Joe Carr, a conservative leader in Rutherford County, on Thursday endorsed Dr. Manny Sethi in his U.S. Senate race and said he will host the physician as well as U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) at a cookout on July 18.
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A Lorain County commission candidate who lost his race is suing to have the results from Dr. Amy Acton’s delayed primary election set aside, citing about 90 violations of state election law and the Ohio Constitution.
The candidate, Gerald W. Phillips, filed the election contest complaint in the Court of Common Pleas for Lorain County.
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The decision to remove long-serving House member John DeBerry, Jr. from the 2020 Democratic primary ballot is not reflective of the vision or bylaws of the Tennessee Democratic Party.
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Skeptics are calling Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s June 2 primary election date theoretical, saying the Legislature, not he, has the power to move the date.
Adjectives that are being thrown around include “anarchy” and “executive fiat.”
LaRose is already dictating the rules 88 county boards of elections should follow, the Ohio Capital Journal said. These LaRose rules include the dictate that county boards of election should not accept any new voter registrations ahead of the not-yet-official June 2 election.
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When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine went court shopping to quash the state’s primary Tuesday as a way to fight the coronavirus, one of three Supreme Court justices who abstained from voting in his favor was his eldest son, Justice Pat DeWine.
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On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am from the historic WHO radio studios in Des Moines, Iowa – Leahy was joined in studio with good friend and famed Iowan attorney Jim Larew to continue their discussion on the historical mechanics of the Iowa caucus. Towards the middle of the segment, Larew and Leahy discussed a few of the key players in molding the political dynamics in the Iowa caucus by citing Harold Hughes in a particular. “And Hughes’s insistence that we have new procedures and processes that would allow the cream to come to the top I think was a moral imperative. And the reform required that people be allowed to express themselves. That you do not have the unit rule. You do not have unit bosses controlling the outcome,” said Larew. Leahy: In the studio with me my good friend Jim Larew. A life long democrat. Knows Iowa backward and forwards. Welcome, Jim. Larew: Nice to be here with you Michael. Leahy: We were talking about why Iowa. Why is Iowa the first in the nation you’ve explained it a little bit…
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Live from WHO studios in Des Moines, Iowa Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy was joined in studio by long-time good friend, Jim Larew and discussed Iowa’s political history while differentiating between caucus and primary in both New Hampshire and Iowa states. Leahy: I am broadcasting live from the studios of WHO radio in Des Moines, Iowa. And I am joined in the studio, we had a reunion last night, with my longtime friend, Jim Larew. Good morning Jim. Larew: Good morning Micheal. Leahy: And so Jim is, well, you’re a Democrat Jim, aren’t you? Larew: I am and I have been for a long time. Leahy: I’m just curious as to what you think is happening here in Iowa. Let’s see if we can go back to the original question. So you and I were roommates. We knew each other in college. We had a friend there, the late great Alan Brinkley. A historian. He was your thesis advisor. Larew: Yes, he was. Leahy: And you wrote a thesis on how Iowa in 1974 elected for the…
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President Donald Trump went after GOP challenger Mark Sanford after he talked about all the things that have allegedly “gone by the wayside” since Trump took office.
