Tag Archives: Roy Herron

Congressional race roundup, District Eight

Posted on by

Sen. Roy Herron of Dresden announced last week that he is not running for re-election. Herron, a longtime state legislator who started a 2010 run for governor and then switched to the 8th Congressional District race, which he lost to U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher, also said that he will not seek a rematch against Fincher.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has repeatedly announced that this district is one that they are “targeting,” although their more recent focus seems to be the Fourth. One reason might be the lack of a candidate in West Tennessee. The DCCC has apparently had its eye on Sen. Lowe Finney as another possibility, but Finney has so far indicated that he will not be answering the recruiting call. He chairs the upper legislative chamber’s Democratic caucus, which may play into his reluctance to run for Congress.

No other prominent Democrats are known to be looking at this race.

But lest Fincher feel too safe, he should note that he, like his fellow freshmen to the east, is statistically at his most vulnerable for a primary challenge this term. (Aside: will U.S. Rep. Diane Black also face a challenger? She may, but she’s probably not in any danger of losing her seat.)

One elected official wanting to see about changing offices is Memphis City Council member Kemp Conrad. By the way, U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad is retiring, and thus makes room for a similarly named Capitol Hill denizen—although the mailroom clerks may have a tough year or two regardless.

Jackson Baker also gives us some other names to ponder:

Others whose names have figured in speculation include former 8th District candidate and ex-Shelby County Commissioner George Flinn; former U.S. Attorney David Kustoff, who ran for Congress in the7th District in 2002; state Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris; and state Senator Brian Kelsey.

Fincher has detractors on his left and on his right, although it’s not clear that he’s regularly seen as a centrist. Will he be able to hang on to the big middle from his right-of-center perch? At this early point in the race, all signs point to “Yes.”

Herron eyes rematch with Fincher

Posted on by

The Jackson Sun asked a few people for some details about the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s choice to target Tennessee’s 8th District as a possible pick-up (or take-back, given that they only last year lost the seat).

Sen. Roy Herron (D-Dresden), who dropped out of the 2010 gubernatorial race upon former U.S. Rep. John Tanner’s retirement, won the congressional primary, but lost to U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher in the general election, confirmed verbally that he “plans to run” again in 2012, according to the report.

Another name that has been listed as a possibility is Sen. Lowe Finney (D-Jackson), who chairs his party’s Senate caucus. As Dan Turnbow indicated on Twitter, the 27th District will likely look more favorable to Republicans after redistricting.

Independent candidate James Hart is so far the only challenger to formally declare against Fincher.

Remembering Ned Ray McWherter

Posted on by

Many across the state today are mourning former Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter, who passed away at the age of 80. The current governor, Bill Haslam, issued this statement:

This is a sad day for Tennessee. Governor McWherter was a true statesman who cared about this state and its citizens. He had a long and distinguished career in the legislative and executive branches as well as in business. I will always be grateful for his personal kindness to me and the wise advice he gave me during my first months in office. Crissy’s and my thoughts and prayers go out to Mike and the entire McWherter family during this difficult time.

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey released the following:

Few men have meant as much to as many Tennesseans as Gov. Ned Ray McWherter. This state has lost a true statesman and a true original. My heart and the hearts of all Tennesseans go out to the McWherter family today.

Here’s a partial statement from Sen. Roy Herron, who is regarded by some as McWherter’s political heir. (Herron was first elected to the Legislature in the House seat held by McWherter before the latter became governor.)

Governor McWherter was our greatest governor during my lifetime, and I believe he was our greatest governor during Tennessee’s lifetime.

Governor McWherter led Tennessee to set records in the economy, job growth, education, building roads, criminal justice, healthcare, lowering taxes and debt.

While I certainly remember McWherter being in office during my first years in Tennessee, I was not a student of state government at the time. It’s too bad, because I likely could have learned a lot about the state’s politics from studying this apparent master.

Much more recently I met Mike McWherter, and the admiration he holds for his father was immediately recognizable.

My thoughts are with the McWherter family and with all Tennesseans as we celebrate the life of the departed.

More remembrances can be found at WBIR’s website.

Political phantoms

Posted on by

The Tennessee election season has entered its final weeks, and some citizens are just now getting around to paying attention. It’s a pity that they face a dearth of candidate appearances; and when they do hear from or about one, they might not be able to trust the information.

Republican House of Representatives candidate Charles Williamson, of “bison poop” fame, says he is not behind a recent round of negative robo-calls aimed against his Democratic opponent, incumbent District 51 Rep. Mike Turner. Williamson’s campaign says he “has held fast to a ‘no-mudslinging’ rule and demanded the same of his staff and volunteers. He has also promised no robotic telemarketing.”

“If voters get a call from my campaign,” Williamson says, “It will be from a real human who can answer questions and thoroughly engage in conversation. I hate robo-calls and they are not a part of this campaign plan.”

