Blogging for Bryant

Corker vs. Ford

2006-08-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Republican primary for U.S. Senate will likely go down as one of the longest, costliest and most contentious in Tennessee history. Never before has the Republican party fielded such a strong group of candidates for statewide office. By the end of 2004, former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker had already raised $2 million towards his U.S. Senate bid. By election day he had spent over $8 million.

Corker's superior fundraising and ability to self-finance, coupled with former congressman Van Hilleary's presence in the race, made Ed Bryant's run for the GOP nomination an uphill battle throughout. Because of Corker's early fundraising advantage, Bryant and Hilleary took aim at Corker's moderate record through press releases and websites to drive up his negatives, even though all the polls showed Corker was only in single digits. However, Corker was able to begin airing television ads statewide by the end of April. These ads went unchallenged until July. During that time, Corker built up positive name recognition and with it his poll numbers rose. By the time Bryant and Hilleary went on the air, Corker had established himself as the frontrunner in the race.

Adding to Bryant's troubles was the fact that half the Republican party's conservative grassroots base was backing Hilleary in the primary. Not only did Hilleary's presence in the race potentially take away reliable votes, his presence also cut Bryant's fundraising ability in half. With limited funds, Bryant wasn't able to spend as much money as Corker on positive message ads.

Throughout the final two weeks of the primary, all three GOP candidates ran negative attack ads, some more accurate than others. Corker wisely lumped Bryant and Hilleary together, labeling the conservative former congressmen as career politicians. Meanwhile, Bryant's ads hammered away at Corker's record on taxes, illegal immigration and abortion. The political rhetoric was heated on all sides.

As we got closer to the August 3rd primary election, Bryant's campaign began gaining momentum, but unfortunately, the support he gained came from voters who had been previously committed to Hilleary, while Corker's support held firm. In the end, Corker finished with 48% of the vote, Bryant with 34% and Hilleary with 17%.

Many conservatives who backed Bryant or Hilleary are disillusioned and angry about the primary results. They rightly see Bob Corker as a candidate hand-picked and financed by the GOP establishment's powerbrokers, who only won a plurality of the vote because he outspent his opponents by more than $6 million each.

There's serious talk among some conservatives about either sitting this election out or even voting for Harold Ford, Jr. The theory behind backing Ford is that it would send a message to the GOP establishment that conservatives are tired of the party's money men trying to clear the field for moderates in statewide races. Some believe six years of Ford would be preferable to electing Corker because in 2012 Republicans could challenge with a movement conservative, whereas if Corker is elected Republicans would potentially be stuck with another GOP moderate who could probably hold the seat for life.

As everyone knows, Bob Corker wasn't my first choice in the Republican primary. I count myself as one of those who was very, very upset after Ed Bryant conceded last Thursday night. Anyone who invests themselves personally in a campaign that loses knows the feeling. That feeling is even worse when the candidate is of such high personal integrity and so deserving of the office he sought. I had the same feeling after Lamar Alexander defeated Ed Bryant in the 2002 Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Alexander wisely reached out to Ed Bryant and his supporters after the primary though. With time, wounds from the primary healed and I proudly cast my vote for Lamar Alexander.

While I haven't agreed with everything Lamar Alexander has done as a U.S. Senator, on many issues he's been reliably conservative. Like Alexander in 2002, Bob Corker has campaigned as a conservative and put forth a conservative agenda, despite having a more moderate record on issues like taxes and abortion. My hope is that as the Republican nominee, Corker will continue to campaign on those same conservative ideas that got him here.

Harold Ford, Jr. will also campaign as a conservative this Fall. He will attempt to get to the right of Corker on some issues. In 2002, we saw what can happen when a Democrat runs as a conservative and Tennessee Republicans aren't united. It can be disastrous.

While I was one of Corker's harshest critics in the primary, he had moments where he impressed me. Corker came out in opposition of the wasteful "Bridge to Nowhere" and he called out Harold Ford, Jr. for demagoging the Dubai ports deal. I certainly don't expect Bob Corker to be the next Tom Coburn in the U.S. Senate, but I will settle for another Lamar Alexander.

