Tennessee State and Local Politics (Two GOP gov. debates upcoming)

[Oak Hills]

I've decided to start a thread for posting news about Tennessee politics. I'm going to focus on state and local stories that may be of interest. For things pertaining to congressional elections, I created this thread awhile back.

I figured this is as good a time as any, seeing as the primary is coming up Thurs, Aug. 7 (Yes, you read that right - we hold our state primary and local general elections on the first Thursday in August, for no reason I can figure out.), and a number of new state laws took effect yesterday.

Among them:
One requiring a prescription to purchase more than 28.8 grams of pseudoephedrine annually, to fight meth production;
One requiring the state Dept. of Children's Services to release information about children whose death it investigates (age, gender, history with the DCS; There had been a major scandal about the DCS with regards to information about children who died in DCS custody or while having abuse claims investigated; I will not link to a specific article because this has been ongoing for years, but this page has a decent selection of articles on the matter);
One allowing the state to execute using the electric chair if lethal injection drugs are unavailable or lethal injection is ruled unconstitutional;
One allowing package stores to sell beer among other things; the same law will allow municipalities to hold referenda on whether to allow wine sales in supermarkets, though they will not be allowed to implement this change until 2016; currently; supermarkets are allowed to sell beer, but not wine, while package stores are allowed to sell wine and other alcoholic beverages, but not beer;
And one allowing prosecution of mothers for using illicit drugs while pregnant.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

One requiring a prescription to purchase more than 28.8 grams of pseudoephedrine annually, to fight meth production;

Isn't the GOP supposed to be for "limited government"?

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The GOP war on women continues.

[Hifly]

One requiring a prescription to purchase more than 28.8 grams of pseudoephedrine annually, to fight meth production;

Isn't the GOP supposed to be for "limited government"?

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The GOP war on women continues.

Your attitude may help explain why one party wins all statewide elections in Tennessee and the other party loses all statewide elections in Tennessee.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

One requiring a prescription to purchase more than 28.8 grams of pseudoephedrine annually, to fight meth production;

Isn't the GOP supposed to be for "limited government"?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

The GOP war on women continues.

Your attitude may help explain why one party wins all statewide elections in Tennessee and the other party loses all statewide elections in Tennessee.

Phil Bredesen would like a word with you.

[TX Conservative Dem]

Tennessee Democrats get the Executive Mansion back in 2018 after Haslam is term limited.

The 2-term Dem, 2-term GOPer continues in the Volunteer State.

No Tennessee Governor has lost reelection.

[warandwar]

Tennessee Democrats get the Executive Mansion back in 2018 after Haslam is term limited.

The 2-term Dem, 2-term GOPer continues in the Volunteer State.

No Tennessee Governor has lost reelection.

Well, they had a one term limit until 1978. And have you seen the state of the Democratic party in Tennessee? They have no one even willing to run a serious campaign and are decimated in the State Legislature.

[TX Conservative Dem]

So you don't see the TN Dems ever getting the TN Executive Mansion back ever again?

[Oak Hills]

So you don't see the TN Dems ever getting the TN Executive Mansion back ever again?

They most likely will at one point, but probably not in 2018

The Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, site of the recent union vote, will be making Volkswagen's new SUV, creating 2,000 jobs. The creation of a new UAW local, in the hopes of receiving recognition for the union if enough workers sign up, had been announced last week.

Also, there an important vote on the August 7 ballot which I forgot to mention: every eight years, Tennessee Supreme Court justices have to go through a popular referendum on whether they will continue to serve on the Court for another eight years. Normally the justices are re-elected without incident, but this year, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey is leading a campaign to deny the justices their seats, basically for being appointees of Democratic governor Phil Bredesen. In Tennessee, the state Supreme Court appoints the state attorney-general, so if Ramsey's smear campaign succeeds, it will mean that a majority of justices will be Republican appointees, meaning the Republican Party will have complete control over all state offices, given their supermajorities in both houses of the General Assembly.

[TX Conservative Dem]

What odds does Ramsey's tempter tantrum have of succeeding ?

[Oak Hills]

What odds does Ramsey's tempter tantrum have of succeeding ?

