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

Judd Matheny

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

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Congressional Candidate Judd Matheny Earns Another Big Endorsement – This Time, From the NRA

Judd Matheny

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) earned another top-tier endorsement, this time from the National Rifle Association, in his campaign to win the Republican nomination in the Sixth Congressional District. Matheny faces former Judge Robert Corlew and businessman John Rose in the August 2 primary for the GOP nomination. The winner of that primary will be the favorite to win the general election contest to replace Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), who is running for governor. “Thank you to the NRA for all they do to preserve our Second Amendment and for recognizing my unwavering support for the same. I have never and will never compromise on our Constitutional rights. I am a known and proven quantity – by far the best man for the job!” Matheny said in a statement released by his campaign on Friday. The campaign notes the welcome endorsement comes “in the wake of his educational 10th Annual Machine Gun Shoot held for the public, law enforcement, military, and the General Assembly.” Matheny, the statement added, “is known for his steadfast conservative voting record in the state house, and says that every decision he makes is viewed through the lens of his core principles of protecting life, the…

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Judd Matheny Gets Endorsement of Michael Reagan for Congressional Bid in Tennessee’s 6th

Judd Matheny, Michael Reagan

Conservative Republican Judd Matheny picked up a big endorsement this week when Michael Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan and a former nationally syndicated talk radio host, visited Tennessee to promote his campaign for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. The August 2 Republican Primary will select a nominee to fill the seat being vacated by Congresswoman Diane Black, who is running for Governor. “Judd Matheny has the conservative principles and statesmanship that my father so loved in a candidate,” Reagan said in making his endorsement. “Judd will uphold Ronald Reagan’s legacy in Congress and I urge you to vote for him and I support him fully.” Matheny said that Reagan will be assisting his campaign in a variety of ways leading up to the Republican Primary. “Ronald Reagan was unwavering in his commitment to national security, economic freedom and prosperity, and the conservative principles essential to promoting and protecting liberty,” Matheny noted. “I am proud that Michael Reagan sees the same characteristics in me that were embodied by his father and am excited to have his support and friendship.” Michael Reagan is the son of former President Ronald Reagan and Academy Award winning actress, Jane Wyman. He authored many successful…

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John Rose Declines To Participate in 6th Congressional District Public Forums With Opponent State Rep. Judd Matheny

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee – John Rose declined to participate in a public forum here at VFW Post 9851 on Thursday with State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), his opponent for the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District race in 2018 to succeed Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), who is running for governor. The Hendersonville event was one of four similar forums around the district that Rose will not be attending. In a letter dated October 31 and received on the day of the first forum, Rose declined participating in any of the upcoming forums, as he is “currently focused on meeting and listening to the voters of Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District,” adding that “there will be a time for forums and debates,” and At the appropriate time, I look forward to a forum sponsored by a well-established, independent, reputable organization. Rose’s letter declining the invitation did not elaborate on what he considered to be a “reputable organization.” The forum was organized by a group of long-time middle Tennessee activists, led by Katherine Hudgins of the 4th Congressional District ; well-known taxpayer advocate and Nashville Tea Party founder Ben Cunningham; founding member of Sumner United for Responsible Government, Ruth Fennel; as well as Kevin…

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Judd Matheny For Congress Endorsed By Country Music Association Award Winning Trick Pony

  TULLAHOMA, Tennessee – Heidi Newfield and Keith Burns, the duo that makes up Trick Pony, endorsed State Representative Judd Matheny for the 6th District of U.S. Congress, during a fund raising event held at the Blue Gill Grill on Tim’s Ford Lake in Tullahoma Monday evening. The public support of Matheny in front of the capacity crowd at the lakeside restaurant by the Country Music Association’s 2001 Artist of the Year was the second in two days by the band. Newfield and Burns recorded a short video posted to the Judd Matheny for Congress Facebook page, extending an invitation to the event and expressing their support for Matheny, whom they referred to as “the big guy.” In the video, Newfield says that they’re doing a special acoustic show “to support our buddy, Judd Matheny.” Newfield goes on to say, We want to get him up there in Congress where he belongs. So, we’re there supporting him and we want you all to come join us as well. In his introduction of the band, Matheny referred to a long history of business and friendship with Trick Pony during his years as an entertainment manager and owner of a private security…

