Tag: Bill Lee

Latinos for Tennessee PAC Endorses Seven Republican Candidates

Jason M. Reynolds

A Latino political action committee has released the names of Republican candidates it supports in Tennessee state and federal mid-term elections which will be held on Nov. 6. The Latinos for Tennessee PAC said it has endorsed: Reverend Tommy Vallejos, Tennessee House of Representatives, District 67 Brian Kelsey, Tennessee State Senate, District 31 Dr. Mark Green, U.S. Congress, District 7 Scott DesJarlais, U.S. Congress, District 4 John Rose, U.S. Congress, District 6 Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senate Bill Lee, Tennessee governor Latinos for Tennessee Executive Director Raul Lopez said, “We are happy to support these candidates who have demonstrated their commitment to defending faith, family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility.” “I’m inspired and encouraged by each of these excellent candidates,” Lopez said. “At each level, they’re working on policies that make sense, that preserve the freedoms that make this country the land of opportunity. Members of the Hispanic community, and all citizens, want the opportunity to flourish here in Tennessee.” “We encourage all Tennesseans to vote on November 6.” Latinos for Tennessee PAC is a political action committee committed to protecting and promoting faith and family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility among Tennessee’s growing Latino population. The mission of Latinos for Tennessee is…

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Lee and Dean Offer Differing Views in Memphis Gubernatorial Debate

Chris Butler

Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean offered differing views on the issues in a gubernatorial debate in Memphis on Tuesday. Lee used the debate to make the case that he is the candidate who thinks outside the box when it comes to tackling the state’s crime and education woes. Dean offered answers many career politicians have given before. Panelists asked the two men what role the state government has in reducing gun-related violence and crimes involving firearms. Lee, the Williamson County businessman and GOP nominee, spoke of how he has worked in a nonprofit re-entry program for prisoners for 15 years and mentored a man released from prison. Lee said he’s also worked with other incarcerated men. “We have to develop a system that is tough on crime and smart on crime at the same time,” Lee said. “That means we need to address those most egregious criminals in a profoundly serious way and yet at the same time look hard at the way we intake and re-enter folks if we really want to reduce the crime rate.” When it was his turn to talk about how best to fight crime, Dean shared his views on the Second Amendment.…

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Bill Lee Strong in Gubernatorial Debate with Karl ‘Marx’ Dean 

Chris Butler

CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, The Tennessee Star incorrectly referred to comments made by Mr. Dean and Mr. Lee in earlier debates as comments made in Tuesday’s debate in Memphis. The Star has corrected this story to reflect that those comments were made in the earlier forums. The Star will run a complete story on the Tuesday debate in Memphis between Mr. Dean and Mr. Lee tomorrow. The Star regrets the error. A Tuesday Tennessee gubernatorial debate in Memphis between Republican candidates Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean revealed, perhaps not unexpectedly, Lee is a conservative and Dean is a left-winger. That was most evident in how both men answered panelists’ questions during the televised event. This after various mainstream media outlets last week tried to portray Dean as a political moderate. This past week, The Associated Press and The Tennessean said Dean is a political moderate who admires Haslam. In a press release that came out after the debate, Tennessee Republican Party spokeswoman Candice Dawkins said Lee won the debate. She also said there is a disconnect between what Dean wants and what s good for Tennessee. “He spoke passionately about the importance of criminal justice reform and vocational education,…

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Men of Valor Give Tennessee’s Christ-Redeemed Prisoners a Second Chance

Chris Butler

ANTIOCH — At the once-thriving Hickory Hollow Mall in Antioch, Darnell Ford, by his own admission, shoplifted, and he also passed along stolen checks and credit cards. When Ford wasn’t at the mall he was out and about dealing drugs at Antioch’s surrounding businesses and restaurants, he said. On Tuesday, Ford, a redeemed man, stood in front of a crowd of about 200 people, including Tennessee Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee, and said he was “truly ashamed.” The thing that forever altered him — the Men of Valor program. The folks behind Men of Valor unveiled two new housing duplexes this week for 60 released prisoners now committed to Christ. “God taught me how to work on my heart and how to love. It also gave me the structure I needed to live. I learned what it meant to be a giver instead of a taker,” Ford said of the influence Men of Valor had on him and the work responsibilities that came with it. “The first couple of months of working I ran across a lot of old friends that I sold and used drugs with. But I had the chance to help them too. They got a chance…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Blackburn Leads Bredesen by 3, Lee Beating Dean by 16

