At least that’s what the patrons at Murfreesboro City Cafe think.  The optometrist from Murfreesboro beat out the freshman incumbent legislator in the 16th District straw poll.  From the Murfreesboro Post:

Jean Anne Rogers 60; Jim Tracy 52

The Jackson Sun published an article outlining the qualifications of the Democratic Candidates running against Lamar Alexander today, quoting them directly on their stances on issues like energy and the war in Iraq. The resounding answer, Lamar Alexander is leading Tennessee and Congress in the wrong direction.

“It’s not like I’m some kind of pacifist - I’m a Marine,” Tuke said in an interview with The Associated Press before the event. “I know to attack the enemy where the enemy is. And Iraq is not where the enemy is.”

Mike Padgett responded in kind.

“I wouldn’t vote to put another dime in the infrastructure of Iraq,” he said. “I want to rebuild the infrastructure here in the United States.”

RoaneViews of Roane County published a post today responding to some questionable math in a new poll released by the Ken Yager campaign in the 12th State Senate District. The poll has Yager ahead 35% to 21%, but RoaneViews notes that the poll also reveals that some 48% of the voters remain undecided, which means that the added percentage is over 100%. This, along with a similar poll that reveals that some 69% of Roane County voters do not favor Yager, the County Executive in that county for the past 24 years, questions the actuality of Yager’s support in his home district. This places the Democratic candidate Becky Ruppe, the Morgan County Executive since 2004, in a prime position to take the seat opened by Tommy Kilby (D-Wartburg).

“Ken Yager has a serious problem in that the people who know him best are very lukewarm about him and are serious about looking for another candidate. At this point, they don’t know Becky Ruppe well enough to go her way, but the situation strongly indicates she has a clear path to winning the State Senate race.”

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Or at least that is what the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate are saying. The Memphis Commercial Appeal released an article today discussing how Bob Tuke, Mike Padgett, and Kenneth Eaton are not giving up the possibility of upsetting Lamar Alexander in this year’s U.S. Senate race.

“Nevertheless, two of the likely front-runners — former state Democratic Party chairman Bob Tuke and former Knox County clerk Mike Padgett — have been making the rounds across Tennessee.

 

Both have detailed, carefully thought-out campaign platforms. And both speak confidently of their ability to pull off a November surprise.

 

For that matter, so does Nashville businessman Kenneth Eaton, probably the third leading contender in the race.”

Today, Senator Lamar Alexander’s public support for the Republican Party line dismisses some renewable, safe, and clean forms of alternative energy, said Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser.

The Wall Street Journal noted the senator’s previously voal and long-standing opposition to wind energy in 2005 when some suspected the senator would not run for re-election. [The Wall Street Journal, “Senator is running against the wind,” by Johh Fialka. June 21, 2005]  

“As Senator Alexander campaigns here in Tennessee, he is not touting his opposition to wind energy,” Sasser continued.

“Alexander has said on the floor of Senate that wind energy would ‘destroy the American landscape.’ [Remarks by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on the floor of the United States Senate, May 13, 2005] 

“I wonder if he has been opening those emails from constituents burdened by the rising cost of gas, or if he only consults with his neighbors in Nantucket when it comes to exploring carbon-neutral options.

“Maybe Senator Alexander is just worried that windmills will disrupt the view from his future retirment home in Massachusetts.  It seems clear that campaigning on a platform that opposes clean, renewable energy is one way to hasten that retirement,” concluded Sasser.

In a letter to the editor of the Jackson Sun Governor Phil Bredesen and the head of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Matt Kisber, received praise for their work to bring the $1 billion dollar and 2,000 plus Volkswagen investment to Chattanooga.

The announcement by Germany’s Volkswagen to build a new state-of-the-art automobile plant in Chattanooga is a crowning achievement for Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen and the entire state of Tennessee. Our own Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber was deeply involved and instrumental in securing this almost $1 billion investment that will provide approximately 2,000 high-wage and benefit jobs to that area.

 

Not only will Chattanooga and Hamilton County benefit directly, but the surrounding counties will likely see satellite plants build in the area to support Volkswagen. All in all, this is a win-win for the administration in and the citizens of Tennessee.

 

Congratulations of the highest order are due to the governor and Kisber

The Associated Press released an article today explaining how a 30% increase in voter turnout for Obama in the black community could swing the South, including Tennessee, into the blue column. The article cites the fact that Georgia was won by only 216,000 votes, and with the 30% increase Obama  would take the state by 84,000 votes. A possible sweep for Obama in the South would be the first time the South has gone completely blue since 1964, and by all means looks possible.

“I can tell you that North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama will be in play,” asserts North Carolina Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield, an Obama adviser. “We’re looking strongly at Tennessee and Mississippi.”

A sweep of the South also eliminates the importance of outcomes in other states considered to be “up in the air”.

If Obama reached his goal of a 30 percent increase and brought all those new black voters into his fold, he could also win in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia and Florida. Wins in the six states would give him 81 new electoral votes — enough to beat Arizona Sen. John McCain even if the Republican won almost every other toss-up state in the nation, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Ohio.

Earlier this morning the Daily News Journal highlights Jerome Perkins and Rishi K. Saxena, the two Democratic challengers to Donna Rowland in the 34th House District race, explaining the issues they stand for and the beliefs they hold true.

The pair are campaigning for the chance to face Republican incumbent Rep. Donna Rowland, who is unopposed, in the November general election to represent the 34th district.

And both cited affordable health care as a top concern.

Perkins, an engineer at a company in Franklin and resident of Murfreesboro since 2003, said he is supportive of a bill that would allow small businesses to spread the risk so that they may be able to provide health care for their employees.

And of Rowland:

Rowland did not return phone calls for this story, but her website touts her efforts in office since 2000 “as a fiscal and socially conservative Republican.”

Senator Lamar Alexander today encouraged Tennesseans to “use less” energy, but he has time and again blocked initiatives aimed at weaning us off of foreign oil, said Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser.

“According to the non-partisan group website OpenSecrets.org, it looks like the oil companies are receiving a good return on their $364,675 investment in Sen. Alexander.  The only leadership Sen. Alexander has exhibited in this current energy crisis is to provide political cover for the industries that have made record profits at the pumps,” Sasser continued.

“For six years, Sen. Alexander has opposed wind energy and alternative energy methods knowing full well that such investments are the future of American innovation and energy research.  

“At this point, Sen. Alexander is lacking on the supply-side of political backbone that Tennesseans are demanding at the pump.  In this election season, Senator Alexander seems to be sailing into the wind on alternative energy,” Sasser concluded.

Record oil profits precede 2008 oil price surge

• “Exxon Mobil Profit Sets Record Again,” The New York Times.  1 Feb. 2008. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/business/01cnd-exxon.html?em&ex=1202101200&en=575e77c5fd8688b0&ei=5087%0A)

• “Chevron Posts Record $18.7 Billion Profit,” San Francisco Chronicle.  2 Feb. 2008.  (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/02/BU6AUQMT9.DTL)

• “Oil Giants BP, Shell Report Rising Profits,” Associated Press.  29 Apr. 2008.(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24366609/)  

Senator Lamar Alexander’s record on alternative energy in the 110th Congress

• Senator Alexander votes against a motion to invoke cloture on H.R. 6 (Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007) prior to voting for it. Roll call nos. 425 and 430.

• Alexander sponsors Senate Amendment 3553 to limit tax credits for small wind energy property expenditures in connection with farms and small rural businesses.  The amendment is rejected 79-14-7. Roll call no. 421.

• Alexander votes against the H.R. 6049 (Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008).  Roll call no. 344.

Bill Jones, a Democrat born in Kingsport, TN, was highlighted by Tricities.com yesterday as a potential threat to Republican Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey in Tennessee’s 1st District State Senate race. Jones, both an Army and Air Force veteran, worked for the U.S. Department of Defense for 33 years auditing multi-million dollar contracts.

“Big numbers and big budgets don’t bother me because I’m used to that,” Jones said, adding his accounting experience will be useful when crafting the state’s budget each year.

Jones also cited his own life expereinces in Kingsport, which included working with his brother at the coin-operated laundromat to support their single mother, as one factor that sets him above his opponent.

“I’ve lived that,” he said. “I know what it is like to wonder, ‘can I get to work tomorrow, because I’m out of gas?’ ”

 

Jones said Ramsey is out of touch with his constituents and unwilling to listen to their concerns. He said he’s met a number of people on the campaign trail who have had similar complaints and want a change.

 

“Things can’t go on the way they are,” Jones said, adding he has no political ambitions other than doing his best to help 1st District residents. “We need a change. We need a change for the better.”