Pretty high, unfortunately. A lot of people are going to be swayed by ads calling them "activist judges" or whatever.
From the article I posted earlier:

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In other news, the Haslam family's truck-stop chain has agreed to pay $92 million in fines for cheating customers out of rebates.

[Oak Hills]

Well, the primaries for Congress, governor, and General Assembly are today, as are the judicial retention elections and all county offices up for election this year.

Turnout was heavy in early voting.

A total of 564,631 early ballots were cast. 354,154 Tennesseeans voted in the Republican primaries, and 164, 918 in the Democratic. That link also gives a breakdown by county.

Anderson County Election administrator Mark Stephens was quoted in today's Oak Ridger as saying that "Clinton had about 45 people in line and Oak Ridge had about 20 still in line at noon" on Saturday, when early voting ended. (Source: http://www.oakridger.com/article/20140806/NEWS/140809929, also appeared on page 4A of the print edition under headline "Voting gets underway this morning")

I expect turnout to be quite good today, as well, I will give you a report from Roane County's Oak Hills 
precinct later this afternoon.

Polls close simultaneously across the state despite the time difference; they will close at 8PM in precincts on Eastern Time and 7PM in those using Central Time.

On a more personal note, this will be the first election I will ever vote in.

[Pandaguineapig]

why question is; who the f@*k are these Dejarlais voters?

[Oak Hills]

Turnout at my precinct was steady, but there weren't huge lines or anything like that. I voted for McKamey for Governor, Adams for Senate, and to retain the judges. All the others were either unopposed or local races not of interest to the forum.

[Adam Griffin]

Alexander
Tracy
Wamp

[IceSpear]

why question is; who the f@*k are these Dejarlais voters?

Presumably the same as the Sanford, Vitter, and Gingrich voters.

[Adam Griffin]

why question is; who the f@*k are these Dejarlais voters?

Presumably the same as the Sanford, Vitter, and Gingrich voters.

Evangelicals who truly believe DesJarlais when he said God has forgiven him.

"Who am I to judge?"

[Pandaguineapig]

why question is; who the f@*k are these Dejarlais voters?

Presumably the same as the Sanford, Vitter, and Gingrich voters.

Cheating on your wife is one thing but pressuring three women to get abortions is where I think most voters would draw the line

[Oak Hills]

Well, I'm pleased to report that justices Wade, Clark, and Lee have been retained by a nearly 60%-40% margin, as disappointed as I am that McKamey and Adams seem to have lost their races.

[Adam Griffin]

Well, I'm pleased to report that justices Wade, Clark, and Lee have been retained by a nearly 60%-40% margin, as disappointed as I am that McKamey and Adams seem to have lost their races.

Is Ball even a Democrat?

[Andrew1]

Once again Tennessee Dems have nominated the "wrong" candidate in a low information primary. Charles Brown did no campaigning, his Facebook page contains no information and misspells his first name.

[Adam Griffin]

Once again Tennessee Dems have nominated the "wrong" candidate in a low information primary. Charles Brown did no campaigning, his Facebook page contains no information and misspells his first name.

There's ample evidence from just this cycle - let alone others - to prove that the TN Dem electorate is unarguably the stupidest electorate in the nation, even when compared to Dem parties in other states with just as much and more disorganization. I can't think of a time in the past 6 years when they haven't picked the wrong candidate.

[Gass3268]

Once again Tennessee Dems have nominated the "wrong" candidate in a low information primary. Charles Brown did no campaigning, his Facebook page contains no information and misspells his first name.

There's ample evidence from just this cycle - let alone others - to prove that the TN Dem electorate is unarguably the stupidest electorate in the nation, even when compared to Dem parties in other states with just as much and more disorganization. I can't think of a time in the past 6 years when they haven't picked the wrong candidate.

My Tennessee girlfriend, who interned at the TNDP, does not disagree with you.

[Andrew1]

And the fun begins...

Democratic nominee against Tennessee governor wants to electrocute him

[Flake]

And the fun begins...

Democratic nominee against Tennessee governor wants to electrocute him

D+1

[Oak Hills]

And the fun begins...

Democratic nominee against Tennessee governor wants to electrocute him

The Tennesseean managed to get an interview with this guy.