A Senator Bob Corker would have voted to confirm Judge Sam Alito to the Supreme Court, a Senator Harold Ford, Jr. would have opposed him. A Senator Corker will support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent, Ford is already on record in opposition. Bob Corker is much, much more likely to stand with conservatives in the U.S. Senate than Harold Ford, Jr. As a U.S. Senator, the very first vote Harold Ford, Jr. will cast would be for liberal Democrat, Harry Reid as Majority Leader. That's unacceptable.

While, I share concerns about the GOP establishment's refusal to back movement conservatives for statewide office in Tennessee, after some post-election night reflection, I've come to the conclusion that sitting this race out or voting for Harold Ford, Jr. is not the solution for Tennessee conservatives. Ford is a formidable candidate and will have the complete financial backing of Hollywood and the national liberal establishment. Ford can win this race, and if Democrats are successful in nationalizing the midterm elections, Tennessee could be the difference between a Republican or Democrat controlled U.S. Senate next year. That's too big of a risk just to prove a point.

In a way, the fact that Corker has run his campaign for U.S. Senate as a conservative is a victory for Tennessee's conservative movement. There is a realization among the GOP establishment that conservative ideas are winning ideas in Tennessee. I truly hope Bob Corker is sincere in his conservative convictions.

Because of the importance of this race, and my belief that a Senator Bob Corker would be far superior to a Senator Harold Ford, Jr., I will be casting my vote for Bob Corker in November. My message to my fellow conservatives is to take some time, think about what unites us and not what divides us, and then vote your conscience on election day.

My message to the Corker campaign is to reach out to Bryant and Hilleary supporters. There are a lot of hard feelings out there. Make that extra effort now and I predict the Tennessee Republican party will be united and Bob Corker will be our next U.S. Senator.

Bryant's Concession Speech

2006-08-05T21:49:00.000-05:00

This speech exemplifies why I have so much respect for Ed Bryant . . .

Thank you. Thank you. It's so good to be with you tonight. Thank you for being here.

All throughout this campaign I've said that "Our strength as a nation comes not just from having the strongest military or the biggest economy, but that our strength comes from the goodness of our people."

Tonight, I see that goodness all around me.

For the past 20 months, as my wife Cyndi and I have traveled across Tennessee from Bartlett to Bristol, I've been blessed to see this with my own eyes.

I'm proud to call Tennessee home. This is the home of my 99 year old mother, it's the place Cyndi and I raised our three sons, and it's the future I want to pass on to my two grandchildren.

Tonight, Cyndi is here with me. I want to thank her for standing beside me not just through every day of this campaign, but every day for the past 34 years. Thank you, Cyndi.

And with us are two of our sons, Josh and Drew and Drew's wife Kitty. Thank you.

But tonight really belongs to all of you. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for me. To my county chairmen . . . my supporters . . . my staff . . . the groups who have endorsed me . . . to the thousands of volunteers across Tennessee who've work long hours: You have carried this campaign with your support, your prayers, your hearts, and your votes. And together we've gone farther than anyone else ever said we would.

Thank you for standing up for me because our future depends on good men and good women who are willing to stand up for what they believe.

Too many of America's problems are created in Washington because good men and women lack the will to do what they know is right.

We need to change that. We ALL must work together to change that.

Tonight, we've come to the end of what has surely been Tennessee's longest campaign, and I want to congratulate Bob Corker on his victory. It has been a spirited campaign, but we needed that to make sure our Republican nominee is ready.

Throughout this long campaign, there was one point that Bob Corker and I ALWAYS agreed on – Tennessee can't afford to have Harold Ford Junior become our next U.S. Senator because his liberal record is out-of-step with Tennessee's values.

That's not the type of Senator we need.

Our families deserve better.

And it is time that we all come back together as Republicans, as Tennesseans, and as Americans and chart the right course for our country.

Our work begins here. It begins tonight. And it continues long past the November election.

If you believe that Tennesseans deserve a U.S. Senator who understands that our strength as a nation comes not just from having the strongest military or the biggest economy, . . . but that our strength comes from the goodness of our people, . . . our faith in God . . . and in the liberties He has blessed us with and which our forefathers wisely protected in the Constitution, then let's make sure that we elect that person this November.

