Daily Dose for March 27, 2008

Leatherwood to Run Against Blackburn

Leatherwood to Run Against Blackburn -- The Nashville Post reported earlier in the week that GOP office-holder, Shelby County register and former state senator Tom Leatherwood will face Marsha Blackburn in the GOP primary for the 7th Congressional District. Leatherwood's talkikng points pull no punches and he says he is challenging Blackburn for two reasons - effectiveness and ethics. He regards Blackburn as ineffective on policy matters like the national deficit, and he cites her "twenty private special-interest trips" to places like Aspen, Colorado, as evidence of questionable ethics. More here.

Retirements & Races -- Here's some retirements and races shaping up:

• Former State Rep. Mark Goins has picked up a petition to run for the 36th State House seat he lost several years ago in Capbell and Union Counties. The current occupant of the seat State Rep. William Baird is retiring to run for Campbell Co. Mayor.
• Rumors in Knoxville were that Attorney General Randy Nichols was going to run as a Democrat against State Sen. Jamie Woodson. Nichols rebuffs those comments in today's MetroPulse.
• Dem. House Caucus Chair Randy Rinks says he will step down. Rinks earlier expressed interest in running against Sec. of State Riley Darnell
• Delores Gresham will leave her House seat to run for John Wilder's State Senate seat, after Wilder announced his retirement.
• Other retirements: State Rep. Frank Buck, State Rep. John Hood, State Rep. Parkey Strader, State Sen. Tommy Kilby, State Rep. Chris Crider (elected Mayor of Milan), State Rep. Doug Overby (will face State Sen. Raymond Finney in a GOP primary), State Sen. Mike Williams (rumored to bow out of a heavy-weight fight with GOP candidate Mike Faulk).

Shelby Backs Charter Amendments -- Shelby County Commissioners have approved asking Shelby Co. voters to approve two charter amendments. The first would put term limits on the offices of register, assessor, sheriff and clerk to two four-year terms. The second would add a recall provision to virtually all county officeholders. The charter changes require approval by voters in August.

Dems Kill GOP DUI Bills -- Democrats in the State House killed several bill yesterday pushed through by the GOP-lead Senate that would have strengthened DUI legislation in favor of approving their own very similarly worded bills in an effort to get political credit for passing DUI legislation. A House panel killed for the year the Republicans’ version of a bill imposing “administrative license revocation,” a measure that has broad bipartisan support and is one of if not the most consequential DUI bill being debated. Meanwhile, the Criminal Practice Subcommittee approved an “administrative license revocation” bill backed by the Bredesen administration. The two measures are basically identical - the difference being one bill was sponsored by a Republican, the other a Democrat.

State's First Storytelling Laureate -- A resolution is on track to make Longtime Hawkins County storyteller “Doc” McConnell Tennessee's first "Storytelling Laureate." McConnell has performed his “Old Medicine Show” and appeared at the 1982 World’s Fair, Country Music Hall of Fame, Minnesota State Fair, Tallahassee Museum, Milwaukee Radio Days, Tennessee Valley Fair, Jonesborough’s National Storytelling Festival and National Barbecue Festival.

ACK Back -- Adam Kleinheider of the popular Volunteer Voters blog will return to recapping state politics, this time under the banner of the Nashville Post. Kleinheider starts Monday - no word yet on whether or not the Post will require a subscription to view his blog.

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |