Home | Entries [Previous |Next]
2 Comments
Daily Dose for July 24, 2006
Daily Dose
Times Free Press Releases Mason-Dixon Poll -- The Chattanooga Times Free Press released the most recent poll of the US Senate race conducted by Mason-Dixon. The poll shows Corker with a 16-point lead in the GOP primary. 39% were for Corker, 23% for Ed Bryant and 22% for Van Hilleary. 1% of respondents said they would vote for Tate Harrison and 15% were undecided. The poll of 625 likely GOP voters carries a margin of error of ±4%. Best of all you can read the whole summary report at the Times Free Press website, which has some cross-tabs for the real polling enthusiasts out there.
Bredesen Leads Governors Race -- According to polling done by Mason-Dixon of 625 likely voters for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Governor Bredesen will win reelection. Bredesen leads GOP candidate Jim Bryson 57% to 24%, with 19% undecided. The poll carries a margin of error of ±4%. In the survey, respondents gave Gov. Bredesen a 68% job approval rating while 29% rated his performance as fair or poor. Republicans and independents gave the governor an excellent or good rating of more than 60% while Democrats stood at 80%.
Judges: Vote Yes or No -- The Knoxville News-Sentinel has an AP story on 27 judicial retention questions on the ballot in the August election. With the note that voters are often unfamiliar with the judges, and as a result, the judges are almost always retained. Since voting began for all appellate judges, only one judge has been removed. Supreme Court Justice Penny White was voted out in 1996 by death-penalty advocates for her vote in a decision to overturn a death sentence.
Bredesen to Review Illegals Receiving State Help -- Governor Bredesen announced that he would conduct an audit of all state services currently being received by illegal immigrants to ensure that illegals were not placing undue strain on the system. Bredesen says the problem is “probably most acute with TennCare.” The state is obligated to prove emergency medical care for illegals, but proof of citizenship is supposed to be required for most state services, including health coverage.
Corker Emails Missing -- A request by Senate candidate Ed Bryant for all the e-mails of Bob Corker's Mayoral administration in Chattanooga has gone unfufilled because the CD containing the emails has turned up missing. The CD which city officials said has moved several times to different storage facilities cannot be located.
Term Limits for All But Judges -- A group of citizens and elected officials looking for answers to Knox County's charter woes is strongly recommending that term limits apply to all elected officials except judges, according to today's News-Sentinel. The term limits debate is still under consideration by the state Supreme Court, but the group may be able to make recommendations on a new home-rule charter for Knox County if the Supreme Court rules the previous home-rule charter was invalid.
Missives from the GOP Statesmen's Dinner -- One of the biggest GOP fundraisers was on Saturday night as Republicans gathered to honor grassroots activists at the 2006 Statesmen's Dinner. Some interesting things happened as one might expect. Here's a few of them that we heard about: (1) In a room full of political people, the bars shut down early -- several minutes before the dinner started -- and Mark Albertini's arrest in Knoxville was quite the talk. Are the two unrelated? I think not. (2) Word among grassroots Republicans was that the three Senate candidates had a gentleman's agreement before the dinner not to all host private receptions following the event - and two of the three of the GOP candidates honored that. The candidate in last place in all the most recent polling, Van Hilleary, choose to hold a doughnut reception. (3) Despite a plethora of Senate candidate stickers on party volunteers across the state, the night showed a surprising unity around GOP Gubernatorial candidate Jim Bryson. As one GOPer described it - the night belonged to Jim Bryson. (4) At least one Democrat was in attendance. Mary Parker, who is the lone Democrat seeking election in the very Republican 23rd State Senate District, was courting support among the GOP faithful, especially ones she spotted wearing Jack Johnson stickers.
Hello:
For what it's worth (and there is no cash value to this comment), a man identifying himself as Mark Albertini called me at work the other day (before the arrest) and asked me for a campaign contribution. I had met Mr. Albertini at a Hawkins County Lincoln Day dinner. I told him that I was a political reporter and added "I don't think that would be in either of our best interests." He replied "Well if you give me less than $100, I don't have to report it." I again said no. He asked me if that was my final answer. I again told him that I wasn't making a contribution. The phone call ended amicably but it was a strange conversation.
Posted by: Hank Hayes | July 24, 2006 02:03 PM