Bob Corker is going to need our help. And if there is one thing you have proven with your hard work, it is that there is no substitute for the dedication that each of you has shown.

Right now here in Nashville Harold Ford Junior is meeting with Bill Clinton, and they're not talking about the good old days. They're plotting how to take over the United States Senate, and step one is letting Harold Ford Junior take Bill Frist's desk and set it beside Senator Hillary Clinton so he'll know how to vote.

Bob Corker is going to need our help.

I suspect that in a few minutes, he's going to ask for it. But I'm going to ask you first. We owe it to Tennessee and to the nation to work together.

Please join me in congratulating Bob Corker tonight on his victory.

We ran a good campaign. I am proud of you, and I cannot thank you enough. But the results are in.

Before Cyndi and I decided to run last year, we prayed. We felt called to this endeavor, and tonight I believe I know why.

Every day has been conducted with purpose. Every day has made me a better person. Every trial has brought me closer to Cyndi and to my family, and every relationship I have has been strengthened.

And that includes my relationship to you. It is a blessing I have been given, and it doesn't end tonight.

Tomorrow is a new day, and we all have work to do to elect our next U.S. Senator and to elect Jim Bryson our next governor.

Thank you, thank you for everything, and may God bless us all.

--NW

Bryant: I'm finished with major races

2006-08-05T10:48:00.000-05:00

NASHVILLE - Ed Bryant said goodbye to center-stage politics Thursday night - but didn't leave without saying thank you. Over and over and over.

For a full two hours after he conceded the Republican U.S. Senate nomination to Bob Corker, Bryant and his wife, Cyndi, stood at the entrance to the ballroom at the DoubleTree Hotel and thanked everyone who came through the entrance. Then they dashed down to a conference room for a tearful session with staff.

Never mind he'd already finished his second lap of the state since Sunday, with an all-day dash from Tri-Cities to the Nashville suburbs, getting to the hotel in time to shower before showtime. Never mind that, for the second time in four years, a late entry into the GOP Senate race left him chasing in second place. Never mind that, at 57, he was ready to call it a career as a candidate.

"I'm ready for a normal life. No more statewide races. No more runs," the Jackson native said.

"We've got a two-deep bench of Republicans ready to go ... and I've had my two shots."
Ask him about next year's Memphis mayor's race. Or maybe a try at his old House seat should rising party star Marsha Blackburn take a swing at an open governor's race in 2010. Thanks, but ...

"Since I started working in politics in 1984 with Victor Ashe's campaign (for Senate), my life has not been normal. It's time to get normal, and that's what I plan to do."

Though he hasn't talked much to his bosses at Waldrop & Hall law firm, "my thoughts would be going back there."

Bryant said he will aid the campaigns of Corker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Bryson, "though I'm trying to re-start my life right now. Cyndi and I just want to kind of stabilize our lives."

He talked warmly about the Generation Joshua kids, the ones who home-school, who came out this week, "put door tags on 75,000 homes and reached more in the evening by phone."

Then there was his encounter with "Rolling Thunder," a group of motorcycle-riding veterans who still fight for us to find out what happened to POWs and MIAs, and fight for veterans rights. "They came out in support of us, and they show some of the breadth and depth of our campaign."

But in the end, Bryant said, "Bob had the lead from the get-go, and we didn't have the votes to catch up."

So he gracefully hung it up, and hung around to say goodbye to his friends.

"We'll stay active in politics. We're still interested in good government and the future of our grandchildren," Bryant said. "We just won't do it as a candidate."

Source: The Jackson Sun

A True Statesman....

2006-08-04T16:34:00.000-05:00

Photos courtesy The Tennessean.

JB

Reflections on the TN GOP primary

2006-08-04T12:51:00.000-05:00

I was surprised to read this by Trent Seibert in today's Tennessean regarding the upcoming general election:

The [GOP and Dems] are gearing up for fall election battles that some say will turn ugly in some cases, maybe as ugly as the Republican primary battle for U.S. Senate.

Uh, you better believe that many "fall election battles" will resemble the Republican primary battle. But that's nothing to fret or handwring about.