This year, voters are having a hard time hearing from candidates in another expected format. Yes, we’re talking about debates. In the Third Congressional District, Republican nominee Chuck Fleischmann is taking heat from the Democrat and from the independents for not agreeing to debate them. A second “LiberTea” debate will be held Saturday, October 16, at the Woodland Park Baptist Church site that hosted the first one. Unlike the first one, Fleischmann will not be there. Democratic candidate John Wolfe, and independents Mark DeVol and Savas Kyriakidis are expected to attend.

Voters in the Eighth Congressional District are missing out, too. Some place the blame on GOP nominee Stephen Fincher, and say he is the one avoiding his opponents in a head-to-head verbal contest. A debate that had been scheduled for today (Tuesday, October 5) at Union University in Jackson has been canceled, and is replaced with solo appearances by each candidate. At this writing, no other debates are scheduled in the district.

Gubernatorial candidate and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam agreed to three debates against his chief opponent, Jackson businessman Mike McWherter; but additional events had already been planned, or were in the works, and Haslam has no plans to attend those. The Chattanooga Young Professionals chapter is putting on its second annual “Drink and Debate” on Thursday, October 14. According to the YPAC press announcement, McWherter is scheduled to attend, along with independent candidates Bayron Binkley, Brandon Dodds, Samuel Duck, David Gatchell, June Griffin (Prohibition Party), Howard Switzer (Green Party), and Carl Whitaker. (Note: Duck and Whitaker have recently dropped out and endorsed Dodds.) Unfortunately for YPAC, their first “Drink and Debate” was similarly lacking a key candidate: Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield had a conflict, which left Rob Healy and Thomas Smith II (who’s now on the ballot for governor, by the way, but apparently not debating) to bedazzle the curious yupsters.

Not to be left out, Democratic state Rep. Jimmy Naifeh is accused of ducking debates by his opponent, Jim Hardin, who said he is “far from shocked.” “I think the last thing Mr. Naifeh wants to do is have his liberal record questioned by the voters of the 81st District. He’s gotten away with being ‘Mr. Jimmy’ in Covington, Burlison, Stanton and Brownsville when he comes home and talks a good game, but the voters are starting to see that his votes in Nashville don’t line up with their values,” Hardin continued.

Of course, conventional political wisdom says that the frontrunner avoids debates while the challenger looks to gain ground by appearing on a shared stage. But how far does that logic go? And, as in the case of the Eighth District, what if there is no clear frontrunner?

Debates are by no means the only way for voters to vet candidates. In fact, they too often devolve into streams of talking points and petty finger-pointing. But even so, it seems that if one is certain of one’s ability to serve in the office, one ought to show voters the respect of attending, if at all possible. With just weeks to go before Election Day, I urge you to stay informed, even as some of the candidates try to sidestep you.

Nancy’s boys

Posted on by

Stephen Shirley, a columnist for the Murfreesboro Daily News-Journal says that the Democratic nominee in the Sixth Congressional District race is just about as good a candidate as anyone could hope for, but has one major flaw working against him: were he to be elected, his first vote in the U.S. House of Representatives would be for Speaker Nancy Pelosi—and that is a real problem for voters in the conservative Middle Tennessee district.

It’s as if [Brett] Carter emerged from central casting for the recruitment of the ideal candidate.

But for all of the skill, abilities and compelling life stories, there is still one seemingly unshakable albatross hanging around the neck of Brett Carter — Nancy Pelosi.

In Tennessee’s 6th District, there may not be a more despised political figure than Pelosi. Just the mere mention of her name is enough to rankle the average voter. Pelosi has come to symbolize all of the worst caricatures of politicians in general and the Democrats in particular. Staunchly partisan, Pelosi has embraced the liberal moniker and has pushed the Obama administration away from the cooperative nature upon which he campaigned and toward an agenda that encompasses an expansive role of government in everything from health care to energy.

One wonders if U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis and state Sen. Roy Herron carry the same handicap in their districts (the 4th and the 8th, respectively). Davis, as popular an incumbent as one might find these days (save lame-duck Gov. Phil Bredesen) is widely seen as a conservative Democrat himself; but is his expected vote for Pelosi a wedge that Dr. Scott DesJarlais can use against him? Likewise, Herron is a well-financed, arguably moderate candidate in a traditionally Democratic district; but the promise that Stephen Fincher would vote for U.S. Rep. John Boehner instead of Pelosi may make Herron a tougher sell to the voters.

But some voters may sense that their representative’s vote for Speaker is a given, a formality; and thus concentrate more on what the candidate would do for the district.

Lastly, the marked contrast between 80 percent of Tennessee’s Democratic congressional delegation (incumbent U.S. Reps. Jim Cooper, Davis, Bart Gordon, and John Tanner) and the party’s Washington leadership says something about the party, or about its leadership, or about Tennessee. Or maybe all three.