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Saturday evening, Ohio Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan made one of his last appearances in a multi-state blitz tour of early presidential primary states. When Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown decided not to run last month, most Ohioans thought that would be it for Ohio politicians entering the 2020 race. Yet Rep. Ryan, despite not announcing his candidacy or forming an exploratory committee, seems to be making all the moves one would expect from a 2020 candidate. The nine-term representative from Ohio’s 13th district (formerly 17th), has been prominently featured at several Iowa events. Saturday, he appeared at the Heartland Forum. The event was organized and sponsored by the Huffington Post, several Iowa state papers, and Open Markets Action. Ryan was joined by declared and potential candidates; “former U.S. HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Rep. John Delaney, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Ryan, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.” While he has found positive support at this and most of his campaign events, some of his recent comments seem to clash with the direction of the Democratic party in 2020. At an event in New Hampshire, the potential 2020 candidates said to Fox News: I think we’ve got to be very careful. We come off sometimes as hostile to business……
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Monday, 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke made his first appearance in the Buckeye State. It’s safe to say that former Congressman was hoping the visit could shake off what has been somewhat of a mixed campaign rollout. The Republican National Committee (RNC) Spokesperson Mandi Merritt was quick to note that: It’s been a rough few days for 2020 candidate Beto O’Rourke. From his campaign turning into an apology tour less than 48 hours after announcing, to flip-flopping on the issues and his past GOP ties, O’Rourke is going to have a tough time living up to his party’s litmus tests and convincing the progressive base that he should be their nominee. While the RNC has made their feelings about Beto’s presidential campaign clear, the onetime Senate candidate has now earned bipartisan criticism. Within the first few days of announcing his campaign, Beto committed a litany of gaffes, political faux pas, and some minor scandals. His campaign announcement, coinciding with what was intended to be a glowing Vanity Fair cover story about his intent to run. He stated “I’m just born to be in it,” which was met with widespread criticism from progressive opinion leaders, accusing him of abusing his “privilege.” Many criticized the media for sexist coverage, as he received a far more positive media…
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Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown arrived in South Carolina Friday in the final planned stop on his three-month “Dignity of Work” tour. The official aim of the tour, which began in January, was to share “some of his ideas to make hard work pay off for everyone.” Unofficially, the tour has been an attempt to “test the waters” to see if he would be a viable candidate for a potential 2020 run. The tour took the Senator to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, which are all considered critical battleground states in presidential elections. While it appears he will conclude the tour without announcing his candidacy, the tour did, as far his public statements are concerned, seem to fully convince him that his campaign would have one unassailable advantage over his opponents. In an interview with Buzzfeed, Brown stated: It has surprised us that this many people, including Republicans, that this many people have begun to talk about the dignity of work. I don’t think they flesh it out well enough yet or extensively enough. I think they mean it. I don’t mean there’s any insincerity in it. But I think we can’t do it enough … I carry it better than anybody else…
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Ohio Democratic State Rep. Jack Cera (D-96) has introduced a bill that would permanently delay the Ohio presidential primary by two months, a move that could have major implications for Ohio. House Bill 101 (HB 101) would officially move the Ohio primary from March to “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May.” Currently, Ohio’s early March primary has made it one of a handful of seminal states in several recent presidential primaries. The state has already lost a significant amount of presidential election “clout” with its number of electoral votes dropping to a historical low of 16. The move would also have a significant effect on state revenues just as the amount of money spent on electoral races continues to climb at shocking rates. By delaying the primary, the value of airtime in the state is also delayed. In addition, it could be the death knell of one prominent Ohioan’s presidential aspirations. Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown had long maintained that his resonance in Ohio is one of his key political advantages, should he decide to run in 2020. The Ohio senator was one of the only Democrats to win re-election in the 2018 midterm. Most surprising, he did so by close to…
