential group, Citizens United, delivered a full-throated endorsement Tuesday of Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) to fill the open Senate seat left behind by the retiring Bob Corker: Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF), the affiliated PAC of Citizens United, issued the following statement endorsing conservative Congressman Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate. “CUPVF is proud to support conservative change agent Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senator from Tennessee. Congressman Blackburn is a longtime friend of Citizens United and the conservative movement,” said Citizens United President David N. Bossie. “I’m proud to say that Congressman Blackburn spoke at all of our Freedom Summits advocating for our shared principles and values.” “We support Marsha Blackburn for Senate because she understands that you can’t just talk about a conservative agenda, you have to fight for it and get it enacted,” added Bossie, who served as President Donald J. Trump’s Deputy Campaign Manager. “Marsha Blackburn is a full spectrum conservative who fought the Obama agenda every step of the way and fully supports President Trump’s agenda of repealing and replacing Obamacare, tax reform, and border security. I look forward to working with Marsha Blackburn in the Senate and I…

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Rep. Diane Black: ‘My Four Seats Will Stay Empty Until the Titans Stand for the Anthem’

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Gubernatorial candidate and House Budget Chair Representative Diane Black (TN-06) made news Tuesday on the Hugh Hewitt show when she declared her four season tickets will go unused unless and until the Tennessee Titans stand to honor the flag during the National Anthem. In response to Hewitt’s question regarding her position of the so-called ‘NFL kneelers,’ Rep Black answered, “I have had [season tickets] since the Titans came to town. I actually did not miss a single game when they were in Memphis and we were building a stadium for them. But my four tickets are in the drawer, and they will stay in the drawer. My seats will stay empty until we have an appreciation of our flag, our men and women who fight for this country, and for what this flag stands for.” And then she turned her ire to NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell, saying, “And so I am disgusted with the whole NFL. I applaud Jerry Jones for what he’s doing, and I think all the owners should do that. And I think Goodell’s job should be pulled.” Hewitt pressed Black, asserting his distaste for boycotts, and asking, “Let the players say whatever they want. I just think you have…

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Senator Bob Corker Lashes Out After President Trump Tweets Corker ‘Didn’t Have The Guts’ to Seek Re-election

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President Trump on Sunday morning launched a Twitter attack against retiring Sen. Bob Corker, saying he “didn’t have the guts” to seek re-election. The Tennessee Republican quickly fired back, calling Mr. Trump’s White House “an adult day care center.” In his tweets, the president said Mr. Corker – who previously had questioned Mr. Trump’s competence -…

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It’s Official: Marsha Blackburn Is Running for U.S. Senate to Replace Bob Corker

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Ending months of uncertainty, Representative Marsha Blackburn announced Thursday that she will seek to represent the Volunteer State in the US Senate in 2018. WSMV reported: Congressman Marsha Blackburn has announced she will be running for the U.S. Senate to fill the seat of Sen. Bob Corker. Blackburn’s office says her announcement comes after “several days of a sustained recruitment effort by grassroots Tennessee conservatives to persuade her to run.” Rep. Blackburn released an announcement video talking about why she is running: TRANSCRIPT: The United States Senate. It’s totally dysfunctional and it’s enough to drive you nuts. And that’s why I’ve decided to do something about it. I’m Marsha Blackburn. I’m a hard core, card carrying Tennessee conservative. I’m politically incorrect, and proud of it. So, let me just say it like it is: The fact that our Republican majority in the U.S. Senate can’t overturn Obamacare, or will not overturn Obamacare. It’s a disgrace. Too many Senate Republicans act like Democrats. Or worse. And that’s what we have to change. Here in Tennessee, I fought my own party to stop a massive, job killing, state income tax. And we stopped it. We won. I know the left calls me a…

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Governor Haslam Announces He Will Not Run for U.S. Senate

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After weeks of speculation, Governor Bill Haslam announced Thursday morning he will not seek to replace retiring U. S. Senator Bob Corker in 2018. WSMV reports: Gov. Bill Haslam has announced he will not be running for the U.S. Senate, saying he wants to remain “completely focused” on his job as governor. Haslam previously announced he was “considering” campaigning to fill Sen. Bob Corker’s seat. Haslam said at the end of his term he will have been in public office for 15 years and feels like he will be “most helpful” as a private citizen. Governor Haslam published his announcement on Twitter: My statement on the 2018 U.S. Senate race. pic.twitter.com/1pLR0MhSEd — Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) October 5, 2017   DEVELOPING… 

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Peyton Manning Has No Interest in Running for Any Elected Office in 2018