Tennessee Star Staff

A new Tennessee Star Poll of likely voters in Tennessee provides further evidence that the race for the U.S. Senate is very tight, while the Governor’s race is firmly in the control of Bill Lee. The survey indicates that Republican Marsha Blackburn leads Democrat Phil Bredesen by a 48.3 percent to 45 percent, with 6.7 percent undecided. That three point margin for Blackburn is consistent with a Fox News Poll released earlier this week., which also showed Blackburn leading by three points. Like the Fox News Poll, the Tennessee Star Poll has the two candidates within the margin of error. The Tennessee Star Poll was conducted by Triton Polling and Research from September 10-12, 2018 and surveyed 1038 likely voters. The poll has a three percent margin of error. The Governor’s race is not close at this stage of the campaign. Republican nominee Bill Lee is well ahead of Democrat Karl Dean, 53.7 percent to 37.3 percent with 10 percent undecided, a 16 point lead for the Williamson County businessman. Again, those numbers are consistent with the Fox News poll that had Lee leading by 20 points. Other polls have indicated that Bredesen’s personal approval rating is enabling him to pull…

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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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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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Bill Lee Announces Three Fall Gubernatorial Debate Appearances

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

Tennessee Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee on Thursday announced he will participate in three fall debates leading into the Nov. 6 General Election. It is traditional for Tennessee gubernatorial candidates to participate in three debates, representing each of the three Grand Divisions of the state, his campaign said in a press release. Earlier this month Lee announced his 95 county General Election tour, The Tennessee Star reported. The “Believe in Tennessee Tour” will bring Lee to talk to voters and highlight his policies and belief that he is the right leader to keep Tennessee going in the right direction, his campaign said in a press release. “I believe Tennessee can lead the nation and that means challenging the status quo and providing conservative leadership to keep Tennessee moving in the right direction,” said Lee. “I look forward to continuing to share my vision with Tennesseans on the campaign trail and from the debate stage this fall.” Lee has committed to attend the following debates: Oct. 2 – Memphis – USA Today Network-Tennessee/WMC-TV Debate, hosted at The University of Memphis Oct.9 – Kingsport — Kingsport Times-News Debate, hosted at the Eastman Employee Center October 12 – Nashville — Nexstar Television Network Debate, Location…

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Bill Lee Campaign Team Grows Fundraising, Communications and Grassroots Operations

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

Tennessee Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee on Friday announced four new hires to his campaign team. The hires are Laine Arnold, Julie Hannah, Kim Kaegi and Joseph Williams, according to a campaign press release. They will help the campaign expand communications, fundraising and grassroots operations for the General Election on Nov. 6. Lee faces Democratic challenger Karl Dean. “We are thrilled to have all of these talented individuals join the team,” said Campaign Manager Chris Devaney. “We are building on the momentum from our victory in the primary and with these staff additions, we will have the resources and team that will (have) Bill poised to win convincingly in November.” The Lee Campaign named Arnold as Press Secretary. Previously, Arnold served as the Press Secretary for the Randy Boyd for Governor campaign and the Communications Director for Battle Ground Academy in Franklin. Arnold will manage day-to-day media relations. In addition to coalition development, Bill’s campaign conducted an expansive and aggressive grassroots campaign in the primary election. To expand on those efforts in the General Election, Hannah, former Chairwoman of the Williamson County Republican Party, is returning to assist in volunteer operations as the Special Projects & Grassroots Coordinator. Longtime Republican fundraiser Kaegi joins…

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Bill Lee Announces ‘Believe in Tennessee Tour’

Jason M. Reynolds
Tennessee Star

Tennessee Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee on Wednesday announced his 95 county General Election tour. The “Believe in Tennessee Tour” will bring Lee to talk to voters and highlight his policies and belief that he is the right leader to keep Tennessee going in the right direction, his campaign said in a press release. “I’ve said throughout this campaign that Tennessee is a really good place to live, but in business, we know that good is the enemy of great,” said Lee. “For Tennessee to reach her full potential and lead the nation, we need to challenge the status quo and prioritize leadership over politics.” People have told Lee they want a good job, a good school for their kids, and they want to live in a safe neighborhood. Lee said he plans to address those challenges. He cites these statistics about Tennessee: 15 counties are below the poverty line. One in seven men between the ages of 25 and 54 has dropped out of the workforce. Opioid deaths have risen since 2012. Over 3,000 Tennesseans have died from opioid overdoses in just the last three years. Schools, which have improved over the last eight years, are still in the…