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The only Ohio Democrat to hold or win office in the 2018 midterm elections appears to have his sights set on the White House. Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown announced that he will tour four early, and key, presidential primary states. His team refers to the trip as the “Dignity of Work” tour and will travel to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. Concurrent with this announcement was the launch of his new website, “DignityOfWork.com.” The website is funded by America Works PAC, the senator’s personal political action committee. As of now the site only lists some of his key issues, an email registration link, and a donation page. The crux of this early campaign appears to be an appeal to the blue-collar working class that largely abandoned the Democratic party in the 2016 election in favor of President Donald Trump. He emphasizes that “dignity of work means hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are or what kind of work you do.” The campaign revolves around the point that it’s not enough to have a job, but rather a well-paying job. This is a clever messaging manipulation that both emphasizes the bipartisan call for a strong…
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Republican U.S. Sen. candidate Marsha Blackburn spoke Tuesday with Charles Payne on Fox Business about the “incivility crisis” in America, especially as incited by the Tennessee Democratic Party against Trump supporters. You can watch the interview here. Payne asked U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) about comments made by Mark Brown, a Tennessee Democratic Party communications official who is serving as spokesman for Democratic U.S. Sen. candidate Phil Bredesen, a former governor. “We know that there was a comment about “F— reaching out to Trump voters,” by the candidate and spokesman himself, calling them ‘idiots,’” Payne asked Blackburn. “This is remarkable. Right now, your campaign is on center stage. The whole country is watching. In fact, many think it may actually determine the outcome of power in Washington, D.C., in November. Can you believe this?” Blackburn said, “We were very, we were stunned to hear this, but you know what Charles? It reveals the true nature of what they think and how they think about Trump voters, and through his spokesman, Phil Bredesen is revealing this, and of course, it was bad enough when his friend Hillary Clinton, who he gave $33,400 to, called us all deplorables, and now we’re hearing they think we’re morons…
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Well-known Nashville businessman and conservative stalwart Lee Beaman endorsed Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) for Governor on Monday. “There is only one true conservative in the race and her name is Diane Black,” Beaman said in a statement. “Diane will fight to protect and defend out Tennessee values. She will be an advocate for Tennessee businesses of all sizes, and she will always fight for families and the unborn. With Diane leading the way, we can become the most business friendly state in the nation while keeping our values intact,” he concluded. Rep. Black responded, “I am delighted to have Lee on my team;” adding: Lee is a man guided by his conservative beliefs who has worked hard for every success. From standing against the AMP and Metro Transit Plan, when he gets behind something, everyone better move out of the way. He is a stalwart fighter for the conservative cause who never waivers in his conviction. “Nobody in Tennessee has been a more consistent and dependable donor, leader and advocate for conservative causes,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said. “From personally dropping off cases of bottled water to protesters at Legislative Plaza to providing funds for countless conservative candidates at…
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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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In an exclusive interview with Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill on Friday, U.S. Senate hopeful Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) hit her Democratic opponent square in the jaw, calling him out over one of his greatest vulnerablities. “Chuck Schumer has bought and paid for Phil Bredesen’s vote,” Blackburn told Gill. Senator Schumer (D-NY)- who is currently the Senate Minority Leader and is poised to become Senate Majority Leader should the Democrats’ “blue wave” come to the U.S. Senate in this November’s midterm elections – is said to have personally recruited Bredesen out of retirement to run when Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) opted not to run for a third term “When you look at the Senate race that you’re in the midst of, what we hear from Phil Bredesen is that he’s going to be a different kind of Democrat – but you don’t see different kinds of Democrats in the Senate. And when we look at what Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are saying – Chuck Schumer has recruited Phil Bredesen into this race – they want to raise taxes if they get back in control of the Senate and the House,” Gill noted. Blackburn made it clear Bredesen is…