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Tennessee Star

  As Tennessee potentates, politicos, and possible politicians vie for the various elected offices up for grabs in 2018, one individual makes if clear he will not run for any office at all. In 2018. Nope. Not interested. Not even a little. We’re talking, of course, about Vol-for-Life Peyton Manning, who appeared on Nashville’s 3HL on 1045 The Zone Wednesday. When asked if he might have an interest in running for Bob Corker’s now-open seat, Manning replied: Peyton Manning said, “I certainly have an interest in politics and in our country. I just have zero interest in being a politician." — 3HL (@3HL1045) September 27, 2017 WATE reports: Corker announced Tuesday he would retire from the Senate and not seek re-election in 2018, sparking a large amount of buzz about who will run to fill his seat. Corker himself spoke Wednesday, saying while it was possible Manning would run for his seat, he didn’t think it was likely. “Is he going to run for this seat? I think the chances are low. Is there a chance down the road that he could be enticed to run for the United States Senate or something like this? I hope so. He’s the…

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Ogles: ‘It’s Going to Be a Tough Year For Incumbents’

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News of Bob Corker’s retirement from the U.S. Senate on the heels of Alabama incumbent Senator Luther Strange’s likely ouster from his short time in office could be a sign of the continuing anti-incumbent, grassroots-powered sea change that has gripped elective politics since the launch of the Tea Party movement in 2009. Senate hopeful Andy Ogles – himself a long-time grassroots conservative activist before becoming the state director of American for Prosperity – released a statement thanking Senator Corker for his twelve years in Washington D.C., adding:   We need new faces in Washington who share President Trump’s mission to drain the swamp. Grassroots activists across Tennessee have had my ear for years telling me how Tennessee needs someone who will stand up for Tennesseans and hold true to their promises. People across the country feel the same way – What we are doing in D.C. is not working for the majority of Americans and electing the same batch of folks over and over who haven’t produced any results won’t change a thing. Although rumors of additional candidates have been swirling for months, Ogles is the sole Republican vying for the now-open U.S. Senate seat. “It’s going to be a tough year…

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Commentary: Corker Retirement Sends Shockwaves Through Tennessee Political Landscape

Tennessee Star Staff

U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s announcement Tuesday that he will not seek a third term next year has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Tennessee. With an open Governor’s race, at least two open U.S. House seats, and the likelihood of two dozen State House and Senate seats being open, spending in next year’s GOP Primary election season was already expected to approach $70 million. Now, that number may approach $80 million! The impact of the Corker announcement has already fueled speculation about who might run for his seat, and what impact that the decisions of potential Senate candidates could have on other races. Here is a quick rundown of some names already in the mix of discussion. 1. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R- TN-07). Marsha might not clear the field, but with over $3 million in her federal congressional account and strong con-servative credentials and name recognition courtesy of her many appearances on cable news networks, she would certainly give others pause if she gets into the race quickly. (If she hesitates, does Diane Black jump from the Governor’s race and with her personal funding advantage block Marsha from entering? That seems unlikely, unless Marsha hesitates for a while. Even…

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Senator Bob Corker Will Not Seek Re-Election

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Several news outlets are reporting Senator Bob Corker will not seek re-election in 2018. The embattled junior senator from Tennessee released the following statement Tuesday: After much thought, consideration and family discussion over the past year, Elizabeth and I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires at the end of 2018. NBC News tweeted Senator Corker’s statement in full: JUST IN: Sen. Bob Corker announces he will not seek re-election in 2018 pic.twitter.com/DKI3aWlJYf — NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) September 26, 2017   DEVELOPING…      

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

Christina Botteri

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

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REPORT: Senator Bob Corker Considering Retirement

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

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Corker Insists ‘I Have Not Lost Support’ in Tennessee Over Anti-Trump Statements

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Tennessee Star

  U. S. Senator Bob Corker was in Hendersonville Tuesday when, during a question-and-answer period following prepared remarks, he asserted he has not lost any support due to his recent onslaught of criticisms undermining his fellow Republican, President Donald Trump. “I feel very supported in this state,” Corker told the Associated Press. “I’m going to continue to be the independent person I am as long as I’m in public service,” he said; adding, “I think what’s what Tennesseans have come to know.” Amid an ongoing investigation into some questionable, “too-good-to-be-true” real estate stock trades, the incumbent junior Senator has not yet announced whether or not he will run for a third term. However, in 2012, with no serious challenger, Senator Corker didn’t not launch a re-election campaign until a mere six weeks before the August primary. Currently, Corker is a middling performer in terms of popularity, ranking at #54 of 100 in a July poll conducted by Morning Consult. But in terms of re-election, a Tennessee Star Triton poll revealed the Senator may be ripe for an ouster. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who won the state in 2016 handily by 26 percentage points, continues to enjoy high approval numbers across Tennessee of over 50%.  