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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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Socialists Very Active in Tennessee Democrat Party Politics

Chris Butler
Julie Gautreau

Socialists in Tennessee apparently have even more influence over the Tennessee Democratic Party than previously believed, including at the state level. Julie Gautreau (pictured), who represents the Knoxville chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, said as much to The Tennessee Star Tuesday. “A lot of DSA members are members of political parties,” Gautreau said. “I don’t have the statistics, but a lot of them are Democrats. We have members of our DSA chapter who are very active in the local Democratic Party and also in state Democratic Party politics.” Gautreau did not name names. The Knoxville chapter has about 165 members, she said. Gautreau said she did not know how many DSA members Tennessee has statewide. The DSA, she went on, came into existence in April 2016. Even though many members support Democrats it is still a non-partisan organization, she said. Members of the Tennessee Democratic Party did not return a request for comment Tuesday. Neither did anyone from the campaigns of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen or Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean. A recent press release from the Tennessee Republican Party, however, had something to say about this new breed of Democrat. “Democrats Karl Dean and Phil…

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Bill Lee Embraces Gov. Haslam’s Legacy

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill contemplated the contradiction of Bill Haslam’s endorsement of Bill Lee – whose base was turned off by Randy Boyd’s campaign because of his ties to Haslam. “As the campaign in the Tennessee Governor’s race turns from the primary to the general election. You’re starting to see the endorsements flow in,” Gill began. He added, “President Trump has endorsed Bill Lee for governor. He’s also endorsed Marsha Blackburn as we’ve pointed out in the last segment. Also, Bill Haslam the current Republican Governor is endorsing Bill Lee as well, putting his support in an ad that’s been produced by the Republican Governor’s Association chaired by Governor Bill Haslam behind Bill Lee.” Gill played the audio of the 30-second spot featuring Governor Haslam: (Audio plays) 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…

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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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Yes, Negative Ads Worked in Tennesee GOP Gubernatorial Primary!

Tennessee Star Staff

In the wake of the Tennessee Republican primary for Governor, won by Bill Lee in a late surge where he garnered 37 percent of the vote versus 24 percent for Randy Boyd, 23 percent for Diane Black and 15 percent for Beth Harwell, some analysts have claimed the results show that negative ads do not work. Actually, the final margins seem to prove that negative ads work quite well.

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Bill Lee Wants to Reduce Student Testing, While Karl Dean Thinks Current Levels Are Just Fine

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

The battle lines over common sense in public education have been drawn in the gubernatorial battle between Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean, and Round One goes to Bill Lee. Lee, the outsider business executive, wants to reduce the current level of student testing while Dean, the former Mayor of Nashville, thinks the current levels of student testing are just fine. Dean and Lee may both talk about education being a priority if they are elected governor, but they have some big differences in their visions, especially testing. The Democratic and Republican candidates, respectively, won their parties’ primaries Thursday. Dean says his administration would generally continue Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s education policies, which are a holdover from Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s, Chalkbeat says. Chalkbeat points out that Haslam has stuck with a controversial policy to include student growth scores from state tests in teacher evaluations. The Haslam plan is “1) raising academic standards; 2) adopting an aligned test to measure student progress; and 3) using the results to hold students, teachers, schools and districts accountable.” This past spring, the Tennessee Department of Education once again experienced widespread technical issues with TNReady testing, The Tennessee Star previously reported. From the…

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Thumbs Up: Florida Candidate for Governor, DeSantis Ad Displays Him as More Likable, Less Political

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

During Tuesday’s broadcast of The Gill Report – live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill praised Florida Governor Candidate Ron DeSantis for his current ad appealing to the public in a more human than political way.  DeSantis’s wife narrates the advertisement accompanied by their children who appear along with their father DeSantis. He continued: I mentioned in the last segment that there is a great new television commercial airing in Florida for Ron DeSantis whose running for Governor.  A conservative Republican he’s been endorsed by President Trump.  Well they have a spot that is well featuring his wife Casey talking about Ron DeSantis and their kids and that he’s so much more than just a Trump supporter and he shows it in the way he plays with his kids, reads with his kids, and teachers them. CASEY DeSANTIS: Everyone knows my husband Ron DeSantis is endorsed by President Trump but he’s also an amazing dad.  Ron loves playing with the kids.  Build the wall.  He reads stories, then Mr. Trump says your fired!  I love that part.  He’s teaching Madison to talk.  Make America great again.  People say Ron’s…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Plan Election Night Parties as Bitter Battle Comes Down to Final Day