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Outgoing Governor Haslam told reporters Thursday that he hoped President Trump would stay out of the Tennessee Republican primary to name his replacement. “I don’t think it’s helpful for the White House to be involved in primaries,” Haslam said, citing that as the current chairman of the Republican Governors Association, he and his group will not participate in primaries where the GOP candidates are running for open seats. Haslam said: I had a conversation with them back in February, them being the White House, saying we’re going to have 36 governors races. They’re going to be very competitive. We would like it if y’all would not get involved. We just think that’s best. We’re not going to get involved as [the RGA] unless we have an incumbent governor. If there’s an incumbent governor, we welcome your involvement. When he was asked if President Trump’s involvement in some gubernatorial races despite his request was frustrating, Haslam told reporters, “Well, they’re the White House. They can do what they want. But like I said, we would rather them not.” He said he believes there is “good reason for that in any mid-term election,” noting the November general elections “are difficult. And we…
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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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On Monday’s edition on The Gill Report – broadcast on Knoxville’s 92.3 FM WETR – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the unscrupulous battle between Republican nominees for Governor elections August 2nd in Tennessee and the support that the winning candidate may or may not receive from members of their party once elected. Steve Gill observed, “The Republican primary for governor is getting brutal and bitter. You’re seeing attack ads flying back and forth. Beth Harwell’s attacking her opponents with one ad that features them as little children dressed up as you know, a working construction guy, she’s got Diane Black with a blonde wig and her glasses, and then Randy Boyd with his suit. But these are all young kids.” He continued: You’ve got Diane Black and Randy Boyd both viciously attacking each other and Bill Lee. And Bill Lee is kind of using the attack, “I’m the only nice guy vote for me!” The bottom line is there is a lot of vitriol and bitterness that has been built in, baked in to this primary process. And on August 2nd the votes will be counted. Someone, one of these four, will win the Republican primary for Governor. And…
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George Flinn aired a campaign ad several weeks ago that featured three visibly pregnant women who said they were voting for Finn for Congress in West Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District. Flinn is challenging incumbent Congressman David Kustoff in the Republican Primary. The women pointed out that Kustoff had voted for the $1.3 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill that included about $500 million in funding for Planned Parenthood. They noted that Flinn is pro-life, like them, and that his support for unborn life was the reason they and their families were voting for Flinn. Kustoff responded last week with his own television ad and mail piece featuring a photo of the three women declaring them to be “fake news.” Now, Flinn has counterpunched back with a television commercial featuring one of the three women criticizing Kustoff for attacking “pregnant women.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD59jWVlDuM&feature=youtu.be FLINN AD “Fake News” transcript: Clip from Flinn ad: “…and that’s a vote for George Flinn, a true conservative.” Cecilia M.: “David Kustoff is calling us ‘fake news.’ We aren’t fake. We are real. He’s the one lying about his voting record and about us. I looked at his vote, and I told the truth. Kustoff is so desperate that he…
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My decision to choose Black over Lee has caused considerable angst among Lee supporters who are demanding an explanation. Focusing solely on Lee, I will outline the factors I considered while I was formulating my decision.
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Republican State Senator and congressional hopeful Dr. Mark Green announced Monday that his campaign raised $420,000 in the second quarter, and his cash-on-hand totals $909,908. “We’re honored that more than 1,000 donors have invested in our mission to bring battle-tested leadership to Washington. These funds will allow us to continue to run a strong grassroots campaign to talk to voters in every corner of the district,” Dr. Green said in a statement. The Green campaign notes that, “With broad grassroots infrastructure built in each county throughout the sprawling 7th congressional district, Green’s campaign continues to receive support from Tennessee voters.” Over the course of the primary election season, Dr. Green has garnered several top-tier endorsements from local and national groups including, the campaign lists: 100 conservative leaders 20 mayors over 60 legislators Senator Ted Cruz Senator Rick Santorum Dr. Art Laffer Club for Growth FRC Action Combat Veterans for Congress GOPAC House Freedom Fund FreedomWorks Tennessee Right to Life Tennessee Firefighters Association Dr. Mark Green is seeking to replace Representative Marsha Blackburn, who is running for the hotly contested open seat in the US Senate left by retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. On the other side of the aisle, Justin…