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Former Tennessee GOP Chair Chris Devaney Named Bill Lee Campaign Manager

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Tennessee Star

  Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee announced Wednesday former Tennessee GOP Chairman Chris Devaney will be the new Campaign Manager and Senior Advisor. “It’s humbling to have so many talented people join our efforts to help share my vision for Tennessee,” said Lee. “I’m grateful for the team we’re assembling. This is one more indicator of the excitement and enthusiasm we are seeing all across this state for our campaign.” Tennessee Republicans know Chris Devaney well, thanks to his years of service as Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party from 2009 – 2015. During his tenure, Republicans gained a working majority in the Tennessee State House in 2010, as well as turning Tennessee’s Congressional delegation to a 7-2 Republican majority, and elected a Republican governor that year. In 2012, both the State Senate and State House attained supermajority status. Devaney also spearheaded the ‘Red to the Roots’ campaign, a program aimed at electing county and judicial candidates across the state. “Bill Lee is someone I have had so much respect for over the years. His conservative values and principles, and the fact he is not a career politician, are the reasons why I joined his team,” Devaney said. “I’m excited to be a part…

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State Senator Bill Ketron Announces Bid for Rutherford County Mayor

Tina LaFleur
Tennessee Star

  State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) is running Rutherford County Mayor, the Daily News Journal reports. It will be the fourth run for the office since his first bid in the 1990s. Via the DNJ: A Republican from Murfreesboro, Ketron ran for the office (once called county executive) in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served on the Rutherford County Commission from 1990 to 1998 and has served in the state Senate since 2002. Ketron’s current term ends in November 2018. Ketron’s announcement is another indication the 2018 election could see a massive turnover in the Tennessee General Assembly. “Senator Ketron is just the latest in an increasingly long list of legislators who will be leaving to seek other offices or retiring. I wouldn’t be surprised if 2018 gives us as many as two dozen State House and Senate open seats. 2018 could be one of the most tumultuous years we have seen in Tennessee politics in a long time,” media consultant and political analyst Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. Immediately after Ketron’s announcement, “State Representative Dawn White announced that she will be a candidate for the District 13 State Senate seat in the August 2018 Republican Primary,” WGNS reported on Sunday:…

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

Tennessee Star Staff
Tenessee Star

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

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It’s Official: Mae Beavers Announces Campaign for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  MT. JULIET, Tennessee–State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) formally announced she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee at a rally in Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet Saturday afternoon. You can read the full text of her announcement here: “Thank you for joining me today. What a great crowd! “No elected official ever serves well without the support of family. I want you to meet them. “When I first ran for public office in 1990, I brought a clear and precise set of values and principles to the Wilson County Commission. “As a State Representative and now State Senator, I have carried these values and principles with me every step of the way. “Today, it is time to take those conservative values and principles, The Sanctity of Life, Small and Efficient State Government, Limited and Constitutional National Government, Transparency and Accountability in our elected officials, Low Taxes, Commitment to the 2nd Amendment, Respect for individual liberty and, most importantly, reliance upon our Creator God. “It is time to take those values and principles, to the next level! “And so, it is an honor to stand before you today and announce that I am a candidate to…

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Letter to the Editor from Rob Mitchell, Rutherford County Assessor of Property

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Tennessee Star

Editors Note: Rob Mitchell sent The Tennessee Star this “Open Letter to All 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial Candidates and Citizens,” with the following note: “As I begin to explore the possibilities of a candidacy for Tennessee Governor I believe that ideas and experience should be considered. I would appreciate your consideration of my open letter for publication. Rob Mitchell Rutherford County Assessor of Property” We are running Mr. Mitchell’s letter in its entirety, as he sent it to us. Dear Tennessee Star, my fellow Tennesseans, and would-be Gubernatorial Candidates: We do not need a gas tax increase when our State has a tax collection surplus. The knee jerk reaction of raising taxes to solve management issues must stop. The issues both our thriving and our struggling communities alike are caused by poor management and worse policies. The next governor should immediately Repeal and Reform the state gas tax and sales tax.  2018 candidates, will you do that? My proposal would be to reduce the state portion of the sales tax by one cent or more and transfer that equivalent option of sales tax to local communities. These additional funds could be earmarked for infrastructure. The best government is local government and…

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