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee, Diane Black, Beth Harwell, Randy Boyd

As The Tennessee Star reported Wednesday, the gubernatorial candidates have engaged in a venue-filled, final days sprint across the state to rally votes for today’s primary. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Candidate schedules, in no particular order, are: Beth Harwell Beth Harwell announced she will hold a watch party at 6:30 p.m. CT tonight at ThreeOneThree Facilities, 701 Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville. More information is here. Harwell’s campaign website is here. Diane Black Diane Black’s campaign announced she will host a watch party tonight. The party will be at the Symphony Ballroom of Loews Hotel in Nashville at 6:30 p.m. CT. The address is 2100 West End Ave. To RSVP, email [email protected]. Her campaign website is here. Black’s Facebook page is here. Black released the record-high amount of voter contact conducted by her campaign. Her team has knocked on 503,186 doors and made 460,806 phone calls in all 95 counties, according to a press release. Bill Lee Bill Lee planned to start Election Day in Spencer from 11-11:30 a.m. The address is 179 Veterans Square, the Old Courthouse. Van Buren County was his campaign’s first-ever stop. Lee will hold an Election Night Party at 6:30 p.m. CT…

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Lee and Black: The Battle of the Veterans TV Spots

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political ads

The controversy over Bill Lee’s company firing an Iraqi war vet has moved from the mailbox to the tv screens. First, the Lee campaign put up a video of retired Colonel Thomas B. Vaughn defending Lee from claims that the termination of a Iraqi war veteran by the Lee Company reflected how Bill Lee treats veterans. Vaughn is one of Lee’s Middle Tennessee Co-Chairs for his Veterans Coalition. Lee Campaign “Colonel” transcript: COL. VAUGHN: I’m retired Colonel Thomas B. Vaughn. Bill Lee is winning this race for Governor. That’s why one of his opponents is making dishonest attacks on Mr. Lee about how he treats veterans. It’s just wrong. I know Bill Lee. He’s a good man. He’s one of the greatest supporters of veterans in Tennessee. Hires them, trains them, and treats them like family. Folks doing this should be ashamed. Bill Lee should be Governor.” Then, Fight for Tennessee PAC weighed in with its own “veteran ad.” The PAC began airing their television ad Tuesday morning that features a retired SEAL Team Six member, Robert J. O’Neill (who was part of the team that got Osama Bin Laden).  O’Neill takes Lee to task for failing to stand up…

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Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Hold Final Get Out the Vote Rallies

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee, Diane Black, Randy Boyd

The Republican gubernatorial candidates are making whirlwind, last-minute tours of the state in the closing days of the primary election to get out the votes. Randy Boyd said in a press release, “Too much is at stake and too many people are depending on us. On Primary night, we will always we know we left everything we’ve got on the field and I’m confident if we do, we will win.” Diane Black released the record-high amount of voter contact conducted by her campaign. Her team has knocked on 503,186 doors and made 460,806 phone calls in all 95 counties, according to a press release. “I am truly honored by the overwhelming effort of Team Black supporters across the state,” Black said. Meanwhile, Bill Lee is holding in-person townhalls titled “Roadmap to Victory.” Lee will begin his final push today with a rally in Memphis at 6:30 a.m. at Another Broken Egg Cafe, 6063 Park Ave., Memphis. He then planned to move on to Jackson, Chattanooga and Jonesborough. He planned to start Election Day in Spencer and hold an Election Night Party at 6:30 p.m. at The Factory in Franklin. “Bill would love to meet you and share his vision for Tennessee…

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Johnson City Press Endorses Republican Bill Lee, Democrat Craig Fitzhugh in Tennessee Gubernatorial Primaries