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Former Senator and 2012 presidential contender Rick Santorum announced his strong endorsement of Diane Black for Governor Tuesday. “I’ve always known Diane to be a strong conservative leader, a passionate advocate for the unborn and a champion for religious liberty and traditional values,” Santorum said in a statement. “With Diane Black in the Governor’s office, I am confident that the conservative values that make Tennessee great will be protected and preserved.” Diane Black responded, “Rick Santorum is a champion for conservative principles,” Black said. “He’s a leader who is not afraid to fight for conservative values. Tennessee stood behind Rick in his 2012 race for President, and I’m proud to have him behind me in my race for Governor.” Throughout Rick Santorum’s career he has enjoyed a high level of popularity in the Volunteer State. During the nine-way Tennessee presidential primary election of 2012, Santorum received an extraordinary 40 percent of the vote. The Black campaign points out that in addition to Santorum’s endorsement, Representative Black has received endorsements from: – NRA – Susan B. Anthony List – National Right to Life – Tennessee Right to Life – Family Research Council – American Conservative Union – Nearly 3,000 elected officials and community leaders across…
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In the first two days of early voting there are signs that turnout may be higher than normal in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Early voting started on Friday and continued on Saturday, though the locations and schedule for the Saturday voting was limited in several counties. Additionally, some counties have only reported their Friday totals at this point. Nevertheless, 30,262 votes have already been cast in the Republican Primary and 12,205 in the Democratic Primary. Early voting continues until July 28 with Election Day on August 2. There were 668,039 total GOP Senate Primary votes cast in August 2014. That election featured a contested primary between Senator Lamar Alexander (331,705 votes) and Joe Carr (271,324). Alexander prevailed by a closer than expected 49-40% margin. A third Republican, Dr. George Flinn received a little over 34,000 total votes. That race may give guidance in predicting final turnout as we move through the early voting period. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill expects the turnout to increase dramatically over the next few weeks. “Not only do we have a hotly contested Republican Primary for Governor, in which we will see perhaps $10 million in spending in the next few weeks…
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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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Knox County Mayor and Republican candidate for Congress in Tennessee’s 2d Congressional District has a new television commercial airing that promotes his support for President Trump. This is Burchett’s second ad and it is airing on both broadcast and cable throughout the district. TIM BURCHETT “TRUMP” ad: Hey, I’m Tim Burchett, and I’m running for Congress to help President Trump shake up Washington. Everyone says they’re for Trump, but I’m the only candidate who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 primary. As mayor, I took on the tax-hikers and the big-spenders. And I fought to ban hiring illegal immigrants over Americans. I’m proud to be pro-life, pro-gun, pro-America. I’m Tim Burchett and I approve this message because I’m a true conservative and I will never pretend to be otherwise. Early voting in the primary election began Friday with Election Day on August 2. The winner of the primary in the heavily Republican district will be highly favored to replace retiring Congressman Jimmy Duncan who has held the seat for three decades. Burchett announced a big fundraising total in the second quarter of 2018 earlier this week.
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The American Future Fund, a 501(c)4 group that funded multiple attack ads against Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election has filed information with the Federal Election Commission indicating that they have just spent $17,500 for a targeted direct mail piece against Republican conservative businessman and former Judge Bob Corlew. Corlew is locked in a tight primary battle with businessman John Rose in the 6th Congressional District to fill the seat being vacated by Congresswoman Diane Black. Black is running for Governor. https://twitter.com/pml_tray/status/1017095926064615424 In 2016 alone, the organization spent $6.7 million in attacks against Trump, describing him as a “fraud,” “a phony,” and a “B.S. artist.” The group recently ran negative ads against South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a staunch and early Trump supporter. Trump appeared at a campaign rally for McMaster the night before his runoff election in South Carolina last month. McMaster won the runoff and is expected to easily carry the state in November. The American Future Fund was founded by Nick Ryan in 2007 and is based in Iowa. The group has spent funds opposing other pro-Trump candidates during this election cycle. FEC regulations require the disclosure of independent expenditures related to a Federal campaign, such as Congress,…