Though Republicans "all look the same" to those in the so-called MSM (smearing is simpler if you keep your caricatures simple), there were clear distinctions between Bob Corker and Ed Bryant (and Van Hilleary, for that matter). I don't want to get too philosophical here, but Liberalism and Conservatism are notably different in their appeal . . . it's a lot easier to sell the Big L if you don't deal in realities, and "realities" are often distasteful, and pointing them out is, yes, sometimes "negative." Frankly, I believe we need fewer JFKs and more people like Phil Gramm in elected office.

Sorry if we Republicans are partial to elections and don't tend to pick our candidates in a corner office somewhere.
--NW

Update: Over at RealClearPolitics.com they similarly contrast Liberalism and Conservatism. Key quote:

[Author Andrew] Busch argues, correctly I believe, that coherent argument is much more important to the GOP than to the Democrats. They want to give away free stuff; that's easy to understand. We want to take away free stuff, lower taxes, and strengthen the economy and civil society; and that takes a lot more explaining. Without coherent argument or any sense of conservative first principles, Bush has repeatedly given away the store in the name of compassionate conservatism: with the worthless No Child Left Behind law, with the extravagant Medicare prescription-drug bill, etc., etc.

The Worthiness Of The Cause Is No Guarantee Of It's Ultimate Triumph....

2006-08-04T08:08:00.000-05:00

A sincere thanks to everyone who played a role in and worked so hard on Ed's campaign. It was a worthy cause.

JB

Ed Bryant Has Conceded

2006-08-03T23:02:00.000-05:00

The tally as of Bryant's concession speech:

U.S. Senate Republican
71% of 2432 Precincts Reporting
Bob Corker 174,909 48%
Ed Bryant 126,747 35%
Van Hilleary 56,666 16%
Tate Harrison 3,682 1%

-MW

Late Afternoon Roundup....

2006-08-03T16:01:00.000-05:00

4:00 PM (CST) - Turnout across the state appears to be light today according to Adam Groves at the Tennessee Politics Blog. However, the Commercial Appeal is reporting some long lines in Shelby County:

County Republican Party chairman Bill Giannini, however, said he waited an hour and a half to vote in Lakeland. Lines were growing even larger at 10 a.m., he said.

"Even in a presidential election I haven’t seen turnout like that,’’ Giannini said.

Polls close at 8:00 PM in the East and at 7:00 PM in the Middle and West. If you haven't voted for Ed Bryant yet, there's still time and likely won't be a line.

JB

The Official Ed Bryant for U.S. Senate Victory Party

2006-08-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

Join us at 7:30 PM (CST), at the Doubletree Hotel, 315 4th Ave N., in downtown Nashville. (map)

If you can't make it to the victory party WKRN News 2 will have up to the minute streaming election coverage online. The webcast will be hosted by News 2 anchor Bob Mueller and political analyst Steve Gill.

Grassroots Stats

2006-08-03T11:03:00.000-05:00

The Bryant Brigade's grassroots volunteers have worked tirelessly throughout this campaign to ensure that Ed Bryant is our Republican nominee. Here's some stats:

15,000 personalized postcards....

15,000 yard signs....

80,000 personal calls by volunteers....

125,000 doors knocked on....

Source: Knox News Sentinel 8/3

Tonight all the hard work will pay off. Join Ed, Cyndi and the Bryant Brigade at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Nashville for the Election Night Victory Party. The party starts at 7:30 PM (CST) and everyone is welcome. Hope to see you there!

JB

Bryant and Corker: A Stark Difference....

2006-08-03T07:34:00.000-05:00

I think these two photographs speak for themselves. Both were taken yesterday in Knoxville on the eve of today's Republican primary election. While Ed Bryant is out campaigning and meeting voters, Bob Corker is holding another high dollar fundraiser courtesy of the Haslam political machine. See Georgiana Vines column in the Knox News Sentinel 8/3.

Bryant was joined in Knoxville Wednesday by East Tennessee members of Rolling Thunder, a national organization of Vietnam veterans dedicated to raising awareness about America's remaining POW-MIA soldiers. Corker was joined by a "who's who" of Knoxville's wealthy business leaders.

When you go to the polls today, vote for the Republican who's going to best represent you, not the highest bidder.

JB

Corker's support in W. Tenn.