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee, Craig Fitzhugh

The Johnson City Press endorsed Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Craig Fitzhugh in the Tennessee gubernatorial primaries. A Sunday editorial said, “After sitting down with all six viable contenders to succeed Haslam in both parties, our team was most impressed with Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Craig Fitzhugh.” The editorial cited the challenges the next governor will face. “While Tennessee has crawled out from under the Great Recession and improved its national standing in education, we still lag in economic opportunity, educational attainment, job preparation, infrastructure and, most significantly, public health,” the newspaper said. The Johnson City Press also said Lee and Fitzhugh have avoided the “detestable trend It’s a different matter when you get the candidates in a personal setting for direct questions.” Lee earned the endorsement because of “Second Amendment protections, limited government, business acumen and tough immigration policy,” among other issues. The newspaper cited his business success as a factor despite his lack of public experience. In endorsing Fitzhugh, the newspaper cited his 12 terms in the Tennessee General Assembly as one factor, saying he knows how government works. “As a bank executive and experienced lawmaker, Fitzhugh knows his way around finance and budgetary issues. He’s an…

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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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Letter to the Editor: When Bold Men Are Called to Lead – Tennessee’s Gubernatorial Race

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Bill Lee

Dear Tennessee Star, Mr. Mark West expressed his opposition to Bill Lee for Governor in The Tennessee Star several days back. West began with the Old Testament story of a brief conversation between Deborah and Barak. This is a story I’ve not known scholars to hold up as a turning point in Jewish history. Also, the relevancy of this anecdotal story to Bill Lee leaves me wondering even though it seems clear to Mr. West. I am in FULL SUPPORT of BILL LEE. And from the Old Testament I offer the story of Nehemiah from the book of Nehemiah. So Nehemiah is released from his long term obligation to the king and follows his call from the Lord to travel a long distance back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and the Temple. So with “only” the grace of God Nehemiah sets out. Along the way he tells his story to whoever will listen and picks up scattered support. As he moves closer and closer to the near impossible task of rebuilding, families and clans close around him in support as they are inspired by God and by Nehemiah’s commitment to the rebuilding task. And they are also moved…

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Lee Company Sends a Cease and Desist Letter to Diane Black’s Gubernatorial Campaign

Jason M. Reynolds
Diane Black

The Lee Company sent a cease-and-desist letter to the gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) on Friday, calling for the removal of information alleging the company wrongfully fired a veteran who once worked there, The Tennessee Journal’s On the Hill reported. GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee is the owner and former CEO of the Lee Company, a leading plumbing/HVAC business in Middle Tennessee. The Lee Company said Black’s campaign was “deliberately misrepresenting” the facts surrounding the legal dispute with an Army National Guard member who claimed wrongful termination in a federal lawsuit, The Journal quoted The Tennessean as saying. “We have learned that the Diane Black for Governor campaign is deliberately misrepresenting actions taken by Lee Company that relate to a former employee who served as a Tennessee National Guardsman,” according to the letter by Lee Co. general counsel Jason Hale. “You have also misrepresented our company’s attitude toward and treatment of veterans in these communications.” A Black campaign website removed material about the case and instead linked to a Tennessean article about the lawsuit, The Journal said. Black spokesman Chris Hartline said the campaign received a “vague letter that does not dispute any specific allegations.” “We are committed to the…

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Mark West Commentary: When Men are Unwilling to Lead – Tennessee’s Gubernatorial Race

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Mark West, Bill Lee

by Mark West   There is a story in the Old Testament (Judges 4), where we read about two leaders in Israel, Deborah and Barak. The people of Israel were facing a serious threat from an oppressive enemy, King Jabin and the Commander of his army, Sisera. God had told Deborah to instruct Barak, a leader of men in his own right, to march out against Sisera to defeat the infidel. When Deborah informed Barak of God’s charge to him, Barak’s answer was: “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” In that brief response, Barak revealed a lack of trust in God, a fear of men, and an unwillingness to go into enemy territory alone, without someone of greater courage and faith. Deborah’s response to Barak was: “Very well, I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture.” Like all stories in the Bible, there are typically modern day applications to our lives and even our nation. Rewind twelve months ago to July 2017. I was contacted by Bill Lee to sit down with him, one-on-one, to discuss his campaign…

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Things That Make You Go Hmm: Independent Polling Firm Puts Lee in the Lead While Tied to Campaign Consultants

