Category Archives: Site News

Top Tales for Wednesday, October 10, 2012

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Gentle reader, here are some of the latest stories in Tennessee politics.

The Hamilton County Democratic Party holds its annual Kefauver Dinner fundraiser tonight at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Imperial Ballroom. The keynote speaker will be U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who represents Tennessee’s 9th District. Some party members, including at least one local elected official, are boycotting the event following party chair Paul Smith’s refusal to apologize for a joke he printed on a party board agenda that was seen by some to denigrate women. Admission to the dinner is $60 ($35 for students).

House Speaker Beth Harwell is among the dignitaries expected at a Republican Party campaign rally for area GOP legislative candidates. The event is scheduled from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 11. Candidates and elected representatives from districts in Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, Roane, and Sequatchie Counties will be there. Admission is free.

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais is once again the target of some years-old oppo research involving his apparently very messy divorce and surrounding issues. This time, it’s about a phone conversation he taped with a pregnant former mistress (who first had been his patient), and his urging her to proceed with an abortion so that he could mend his broken family. State Sen. Eric Stewart is DesJarlais’s Democratic Party opponent in the November 6 election. DesJarlais was elected in 2010 despite similar efforts by former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis’ campaign to expose unsavory details from DesJarlais’s personal life.

Yes, I know. The voter guide pages on this site are woefully out-of-date, as they still pertain to the August primary elections. Rest assured that changes are underway, hopefully to be launched by October 17, which is the start of early voting. (And, gulp, just one scant week from now.) For the Chattanooga audience, I’m excited to announce that Tennessee Ticket is once again partnering with Nooga.com to produce voter guides in a similar format that you saw this past summer.

There’s no debate that these were forums. Bradley County citizens on Monday had to choose between attending what will probably be the only joint appearance in the entire Third District by incumbent U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and his Democratic opponent, Dr. Mary Headrick, or a meeting of 10th Senate District candidates Todd Gardenhire and Chattanooga City Councilman Andraé McGary. From where I sat at the latter, it looked like more chose the former. You can scroll down my Twitter page to see updates posted during the event, or read Joy Lukachick’s TFP coverage. Chris Carroll and James Harrison chronicled the TN-03 event.

How overwhelming will the Republican majority in the General Assembly be? Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey has some thoughts. (HT: NPP)

Introducing the all-new August 2012 Voter Guide

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Since 2006, when another blogger and I collaborated to bring you “Battle for the General Assembly” (a guide to that year’s state legislative races), this site has sought ways to pool resources in an effort to bring you the most comprehensive and usable information about your ballot.

In partnership with Nooga.com


This year, I am happy to announce a partnership with Nooga.com to provide Chattanooga and Hamilton County voters with a comprehensive* voter guide for the upcoming August election. I want it to be clear that Nooga’s managing editor and political reporter have put in the lion’s share of the work on it, but that I did contribute significantly.

In addition, I remain committed to the statewide project that comprises the pages below:

Thank you for doing you civic duty: not only voting, but doing your best to find your best fit among the candidates and ballot questions. Continue to let me know how I can increase the value this site brings.

*I realize that, at the moment, the judicial retention questions are not yet included. I’m working on those.

Occupy Tennessee Ticket

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A while back, after a few urgent e-mails from my hosting provider, I turned on the rule that says “a visitor may leave a comment on this site only if they are a registered user,” but I forgot (or never knew) that I had to also turn on the rule that says “anyone with a valid e-mail address may register for an account.”

The end result, of course, was that the site told you that you had to be logged-in to leave a comment, but there was no “register for account” option.

Well, now there is. Please sign up and comment at will. All blog posts and most pages have commenting enabled.

(Credit for title: @WinstonUK)

Thank you for seven years and here’s to seven more

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Seven years ago today, a little blog about elections and politics was launched. It started with a post centered right in the author’s own city council district.

Along the way I have learned so much about blogging, blog platforms, Movable Type, WordPress, writing, Tennessee history, Tennessee politics, gubernatorial elections, election law, campaign finance, Chattanooga, recall elections, HTML, some CSS, social media, and even a tiny bit about SEO. Heh.

Seriously, I value every reader and every subscriber, and pray that I have been able to help citizens become more informed. I have been more than compensated in return, in ways mere money could never equal. Thank you.

Hopefully it hasn’t been a waste of time.

Happy New Year!

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The coming year is going to be a busy and exciting one here on the Ticket. A few highlights of what’s in store:

  • Redistricting revealed: starting this week, new maps of Tennessee’s congressional and state legislative districts will be discussed and debated.
  • General Assembly in session: from the 10th of January through at least the end of April or so, our state lawmakers, including a new face or two, will again be making policy decisions for the state.
  • Presidential preference: On March 6, sometimes known as “Super Tuesday,” we Tennesseans will go to the polls to help select delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions, which will in turn nominate those parties’ presidential candidates.
  • August heat: Primary elections will be held for state House of Representatives, Senate, and congressional seats; additionally, there are some county elections, including school board seats here in Hamilton County.
  • Election Day: In November, we go to the polls to elect the next General Assembly; our congressional delegation, including one U.S. Senate seat; and President of the United States.

Throughout these and plenty of other events, my aim is to provide you with the information you most need to make these important decisions in the voting booth, and to follow your government as it does its intended work.

Regardless which side you’re on (meaning, whether you pronounce it “twenty twelve” or “two thousand twelve”), I hope you will share your news and insight, provide honest criticism, and end the year with the satisfaction that results from having made informed decisions.