Tag Archives: Robin Smith

Talkin’ ’bout his generation

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As has been expected for several months, Weston Wamp confirmed over the weekend that he is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 3rd District in 2012.

This means Wamp will face freshman incumbent U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in the Republican primary next August, in a bid to serve in the seat his father, Zach Wamp, held until January of this year.

In addition to cashing in on his significant name recognition, Wamp is starting out of the gate by appealing to citizens of his age group, as a video posted to his campaign website and YouTube account reveals.

One other Republican candidate, Jean Howard-Hill, has announced a campaign to win this primary election, while at least two others are said to be considering a run. These include Robin Smith, former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party, who finished in second place in the 2010 primary; and Tres Wittum, former state chair of the Tennessee College Republicans.

To date, no Democrats, independents, or third party candidates have announced an intent to run.

As just a passing note of semi-related interest: Chris Carroll, who wrote the Times Free Press article linked above, is the son of Chattanooga media veteran David Carroll, currently an anchor at WRCB. Fathers passing “the mantle” to their sons is a time-honored tradition. In Wamp’s case, it will be up to the voters to decide if it holds true.

A TN-03 taxonomy

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My, how time flies. Two years ago this month, a new blog was added to Chattarati.com called, simply enough, the “TN03 Election Blog.” Its solitary purpose: to track the candidates and issues in the election of a new U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s Third District, which former Congressman Zach Wamp resigned in order to run for governor.

But really, not that much time has passed. Only one year ago this month, on August 5th, the corner of 7th and Market Streets in Chattanooga exploded with celebration as Chuck Fleischmann squeaked past a double handful of other Republican candidates to win the primary, while just down the street at the Sports Barn, hope turned to anxiety to stinging dejection as the Robin Smith campaign team watched the returns come in.

Make no mistake: that night, revenge was sworn. Specifics were likely not determined, nor even a general plan per se; but the seed was planted. Smith had given the local party twenty years of sweat equity, and, it would seem, some felt that this congressional seat was to have been her dividend.
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Winslow v. Saltsman update

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This is a follow-up post to the story that broke this morning wherein Robin Smith’s former communications director Mark Winslow filed suit against U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s chief campaign consultant, Chip Saltsman.

Chattanooga TV station WRCB posted a story on its website containing a few more details, and later uploaded the complaint. The suit seeks $750,000 in damages for “defamation and tortious interference with a contractual relationship.” It alleges that Saltsman somehow acquired a confidential employment agreement that had been stored in Tennessee Republican Party chair Chris Devaney’s office, and that Saltsman then distributed that document to the media.

Winslow suing Saltsman

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Fallout from the bitter Third District GOP primary continues as Mark Winslow, a top campaign aide to Robin Smith, has filed a lawsuit against Chip Saltsman, who was a key campaign adviser to U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and now works as the congressman’s chief of staff.

According to a copy of the summons, W. Gary Blackburn, John Ray Clemmons, and J. Michael Clemons of Chaffin, Burnsed & Blackburn, along with Raymond Throckmorton, have filed on behalf of Winslow in Davidson County Circuit Court.

Details of the civil action are not yet known.

The Fleischmann campaign had accused Smith of mishandling Tennessee Republican Party funds while she was chair, including what were said to be inappropriate payments to Winslow, who was Smith’s chief of staff before she resigned to run for office.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.