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill baffled at a recent independent poll that stated Bill Lee was leading Tennessee’s GOP primary race. The question remains to be answered of whether or not Lee knew the polling company was tied to one of his campaign consultants. He’s yet to answer the question. Gill contemplated, “We and a lot of other media outlets across the state were talking about a new poll that was released on Monday that showed Williamson County businessman Bill Lee leading the republican gubernatorial primary for the first time. It was branded and put out by the lead campaign and others as an independent poll.” He continued: And yet as we now discover, and you can see the whole story with the details and the links at Tennesseestar.com, that the general consultants for the Bill Lee campaign are actually connected to the company that did the polling.  Again, the polling firm that claims Bill Lee is leading in the governor’s race is actually connected to the consultants on the Lee campaign. Now the Lee campaign didn’t disclose their connection to the polling firm…

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Bill Lee Agrees With Gov. Haslam That Transgender Bathroom Issue Does Not Need Leadership From the State

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

Governor Haslam and Bill Lee propose the same approach to the use of school bathrooms and locker rooms by students whose choice of gender and anatomy may not match. Both Haslam and Lee have said that this issue does not require leadership from the state but instead, should be problem-solved at the local level. Shortly after a May 2016, “dear colleague” letter was issued by the Obama Department of Education advising school districts to protect access by students to bathrooms and locker rooms “consistent with their gender identity” or risk violating federal law and jeopardizing federal funds, Haslam issued the following statement: The White House itself has said what they issued last week is not an enforcement action and does not make any additional requirements under the law. Congress has the authority to write the law, not the executive branch, and we disagree with the heavy-handed approach the Obama administration is taking. Decisions on sensitive issues such as these should continue to be made at the local level based on the unique needs of students, families, schools and districts while working closely with the local school board counsel, understanding that this is an emerging area of law that will ultimately…

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Norm Partin Commentary: Bill Lee for Governor

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Bill Lee

by Norm Partin   Are you the person that says to yourself, “If I were Governor, this is what I would do…”? Do you tend to vote AGAINST people instead of FOR someone? Are you constantly disappointed by politically influenced legislation on both national and state levels? Are you “that person”? I’m “that person” too, but for the first time in decades I am voting FOR someone. As I reach my twilight my focus is now on my grandchildren and their future, and as such I take my politics very seriously. Why am I supporting Bill Lee for Governor, you ask? There are several reasons that matter to me and should also matter to YOU: Crisis management In the last decade Tennessee has suffered tornadoes, forest fires, floods, and civil disobedience. A leader should not be judged on performance when all is well, a leader should be judged on his performance when the chips are down. I trust Bill to make decisions with sound logic, even when under tremendous pressure. Bill Lee has fought back and succeeded in the face of personal tragedy and business adversity. THAT takes a leader. Fiscal competence This is where elected officials have failed the…

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OFF THE RECORD: Randy Boyd Skips Knoxville Debate . . . For ‘Pricey Steakhouse Dinner’?

Jason M. Reynolds
Randy Boyd

Randy Boyd set off a chain reaction when he cancelled Sunday night’s GOP gubernatorial candidate primary debate in Knoxville. Now, one reporter says the cancellation was due to a “pricey steakhouse dinner,” as first reported at TNJ: On the Hill. Boyd had cited an unspecified scheduling conflict as his reason to miss the final debate of the primary election. Beth Harwell and Diane Black soon bowed out. Shelby County Republican and fellow diner Naser Fazullah posted pictures of Boyd, and company out at Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House in Memphis.   Yelp gives Folk’s Folly a four-dollar-sign rating, a sign of an expensive restaurant. The price range is cited as $31-$60. A 14-ounce, fully trimmed filet mignon costs $52, according to the restaurant’s menu. The meal may have been more expensive than Boyd intended. Bill Lee took advantage of the cancelled debate to hold a townhall meeting in Knoxville. A poll released Monday shows Lee in the lead. The poll of 500 registered Republican voters conducted between July 18 and July 21 puts Lee in first place with 26 percent, followed by Randy Boyd in second with 20 percent. But wait! It turns out there may be a few problems…

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

Tennessee Star Staff
Diane Black

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

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New Poll That Shows Bill Lee Leading in Governor’s Race Has Direct Ties to Bill Lee Consultants

