I’m thankful for the great state of Tennessee, for the people who serve in its government and who represent us in Washington, D.C., and for all of you who do your best to be citizens fully engaged in self-governing.
I hope everyone enjoys this day of reflection and celebration.
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.):
“On September 11, 2001, our nation was attacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. Enemies of civilization, these terrorists targeted and murdered nearly 3000 innocent Americans. To this day, I still vividly remember watching in horror as the twin towers collapsed. The images of the collapsing towers, the damaged Pentagon, and the wreckage of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania are forever burned into my mind.
“Despite the evil of the attack, stories of heroes emerged: Passengers on Flight 93 who stormed the cockpit and prevented an additional attack, firemen and policemen who gave their lives to help workers escape the twin towers, and Father Mychal Judge, who died on scene while administering last rights to the fallen. These stories inspire us, and remind us of the importance of standing up to evil. Of course, no discussion of heroes is complete without mentioning all of the troops who served our nation in response to the attacks.
“Today we honor and remember the dead. We thank those who served, the firemen, police officers, and soldiers who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. May the fallen rest in peace.”
Sen. Andy Berke:
Every day I feel lucky to have been born and to live in this great country; today is a good time to make sure to say it aloud
— Andy Berke (@andyberke) September 11, 2012
Rep. Antonio Parkinson:
Please remember those 2977 servants that gave their lives and those that are still giving their lives for your safety. #NeverForget #911
— Antonio Parkinson (@TNRepParkinson) September 11, 2012
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.)
More will be added as they are made available.
Hamilton County politics lost an avid participant on Tuesday. Ray Minner went to his rest following an apparent heart attack.
I wrote a piece on my personal blog dedicated to his memory. May he rest in peace.
Birmingham blogger extraordinaire Wade Kwon has your sample ballots for Alabama’s primary vote on Tuesday, March 13.
Chattanooga businessman Greg Vital has made it known that he intends to seek the 10th District Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Andy Berke—the same seat that Rep. Vince Dean was thoroughly expected to seek. However, as the Chattanooga Times Free Press also reports, Dean is being encouraged by House Speaker Beth Harwell and Majority Leader Gerald McCormick to stay put.
This would mean a shake-up in the developing GOP primary for House District 30, which would be an open seat if Dean were to run for the Senate. East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert and Larry Grohn have picked up petitions, and there has been talk of a couple more candidates. Not many Republican candidates would be likely to stay in it against the incumbent, though. Two Democrats have also picked up papers to run: Brock Bennington and Brian White.
Collegedale resident Ray Minner, who has also been considering a run in the 30th after redistricting placed him in that district, says there is something telling in the GOP leaders’ actions:
Doesn’t anyone besides me find it very, very curious that “the two top House Republicans,” who have surely known for quite a long time that Vince Dean was planning to run for the Senate, said nothing, and even allowed him to make his announcement and pick up papers. Then suddenly, when Greg Vital decides HE wants that seat, they start to lean on Vince to stay in the House. Coincidence? Only the most naive would think so.
Meanwhile, it looks like voters in the new 28th District will have a contested primary in both of the two major parties. Democratic Reps. Tommie Brown and JoAnne Favors were placed into the same minority-majority district, and each has said she will seek the nomination. Two Republicans have also pulled petitions: Johnny Horne, who has run unsuccessfully for local and state offices in years past; and Basil Marceaux Jr., who previously ran in the old 29th District against Favors.
That’s not, by the way, the Basil Marceaux (“dot com”) you may be thinking of. The elder Marceaux is running for the state House as well, but in the 27th District, where he will challenge incumbent Rep. Richard Floyd in the GOP primary. (Trivia time: can anyone name other instances in which a parent and child were running in neighboring legislative districts in the same election?) Marceaux will be on the ballot on Super Tuesday too, as a candidate for Hamilton County Mayor.
In the new 29th, which covers eastern and northern Hamilton County, former sessions judge Mike Carter has so far drawn no opponents for the open seat. If this stays true, he will have pulled off quite a feat, given the rich swath of Republican votes it holds. The qualifying deadline is noon on April 5th.
The primary elections will be held on August 2nd.