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Judd Matheny Campaigns in Macon County

State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) continues to work hard to win the Republican nomination for the Sixth Congressional District. The primary is still more than a year away, and so far Matheny is the only announced candidate for the seat currently held by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), but you could not tell that by the whirlwind of campaign events the veteran state legislator has held throughout the sprawling district since his announcement in June. On Thursday, Matheny was in Lafayette, Tennessee where he spoke to the Macon County Republican Party. Matheny’s main topic for the evening was frustration with the conduct of establishment Republicans in Washington, particularly with regards to the Senate’s failure to repeal Obamacare. “People were furious. Senator Lamar Alexander’s vote [against repealing Obamacare] was a tipping point,” Matheny said of the attitude of those in attendance. One person in the audience asked “Why does the leadership in the [Republican] Party push and advocate for [liberal] issues, such as Obamacare expansion, Common Core, a gas tax increase in a record state budget surplus?” “And now, the ‘Patriarch’ of the Republican Party in Tennessee, Senator Lamar Alexander, has refused to repeal Obamcare against the wishes of every conservative in…

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Congressional Candidate Judd Matheny Hands Out 2,500 Pencils and Book Marks at Putnam County Back to School Bash

State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) keeps running hard to win the Republican nomination in the Sixth Congressional District. On Friday he was at the Putnam County Back to School Bash, where he handed out over 2,500 pencils and book marks to parents and school children from his booth at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. “This was such a great event,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star. “Lots of kids socializing, eating ice cream and stuffing their bags with back to school supplies,” he added. “Over a dozen area elementary and middle schools were present, as well as their respective teachers and many other community volunteers. It was a fantastic place to reacquaint myself with old friends and meet new ones” Matheny noted. So far, Matheny is the only candidate of either party to announce his candidacy for the Sixth Congressional District nomination. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) has not announced whether she will seek re-election to her current position. It is widely expected that she will announce her candidacy for governor soon. Matheny made news last month when he helped organize a letter from 63 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives advising the Nashville Metro Council that they were strongly opposed to…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny Speaks to Tennessee Alliance of Liberty Groups

  State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) was one of the featured speakers at the regular quarterly meeting of the Tennessee Alliance of Liberty Groups held in Lebanon on Saturday. Matheny was originally scheduled to speak about the fight over the gas tax in the state legislature this session, and addressed that topic first in his 45 minute talk that featured a healthy exchange of questions and answers with the group, which is made up of local liberty group leaders from around the state. “I relayed to them we in the Tennessee General Assembly were not set up to ask the public for $300 million in a $2 billion surplus budget,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star. Matheny also told the audience several anecdotes about the fight against the gas tax, which ultimately was unsuccessful. “We were a tight group in opposition, but we didn’t have the numbers in the end,” Matheny said. The conversation soon turned to the race for the Sixth Congressional District Republican nomination. Last month, Matheny announced that he was in the race to win in 2018, whether or not incumbent Rep. Diane Black decides to run for governor. “As I’ve matured as a state legislator, I’ve tried…

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Lead Sponsors Withdraw Metro Nashville Council ‘Sanctuary City’ Bills