2006-08-03T00:29:00.000-05:00

I have been shuttling excited young people doing D2D in Shelby Co. all week (see you tomorrow night, honey), and support for Ed among GOP supervoters is 10:1. If Corker gets any votes here it will be because I holla "vote for Corker" as cover every time I do a sudden U-turn or other crazy maneuver in traffic . . .
--NW

Choose Wisely

2006-08-03T00:05:00.000-05:00

AlphaPatriot on today's Republican primary for U.S. Senate:

At this point, Van is out. A vote for Van is a vote for Corker who, incidentally polls the worst against Ford.

Ed's Big Mo'

2006-08-03T00:02:00.000-05:00

Frank Cagle believes the Corker campaign has stalled, while Ed Bryant is breaking out:
I predicted earlier that Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary would not split the conservative vote evenly, but one of them would break out near election time. I thought it might be Hilleary, given his higher name recognition at the start of the race.

State Rep. Chris Clem, the sage of Chattanooga, agreed with my analysis but said Bryant would be the candidate to break out. He argued that Hilleary’s name recognition would evaporate once Corker’s television advertising kicked in and Bryant’s supporters would “stick.” If recent polls are to be believed, Clem may be right.
JB

Enduring Faith, Personal Integrity, Conservative Values

2006-08-02T12:13:00.000-05:00

After 18 months and over 1200 posts the August 3rd Republican primary election is finally upon us. As some may know, after graduating from Union University, I spent almost three years working on Ed Bryant's congressional staff in Washington, DC. This opportunity gave me a unique perspective on Ed Bryant's character and convictions, and is the reason why I blog on his behalf today.

In Washington, I observed firsthand Ed's enduring faith in God and his commitment to His word. Each Tuesday when the House was in session, rather than attend fundraisers or receptions hosted by lobbyists, Ed faithfully met with a small bipartisan group of congressmen for fellowship, prayer and Bible study. I've never witnessed Ed lose his temper, use profanity or take a drink of alcohol. Ed is the same humble gentleman behind closed doors in Washington's corridors of power that you'd meet on the campaign trail in Tennessee.

Ed's personal integrity has earned him the respect of his colleagues and endorsements from conservative U.S. Senators like Tom Coburn, Sam Brownback and John Ensign. As Dick Armey has said, "Ed's a workhorse, not a showhorse." While others jumped for the spotlight, Ed toiled on subcommittees, impacting major pieces of legislation behind the scenes. On the Judiciary Committee, Ed had a hand in crafting legislation to protect the unborn and secure our borders. As Craig Nelsen, executive director of Friends of Law Enforcement has said, "Long before it was fashionable, Ed Bryant was voting for good immigration legislation - legislation that benefited no one except the American people."

In 1998, Ed was rewarded for his hard work on the Judiciary Committee with an assignment to the highly sought after Energy & Commerce Committee, where he further impacted legislation on a broad range of issues from energy to healthcare. I witnessed Ed work meticulously with no fanfare crafting compromise legislation to ensure TVA power rates didn't go up for Tennessee consumers.

Ed's legal expertise and background as an Army JAG officer and constitutional scholar were a valuable asset to Congress. Ed was appointed to serve as one of the lead prosecutors in the impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton. After 9/11, the Speaker of the House requested that Ed Bryant come back to the Judiciary Committee to assist in writing the anti-terrorism laws that protect us today.

Tennessee has always come first for Ed too. I've observed Ed turn down invitations to the White House and highly sought after cable news interviews in order to catch an earlier flight back to Tennessee. Whether it was a commitment to his constituents or a desire to spend more time with his wife and grandchildren, Ed has never been a creature of Washington or a regular on the cocktail circuit.

Ed's conservative values are unwavering. Throughout his eight years in Congress he showed a commitment to smaller government, free market principles and traditional values. Ed was part of a team that balanced the federal budget for the first time in a generation, reformed welfare as we know it and cut taxes across the board.

On social issues, Ed was uncompromising in his opposition to abortion. In fact, I recall the last vote Ed ever took as a Member of Congress. While on the Judiciary Committee, bankruptcy reform had always been a pet issue of Ed's because of his desire to encourage personal responsibility and restore integrity to the bankruptcy process.