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

The blockbuster poll released on Monday that shows Williamson County businessman Bill Lee leading the Republican gubernatorial primary for the first time was conducted by a firm that has ties to consultants to the Lee campaign, new documents reveal. When Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee announced his candidacy in April, 2017 he indicated that Blake Harris and Jordan Gehrke would be serving as general consultants for his campaign. The Tennessee Star has learned that Lee’s campaign team, and vendors, have direct ties to JMC Analytics and Polling, the polling firm that claims Bill Lee is leading in the Governor’s race. The Lee campaign did not disclose their connections to the polling firm as they have promoted the results of the supposedly independent poll, which calls into question the accuracy of the polling data. “JMC Analytics and Polling independently conducted this poll for the Tennessee Republican primary for Governor,” the polling firm asserted in a statement on Monday when it released the poll showing Bill Lee leading the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary, just one week and three days before the August 2 primary election. Lee faces Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), and Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) in…

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New Poll Shows Bill Lee Leads GOP Gubernatorial Primary

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee, Randy Boyd, Diane Black

A new poll released by JMC Analytics and Polling on Monday morning shows that Bill Lee now leads the Republican gubernatorial primary. The poll of 500 registered Republican voters conducted between July 18 and July 21 puts Lee in first place with 26 percent, followed by Randy Boyd in second with 20 percent. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) in third with 19 percent, and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) in fourth place with 16 percent. Seventeen percent are undecided. “The main takeaways are as follows: (1) Donald Trump remains popular among Tennessee Republicans, and (2) with the primary less than two weeks away (and as of this past Friday, 179,504 have early voted in the Republican primary), Bill Lee leads in the race, and the other three major contenders are not far behind, although his “lead” is at the periphery of the margin of error, depending on whether undecided “leaners” are included,” JMC noted in its statement accompanying the release of the poll Monday. The poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percent and has plenty of caveats. First, the poll was of registered voters only, not likely Republican primary voters. Just 71 percent of the poll respondents…

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Steve Gill: GOP Gubernatorial Primary Debate Cancellation May Be Due To Perceived Lack of Effectiveness

Jason M. Reynolds
Steve Gill

A top political analyst says he is not surprised that three of the candidates running in the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary dropped out of the last statewide televised debate scheduled for this weekend in Knoxville. The cancellation comes after Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell and Diane Black dropped out, WKRN said. “My assessment is that I would guess is the debate was not going to move as many votes as [the campaigns] targeting where they need to move them,” Steve Gill, political editor of The Tennessee Star, told WKRN. An advisor to the Bill Lee campaign said he would be there regardless and if his opponents did not show, he would hold a rally at the debate site, WVLT said. Campaigns may not have believed a debate so close to Election Day on Aug. 2 and well into early voting would be effective, Gill said. The possibility of candidates attacking one another in a debate, like some have in recent advertising, may have been another factor, Gill said. “Who gets the benefit of that?” Gill told WKRN. “Because the attacker is going to lose a few points and the person you are attacking is going to lose a few points — where…

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State Governments Move to ‘Off-Load’ Public Responsibilities to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Chris Alto

State governments partnering with faith-based and community organizations to maximize the use of resources is not a new concept. In some states, public-private partnerships have been expanded across most government departments, a model GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee proposes to follow for Tennessee. With President Trump’s intention to trim federal spending, a new question has been raised with regard to the role of faith-based and community organizations helping to augment the work of state government agencies and one that may be especially relevant for Tennessee. According to a 2017 article in Governing Magazine, data related to major spending areas put 38% of Tennessee’s general revenue reliant on federal aid in the domains of public welfare spending (59.7% federal dollars), education (14.6% federal dollars), and 53% reliant on federal dollars for roads. WalletHub ranked Tennessee overall as the 13th state most reliant on federal aid but whose state government funding was 8th overall most dependent on federal dollars. If Tennessee were to receive fewer federal dollars, would the state be forced to cut certain services? Would faith-based and community organizations be financially prepared to step into the service gap? There has been long-standing opposition to faith-based groups relying on government funding. Responding to President Bush’s push…

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Former Congressman Zach Wamp Endorses Bill Lee For Governor