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As the heat intensifies in the Tennessee Republican Primary campaign for Governor House Speaker Beth Harwell has aired her first negative ad. In the Harwell ad each of her three opponents are depicted as bickering children while she’s the “adult” in the room. Harwell touts the fact that as Speaker she has balanced the budget, lowered taxes, outlawed sanctuary cities and reduced the size of government. Beth Harwell “ADULT IN THE ROOM ad: ANNCR: “You have a choice for Governor. Behind all the fighting and posturing Diane Black, Randy Boyd and Bill Lee only offer political promises.” HARWELL: “I am the only candidate who offers proven results instead of political promises. Under my leadership as your Tennessee Speaker we’ve already balanced the budget and lowered your taxes. Already outlawed sanctuary cities and reduced the size of our state government.” ANNCR: “Beth Harwell, the adult in the room.” As Harwell’s critics have noted, EVERY Speaker has balanced the budget because it is required by law. And while some taxes were lowered as part of the IMPROVE Act, the tax cuts primarily went to big businesses while the fuel tax increase of over $300 million a year hits working families in Tennessee. Tennessee…
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Knox County Mayor and Republican congressional candidate in the 2nd Congressional District had an impressive second quarter fundraising report according to a release from his campaign on Thursday. Burchett reports raising $225,000 during the most recent reporting period that ended on June 30th. To date Burchett has reported raising over $590,000. “I am honored and humbled by the outpouring of support our campaign has experienced across the Second District,” Burchett said in announcing his fundraising totals. “From fundraisers, to local events, to volunteers who spend their weekends knocking on doors in the sweltering heat, I am lucky to have the hardest-working, most enthusiastic supporters this state has ever seen.” Burchett hired highly regarded Republican fundraiser Kim Kaegi as he headed into the quarter and the results speak for themselves, one political insider noted in reviewing the numbers. “The biggest question mark about Tim was whether he could raise the money to wage a competitive race against two significant self-funders in Jason Emert and Jimmy Matlock. Clearly he and his team have answered that question in the affirmative and added an exclamation point this quarter.” Early voting in the primary election begins today with Election Day on August 2. The winner…
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Colleen Owens, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in West Tennessee’s 8th District announced on Thursday that she is endorsing one of her opponents, Dr. George Flinn, for Congress. She is immediately suspending all of her campaign activities. Owens made the announcement during an appearance on Jackson’s WNWS 101.5 FM. Owens said that she came to the conclusion that Dr. Flinn is the clear choice for Tennessee’s Congressional District 8. “I’m excited to be voting for George and asking my supporters to vote for George Flinn, because he’s going to be the right person for West Tennessee. I do not want to be the spoiler that helped Congressman Kustoff go back to Washington,” Owens told WNWS host Dan Reaves. “After getting to know George better – I really like him. He’s conservative and a self-made businessman. He’s going to Washington and doesn’t owe anyone. He’s doing it for the right reasons.” Owens stated that she has attended events with both David Kustoff and George Flinn. After being around both of them, she feels that George Flinn is the clear choice for West Tennessee. “I came away feeling like George is a good man, and we agree on pretty much everything.…
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Recent polling by The Tennessee Star showed that Senator Bob Corker has a disapproval rating in the 62% range and 6th District GOP Congressional candidate Bob Corlew wants to make sure voters in his primary don’t hold that against HIM just because of a similar last name. The tongue-in-cheek ad also tries to cut through the late campaign season noise and increase Corlew’s name recognition with GOP Primary voters. It is similar to an ad that Tennessee Republican Congressman Scott Desjarlais once used to increase his own name recognition with a somewhat difficult last name. Desjarlais’ ad depicted a man confused between Desjarlais and Dijon mustard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Ta8owxoMc Transcript of Bob Corlew ad “BOB WHO?”: Bob Corlew: “Hey, I’m Bob Corlew and I’m running for Congress.” Man: “Corker?” Second Man: “Corker?” Bob Corlew: “No, Corlew. Bob Corlew.” Woman: “Bob Corker?” Second woman: “No, Corlew; Bob Corlew. Army veteran. Judge. Conservative Republican.” Young man: “And a supporter of President Trump. Bob’s spent a lifetime serving others.” Bob Corlew: “That’s right. I want to help stop illegal immigration. Help the President build the Wall. And that’s why I approved this message.” The commercial is airing on both broadcast and cable television. …