The bankruptcy reform legislation Ed had worked so hard on in the past was up for final passage, but in the conference committee, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had attached language to the bill to prevent pro-life activists from using bankruptcy protection to guard their personal assets from court-ordered fines or judgments they may incur through protests outside abortion clinics. Because it was a lameduck session after the election, the House leadership put the bankruptcy reform bill, including the Schumer amendment, on the floor for a vote, the last vote of that Congress.

When Ed learned the House leadership had called for a vote on the bankruptcy reform bill with the Schumer language, he made the decision to oppose the legislation he had helped craft because of his commitment to the pro-life cause. Once word got out that Ed was opposing the bankruptcy reform bill, lobbyists from the banking industry immediately began trying to get access to Ed to try and sway him, but he stuck firm to his principles and joined with other pro-life congressmen to defeat the pro-abortion bankruptcy bill. The bankruptcy reform bill, a perfectly good piece of legislation, did eventually pass last year, minus the Schumer amendment.

That's just one of many examples I could cite of Ed Bryant standing firm and holding true to his conservative principles. It's the same kind of leadership Ed will display in the U.S. Senate if elected. Throughout his career, Ed Bryant has displayed an enduring faith in God, the highest personal integrity and a commitment to conservative values. Ed Bryant isn't just another politician, he's truly a statesman.

On the eve of the Republican primary election, all the signs are looking strong for a Bryant victory. Polls have shown Ed's campaign trending upward and the pattern of early voting across the state favors Ed. If you remain undecided, I sincerely ask that you cast your vote for Ed Bryant for U.S. Senate in tomorrow's Republican primary election. A vote for Ed Bryant is a vote you can always be proud of. Ed won't let Tennessee down and will always keep his word.

JB

Ed Bryant Rally in Nashville TODAY

2006-08-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

Come out and show your support for Ed Bryant's U.S. Senate campaign at 11:30 AM at Radnor Lake State Park in Nashville. (map)

Bryant Confident in Final 72 Hours

2006-08-02T07:17:00.000-05:00

Ed Bryant has been barnstorming across Tennessee this week on his "Countdown to Victory" tour, while grassroots supporters work tirelessly to turn out voters in the final 72 hours before the Republican primary election. Richard Locker reports in the Commercial Appeal 8/2 on Bryant's get out the vote efforts:
Bryant's is a highly organized network of home-school families and anti-abortion activists working in a 72-hour project to hang placards proclaiming Bryant as "The Real Conservative" on the doors of at least 75,000 homes.

Hall, of nearby Goodlettsville, said her family is part of a national program called "Generation Joshua" that she said has been active in campaigns across the country. "We lose very few races," she said.

Bryant said hundreds of the group's 11- to 19-year-olds and their parents from out of state are in Tennessee this week working on his behalf. Its Web site says "Generation Joshua is designed for Christian youth who want to become a force in the civic and political arenas" and whose goal is "to ignite a vision in young people to help America return to her Judeo-Christian foundations."
Hall, 37, said she and other home-schoolers she knows are working for Bryant because "he's the candidate that represents what's passionate for our families, which is right to life and fiscal conservatism."

After starting the day out in Hendersonville, Bryant made a mid-morning stop at the Montgomery County Republican Party HQ in Clarksville where he was greeted by supporters he represented in Congress. The Leaf Chronicle 8/2 reports:
Worth Lovett, a local attorney and retired civil service worker, said he appreciated Bryant's support of Fort Campbell and its employees.

"Without this man," Lovett shouted while shaking Bryant's hand. "(Kentucky) would still be taxing (Tennessee) people at Fort Campbell."

Next Bryant made a final appeal to hometown supporters in Jackson to get out the vote. The Jackson Sun 8/2 reports:
A few feet away in the Madison County GOP Headquarters was Ann Smith,
of Stantonville, whose family is a get-out-the-vote campaign by itself.

Smith was there with nine of her 10 home-schooled children, who range in age from 30 to 13. All were in contrasting red, white and blue outfits, and wearing matching Bryant stickers on their chests.

Ann Smith said she's been in Bryant's corner since he was in Congress.

"He's a Christian, he's a conservative and you know what he'll stand for and do," she said.