Metro Nashville Council members Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge announced at a press conference held Wednesday afternoon on the steps of the Nashville Courthouse they are withdrawing the two controversial “sanctuary city” ordinances they introduced as sponsors earlier this year. Standing in front of about a dozen supporters of the ordinances from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugees Rights Coaliton (TIRCC), some carrying signs that said “Stand Up to Hate,” Mendes said he and Sledge were withdrawing both ordinances. One ordinance had already passed two of its required three readings and was scheduled for a vote on a third and final reading at the next Metro Council meeting scheduled for July 6. Mendes told the local media outlets present at the press conference that the ordinance could not be amended prior to the third reading, and therefore would be withdrawn. The second ordinance scheduled for a vote in August will also be withdrawn. The need for an amendment became apparent when Metro Director of Law Jon Cooper issued a legal opinion on Monday saying the ordinances were “not enforceable,” and Mayor Barry on Tuesday asked the Metro Council to “reconsider” the ordinances. Mendes did not indicate whether he and Sledge would…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny Blasts Metro Nashville Council Over Proposed ‘Sanctuary City’ Ordinances

Tennessee Star

  State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) tore into the Metro Nashville Council’s proposed sanctuary city ordinances on the Dan Mandis Show on 99.7 FM WWTN Tuesday. As The Tennessee Star reported on Tuesday, the Metro Nashville Council is currently considering two ordinances that would, in effect, turn Nashville into a sanctuary city. “It’s the most egregious move against public safety that the city of Nashville could possibly expose its citizens, and emergency services and social work to,” Matheny said. “It’s completely antithetical to the United States Constitution, and America. And the city of Nashville – with all due respect – they need to remember that the City operates at the pleasure of the State,” Matheny added: If they move forward with this – which I hope the’ll have the sense about them to not have a second reading (much less a third) and try to pass it – they can expect swift and severe action be the State of Tennessee. The taxpayers of Davidson county will suffer incomprehensibly if this passes. Organized crime will come to this town like a magnet from all over the country. The police will be a great risk. The citizens will be at great risk.…

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EXCLUSIVE: Scottie Nell Hughes Says ‘There’s a Strong Possibility’ She Will Run for 6th Congressional District Seat if Diane Black Runs for Governor

  Scottie Nell Hughes told The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview Tuesday night “there’s a strong possibility” she will run for the 6th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives currently held by Congressman Diane Black. Hughes, a native Tennessean and graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, gained national prominence during the 2016 campaign as a surrogate for the Trump campaign and frequent CNN contributor. “The domino first falls with Congressman Black,” Hughes told The Star. “I’m proud to have her be the first female chair of the House Budget Committee,” Hughes added. “I’m absolutely not going to make a decision until Congressman Black decides on whether she will run for governor. If she choose to run for governor, there’s a strong possibility I will run for the 6th Congressional District seat, and that’s only because of the people who’ve approached me and the support I’ve received from 6th District grassroots groups,” Hughes said. Though she is waiting on Congressman Black’s decision on running for governor to make her own decision on running for Congress, Hughes is maintaining a busy speaking schedule along the I-40 corridor that runs from suburban Nashville to Cookeville within the 6th Congressional District. “I’m…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny: ‘If Everybody Does Stand Together, Government Has to Come Down to Our Level’

  MOUNT JULIET, Tennessee — At the Wilson County Conservative Republicans meeting Saturday, guest speaker Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) said of the battle over the 2018 state budget, “If everybody does stand together, government has to come down to our level.” Matheny was referring to the stand-off that occurred in the House of Representatives when he added a constitution-breaking amendment to the budget, which prompted House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) to come down on the House floor and sit next to Matheny in Rep. Mark Pody’s (R-Lebanon) adjacent empty seat.  Alluding to Pody’s absence that day preaching the eulogy at a funeral, “The seat was empty next to me, and believe me, I felt it,” said Matheny. The monthly meeting, according to host Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), started seven to eight years ago and was attended this month by a crowd of about 40 overflowing the room at the Providence location of Logan’s Roadhouse in Mt. Juliet. Pody introduced Matheny at the Saturday meeting, saying that sitting next to Judd Matheny was the only request he has ever made of Speaker Harwell when he came to the House and she asked what Pody wanted for a wide range of…

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