Jason M. Reynolds
Zach Wamp, Bill Lee

Former U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp endorsed Bill Lee for governor on Monday, the Lee campaign announced. The endorsement from Congressman Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican, comes after last week’s endorsement from the conservative Free Press editorial page at The Chattanooga Times Free Press. “It is an honor to have the support of Congressman Zach Wamp, a conservative leader for Tennessee,” said Lee. “Zach has always stood on conservative principles and I am humbled and grateful to have his support.” Wamp will campaign with Lee on Monday, the Times Free Press said. Early voting began last Friday. GOP race frontrunners U.S. Rep. Diane Black of Gallatin and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd are fighting with television, radio, direct mail and digital ads. Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, is the fourth major GOP candidate. In his endorsement, Wamp said the following: “As a conservative who loves Tennessee, believes in the nobility of public service and desires our leaders to carry themselves with dignity and honor, I have decided to step forward and wholeheartedly endorse Bill Lee for Governor of Tennessee. While I originally intended to not take a public stand in this primary race, I have watched closely the tactics, tone and campaign activity…

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Diane Black Wins Davidson County GOP Straw Poll For Governor

Jason M. Reynolds
Diane Black, Bill Lee, Randy Boyd

Gubernatorial candidate Diane Black won a straw poll at the Davidson County Republican Party picnic Saturday, a blog reported. U.S. Rep. Black (R-TN) received 116 votes in the governor’s primary straw poll, according to a blog called “A Disgruntled Republican in Nashville.” Rod Williams is the author. Second place went to Bill Lee, 106 votes. Other results were: Beth Harwell, 28 votes, Kay White, 11 votes and Randy Boyd, 2 votes. Williams says it appears many of the candidates brought their voters to the picnic at the Centennial Park event shelter. “Still, I was surprised that Randy Boyd only got two votes,” Williams said. About 300 people attended. Black spoke at the gathering, while other candidates’ representatives also spoke. The picnic straw poll is merely the latest forecasting in the Tennessee gubernatorial race. Boyd led Black by 32 percent to 27 percent among likely Republican gubernatorial primary voters in a Tennessee Star poll released June 29. The battle for the Republican nomination for governor is a three-way race, the poll showed, with Lee surging into a strong third position, with 20 percent. Harwell is no longer a factor in the Republican gubernatorial primary, coming in a distant fourth position with only 7…

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Conservative Chattanooga Editorial Page Endorses Bill Lee in Republican Gubernatorial Primary

Jason M. Reynolds

The conservative Free Press editorial page of The Chattanooga Times Free Press endorsed Bill Lee in the Republican gubernatorial race on Friday, the first day of early voting. Clint Cooper, the Free Press page editor, said Tennessee Republicans have an “embarrassment of riches” in their primary, with four of six candidates being both competitive and conservative with “diverse backgrounds and unique strengths.” Cooper cites Lee’s background as a business owner and farmer and having an outsider’s perspective on politics. “We also appreciate that he has chosen not to be involved in what seems like daily negative campaign exchanges between perceived front-runners Randy Boyd, a Knoxville businessman whose ideas we also very much admire, and U.S. Rep. Diane Black,” Cooper said. He continued, “Although recent independent polls on the campaign have been few, the man who terms himself the ‘conservative outsider’ appears to have momentum in the race. We hope that will allow voters who originally considered Boyd or Black to take a look at the seventh-generation Tennessean.” Lee announced the endorsement in a press release on Friday. The Chattanooga Times Free Press publishes the liberal Times and conservative Free Press editorial pages, a tribute to the city’s journalism heritage when…

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Bill Lee’s Contributions to Bredesen and Barry the Focus of New Billboards in Middle Tennessee

Admin
anti-Lee billboard

Diane Black is hitting Bill Lee hard for his financial support for Democrats like Phil Bredesen, Megan Barry and Karl Dean. A new Black ad, “Burn”, specifically targets Lee for his donations to Democrats Phil Bredesen and Megan Barry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7iy1LF_MXs&feature=youtu.be Diane Black “BURN” ad: You know the old saying, fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. Will Bill Lee fool you again. The last time Bill Lee got involved in politics he pushed liberal Megan Barry for Mayor. She pushed sanctuary policies and gun control and we got burned. Now we learn Bill Lee gave money to liberal Phil Bredesen, too. Bill Lee’s the kind of Republican who helps Democrats get elected. Don’t let Bill Lee burn you again. Now, electronic billboards by an independent expenditure group, Jobs4TnNow, have popped up in Middle Tennessee that are hitting Lee on the same theme. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill says Black has clearly realized she has a Bill Lee problem. Lee is taking voters away from Black and she has to bring them back. The biggest question, Gill has pointed out, is whether and how Bill Lee would respond to the attacks. “If he hesitates to…

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