Bryant was also flanked by some local elected leaders in Jackson:
State Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, R-Jackson, who is unopposed in his re-election bid, said, "This is the guy we need in Washington. Let's work to get him there."

Eldridge noted the fact that Corker loaned his campaign an additional $400,000 last week for more TV, bringing his loan total to $2.1 million.

"That tells me he's running scared," Eldridge said.

Finally, Mick Wright has some video footage of Bryant's last campaign stop in Memphis on Tuesday evening. There are numerous campaign stops across the state today on the "Countdown to Victory" tour, culiminating in a rally this evening at the Ed Bryant for U.S. Senate HQ in Knoxville. The Bryant rally begins at 5:00 PM, get more details here.

JB

Factcheck.org Calls Corker Tax Claims "One-sided and Misleading"

2006-08-02T00:29:00.000-05:00

The Annenberg Political Fact Check has questioned the truthfulness of another of Bob Corker's negative political ads. Annenberg says Corker's latest negative ad misleads by falsely implying that he lowered taxes in Chattanooga when he was mayor. According to Annenberg, real-estate tax levies rose by nearly one third during Corker's four-year tenure.

Throughout the U.S. Senate campaign, Corker has made the misleading claim that because he controlled spending, now property tax rates are the lowest since the 1950's. However, as Annenberg makes clear, that does not mean taxes went down:
They rose at more than triple the rate of inflation, pushed up by rising property values and a big tax-rate increase in Corker's first year. Far from being the "lowest since the 1950's," as one might easily assume from Corker's ad, Chattanooga's property tax bills rose nearly 32.5 per cent during Corker's tenure, according to a table on page 108 of the city's 2005 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. In the fiscal year that was nearing an end as Corker took office in April 2001, the city levied $63 million in real-estate taxes, but four years later as he was leaving office it levied $83.5 million. During that same same period the Consumer Price Index was rising only 9.1 per cent.
Furthermore, the tax rate didn't drop to its current level until after Corker left office. During his tenure it was $2.516 per $100 of assessed valuation, higher than in any of the previous four years. The reason that the tax rate dropped to its present level after Corker left is that appraised property values were adjusted upward and the rate proportionately downward, as required by state law. Property owners can expect to see no benefit from this, however, as the two adjustments are supposed to offset each other according to city and county officials.
JB

Countdown to Victory Rally in Memphis

2006-08-01T23:31:00.000-05:00

The quality isn't much (taken on a Canon Powershot A60), but here's a video clip from Ed Bryant's "countdown to victory" speech to supporters in Memphis this evening. Bryant encouraged the crowd to get out there and make one final push. He said he predicts a victory and that he wants to help make America, as that great "shining city on a hill," shine even brighter, as our next U.S. Senator.

- Mick Wright

Strong Grassroots Propelling Bryant To Victory

2006-08-01T22:21:00.000-05:00

BRENTWOOD, TN – Tennessee Republican voters will be hearing a lot from the Ed Bryant campaign this week with home schoolers from across the state commencing a massive door-to-door campaign effort and NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip calling Tennessee Republicans on behalf of Bryant. Tennessee Right to Life's members have also shown strong support for Bryant, and early vote turnout has also been strong in West Tennessee.

"We have a tremendous grassroots effort and the addition of hundreds of home schoolers going door-to-door and Darrell Waltrip making phone calls on behalf of my campaign only makes the campaign stronger," stated Bryant. "Our grassroots, comprised of economic and social conservatives, are excited and are getting their friends, neighbors and relatives all out to the polls on behalf of our campaign. I appreciate all the hard work our Bryant Brigade members are doing on behalf of the campaign and am thankful to Tennessee Right to Life for their independent campaigning on my behalf. And with the early voting numbers that we have seen, we are more confident than ever of a victory on August 3rd."

Home schoolers have fanned out across the state engaging in a massive door-to-door campaign effort on Bryant's behalf. By Thursday, the home schoolers will have knocked on at least 75,000 doors across Tennessee.

Tennessee Right to Life, which has endorsed Bryant in the Republican Senate primary, has had its members turn out in record numbers to vote for Bryant.