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The gloves are definitely off in the Tennessee Republican Primary for Governor. Diane Black has unleashed a vicious television hit on Randy Boyd based upon a Tennessean story claiming that Boyd has used the location of his company’s foreign operations in order to avoid U.S. taxes. “From 2014 to 2016, the company sheltered millions of dollars in European profits from any taxes because of this corporate structure, according to two experts who analyzed Radio System’s Irish tax records obtained by the USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee,” The Tennessean reported on Monday. One of two “experts” quoted by the Tennessean was a California-Irvine School of Law Professor. “Analyzing the company’s tax records, University of California-Irvine School of Law professor Omri Marian estimated the company paid an effective tax rate of a little more than 1 percent,” The Tennessean said. However, as The Tennessee Star has reported, whatever documents were provided by the Tennessean for review by the professor could not have been obtained from public records, raising questions about the legality of the means by which The Tennessean procured them. The Tennessean has refused to make the “tax records” they obtained available for review by the public or other news media outlets, nor…
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A massive gas tax increase that was part of the Haslam Administration’s IMPROVE Act, which raised fuel taxes over $300 million a year, is becoming an issue in the 6th District Republican Primary congressional race. Former judge and conservative businessman Bob Corlew is hitting fellow Republican contender John Rose for supporting the huge tax increase in a new digital ad that may soon find its way to broadcast and cable outlets in the district. According to a Corlew campaign spokesman, the ad was rejected by “Gas Station Television” because, as a representative at Gas Station Television told the campaign, “they didn’t want to run anything that would shine ‘a negative light on the gas space (or oil industry).’ So this ad never got to run on their air.” A transcript of the ad: “HEY! HEY YOU PUMPING GAS! DO YOU THINK YOU PAY TOO MUCH AT THE PUMP? WELL, IF JOHN ROSE HAD HIS WAY YOU WOULD BE PAYING MORE EVERY TIME EVERY TIME YOU FILL UP. THAT’S RIGHT, JOHN ROSE SUPPORTED INCREASING FUEL TAXES BY 33%. JOHN ROSE SAID YOU PAYING MORE EVERY TIME YOU PUMP GAS ‘MAKES GOOD SENSE’. AND ‘I HOPE THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.’ JOHN ROSE:…
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In the final weeks of Rep Diane Black’s campaign for the GOP nomination for governor, she announced on Thursday her County Leadership Teams – made up of dedicated activists, elected officials, and community leaders – has swelled to nearly 3,000 members. “I am excited and humbled to announce my County Leadership Teams have reached nearly 3,000 members,” Black said in a statement. “I have had a lot of wonderful endorsements in recent weeks, but these are the ones that mean the most to me. To have the support of nearly 3,000 activists, elected officials and community leaders from all over our state is an honor. I am confident their support will help us win this election.” The first 50 members are listed below – click here for the complete list: Jonathan K Alderson, Anderson County Robert J Arowood, Anderson County William Arowood, Anderson County Earl H Barton, Anderson County Alan Beauchamp, Anderson County Sabra Beauchamp, Anderson County Kendall L Brady, Anderson County Laura Capozzola, Anderson County Oak Ridge Vice Mayor Rick Chinn, Anderson County County Clerk Jeff Cole, Anderson County Gale L Cook, Anderson County Barrington Cox, Anderson County Rick Daley, Anderson County Frank Damiano, Anderson County Maureen Fricke, Anderson County Roberta Hamlington, Anderson County Bradley…
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In yet another indication that the Republican Primary for Governor has tightened, with a surge by Bill Lee in Middle Tennessee threatening Diane Black in her own 6th Congressional District, the Black campaign has begun airing two new attack ads targeting Lee in the last 24 hours. Black aired an ad targeting both Lee and Randy Boyd as “Two Moderates” just last week. She added a second ad that focused solely on Boyd as being “anti-hunter” while touting Black’s endorsement by the NRA. In fact, the ad is titled “Anti-hunter” to make the point clear. Now Black has launched two new ads that hit Lee hard. The first is similar to the “Two Moderates” ad but focuses more on Lee than Boyd. The second “Two Moderates” Black ad transcript reads as follows: Steve Schmidt, former Republican campaign manager: [Trump is] An imbecilic former reality tv show host and con man. George Will, columnist: “He [Trump] would flunk a sixth grade civics exam. Announcer: Don’t you hate it when Republicans undermine President Trump? Randy Boyd disavowed Trump, and Bill Lee’s the kind of Republican who helps Democrats get elected. Bill Lee pushed for liberal Mayor Megan Barry. Bill Lee’s candidate pushed…