“Our members continue to work hard coordinating thousands of phone calls, visits, and postcards to pro-life voters across the state,” said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life. “Our pro-life members have been turning out to the polls in record numbers to vote for our endorsed candidate, Ed Bryant, and I am more confident than ever that, this time next week, Mr. Bryant will be the Republican nominee.”

NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip is making phone calls on behalf of Bryant.

"You know when there’s a lot at stake, it pays to have the most experienced driver behind the wheel," Waltrip said. "Ed's going to be on our side and he's going to represent us in the kind of way that we'll all be proud of. It takes a team to be a winner, and Ed's team is all of us. I’m a Republican, I’m a conservative, I’m going to vote for Ed Bryant."

Big Turnout Expected in Bryant Country

2006-08-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Commercial Appeal 8/1 reports that Shelby County election officials are concerned about long lines and the possibility there might not be enough voting machines to handle the expected crowds on Thursday. Early voting records have already been broken in Shelby County, which has a crowded field of local races. High turnout in Shelby County certainly bodes well for Ed Bryant's U.S. Senate campaign.

Late last week Corker pumped another $420K into his campaign, to which he has contributed over $2.1 million in the closing days of the GOP primary. Corker's on par to spend more than all candidates combined in the '02 U.S. Senate race, and that's just for the primary.

In Shelby County, Corker's now strictly focusing his negative advertising on Ed Bryant, but will an outsider from Chattanooga be successful running personal attack ads against a former congressman that Shelby County Republicans already know and trust?

NewsChannel 5 political pundit Pat Nolan sees Bryant's strength in Shelby County as partly responsible for Corker's late move to self-finance:

Or is Corker giving himself more money because he keeps seeing something in his tracking polls (or early voting exit polling) that makes him nervous. Surely the extremely large early vote in Shelby County must give him some heartburn. That's likely a Bryant vote.

Shelby County has more Republican votes than Knox and Hamilton County combined. Corker's decision to focus his negative attacks solely on Bryant signals to GOP primary voters that Corker fears a strong Bryant finish in West Tennessee could be his campaign's undoing on election night.

Ed Bryant has a reputation as a strong finisher. A big turnout in Shelby County and West Tennessee overall could spell trouble for Bob Corker.

JB

Come out and show your support for Ed Bryant tonight in Shelby County. Details here.

Knoxville Rally Set for Wednesday

2006-08-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

Join Ed and the Bryant Brigade for the Countdown to Victory Campaign Rally on Election Eve!

Wednesday, August 2
5:00-7:00 PM
Ed Bryant for Senate Knoxville Headquarters
1637 Downtown West Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37919

Come find out how you can help Ed push through the finish line of this primary race!

A Corker Loss is a Loss for Lobbyists

2006-08-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

Just last week Bob Corker took two days off from campaigning for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race to travel to Washington, DC and raise money from lobbyists for his cash-strapped campaign. Several months ago, Corker formed a K Street team of powerful lobbyists charged with making sure Corker bags as much lobbyist and special interest money as possible. Bob Corker is a Washington insider who, if elected, will be beholden to special interests outside of Tennessee.

JB

Bryant Provides Clearest Contrast With Ford

2006-08-01T10:14:00.000-05:00

While Bob Corker has been claiming there's not a dime's worth of difference between he and his conservative opponent Ed Bryant, Corker's record of raising taxes and support for abortion rights is closer to Harold Ford, Jr.'s record than Bryant's. Bryant explains to Fox News:
“We have to mobilize our Republican voters for November. We need a Republican nominee who excites the core of our Tennessee Republicans,” said former Tennessee Rep. Ed Bryant, one of the Republican candidates in Thursday's primary for the U.S. Senate race.

“You’re going to need a clearer contrast to mobilize these voters, which means you need a conservative,” said Bryant, who considers border security, government overspending and energy prices key issues of the election.
JB

Bryant Counts Down to Victory in Upper East TN

2006-08-01T08:06:00.000-05:00

The Kingsport Times News and Johnson City Press 8/1 report on Ed Bryant's "Countdown to Victory" rally at the Appalachian Fairgrounds yesterday.

You can join Ed, Cyndi and the Bryant Brigade today for "Countdown to Victory" rallies in Clarksville at 11:00 AM, Jackson at 3:00 PM and Memphis at 6:30 PM. Get more information here.

JB