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by Julia Cohen Incumbent New York Democratic Rep. Joseph Crowley, the fourth most powerful Democrat in the House, lost to his democratic socialist challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the New York primary on Tuesday, according to the New York Times. Rep. Crowley lost with 42.4 percent of the vote to Ocasio-Cortez’s 57.6 percent of the vote, according to a Tuesday New York Times report. Ocasio-Cortez, who is 28 years old, ran on a progressive platform of Medicare for all, a federal jobs guarantee, and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to her campaign site. Cortez is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and she praised the DSA on her Twitter page, tweeting that she is “so honored to have their endorsement” in a June 4 tweet. – – – Follow Julia Cohen on Facebook and Twitter. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
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WWE wrestler Glenn Jacobs has won the Republican primary for Knox County mayor by a margin of only 17 votes, WATE reported. The Knox County Election Commission says there are, however, a few provisional ballots, so the results won’t be official until next week. Jacobs, a former WWE wrestler aka “Kane,” and insurance agent, faced off against county commissioners Brad Anders and Bob Thomas. The election was not without issues, WKYT reported. Just before 10:15 p.m. on Election Day, the Knox County Election Commission website showed Jacobs with a 17-vote lead taking the candidacy over Anders in the primary election. While Jacobs called it a “WWE finish” to sister station WVLT, Anders said he was not conceding until the provisional ballots have been counted. According to Knox County officials, the county website failed Tuesday night, and election results were delayed as a result of a computer problem, WKYT said. Cliff Rodgers with the Knox County Election Commission said they experienced a “widespread denial of services attack.” The Knox County Election Commission told WVLT that they had recorded 43 provisional ballots for all races, according to WKYT. Of those 43 ballots, 38 were classified as “green,” meaning they were submitted by people who had…
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Dr. Rolando Toyos dropped out of the Tennessee Republican primary for U.S. Senate. The Tennessee GOP made the announcement Wednesday night. State party Chairman Scott Golden said, “I appreciate Dr. Toyos’ decision to suspend his campaign and look forward to working with him to support Republican candidates in the November elections. He has a bright future. Every Republican knows that we cannot allow liberal Phil Bredesen to go to Washington and destroy the progress of President Trump’s Administration. Bredesen’s support for Hillary Clinton alone disqualifies him from representing the values and interests of Tennesseans, which is why our Party must stand together and work to elect a Republican to the United States Senate.” WBBJ quoted Toyos as saying, in part, “My dear departed mother used to say, ‘when faced with obstacles do not complain but instead figure out a solution and work harder.’ I have exhausted every possibility to keep my name on the ballot that would not be distracting to the Republican Party and the truly important issues facing our country. I will not pursue other remedies.” The withdrawal of Toyos from the race leaves Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) an uncontested path to the Republican nomination on primary day…
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The Williamson County Republican Party Executive Committee announced Friday they passed a resolution to strongly support HB0887 and its companion Senate bill SB0772. The proposal’s summary – sponsored by Rep. Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville) and Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) – simply states: As introduced, requires a person to declare a statewide political party affiliation before voting in a primary election. – Amends TCA Title 2. (emphasis added) Williamson County Republican Party Chair Debbie Deaver said the measure, which passed overwhelmingly 10-0, would be a welcome change. “It’s a little disingenuous to allow someone to select a candidate for a party they don’t identify with and who they will not vote for in the general election. Just like Alabama doesn’t let Tennessee pick its head coach, and Apple doesn’t have the board of Microsoft select its CEO, we should not let non-Republicans pick our nominees.” The next stop for the bill proposal is the Senate State and Local Government Committee, where it is scheduled to be heard.
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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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