Lyric game points for that. Just leave me a fb message/comment.
There was something I wanted to talk about…oh well. I’ll check the last blog in a minute and see if I can remember from there. Cause it was a good one. A really, really good one. I’m rather upset that I can’t remember it. Oh well. Time to check.
Well, darn, I can’t remember. Might’ve been some sort of music playing in the background.
I remember now! ELECTIONS!
That’s right, it’s that time of year for the Sumner County General election and US midterm primary. My buddy Zach is in full force campaigning for his candidates right now, and if you click on his name, I’m fairly certain his blog (on the inferior Wordpress) probably has some stronger opinions than I; he also regularly updates his Twitter, so if you want to follow him check that out (Be forewarned, he really enjoys your Right-wing “nonsense”---my words, his thought).
Anyway, we’re going to throw my endorsements under three main banners, and maybe use some subheadings if necessary. Hopefully, you’ll follow along.
SUMNER COUNTY GENERAL
School Board
This is an insanely important election for the Sumner County Board of Education. They will be determining the next Director of Schools, as Mr. Benny Bills, the current Director, is retiring from forty-something years of public service effective next summer. Mr. Bills and Mr. (Coach) Merrol Hyde, for whom my glorious Alma Mater is named and a personal mentor and friend of mine, are the only two Directors our county has known for the past thirty-plus years, so the fact that we are going in a completely new direction (there’s that Glee reference again!) is a big issue for the Board.
District One
This is a seat that’s been closely observed by the Hurdle family for some time, as Dad ran for it, albeit unsuccessfully, four years ago. The winner of that election, Mr. Mike Fussell, is a pretty good guy who goes to church with us; however, on the board, it’s apparent that he’s had several ulterior motives over his term, and hasn’t always had the students’ best interests in mind (Let it be known that I still like Mr. Fussell despite his school board endeavors). Mr. Fussell has decided it is no longer his place or desire to serve on the board, and thus is not running for reelection this year. The three candidates vying for his spot are lifetime Sumner resident and longtime attorney John Bradley; educator, husband of a local teacher, and father of an upcoming Kindergarten student, who has also earned a Ph.D., Andy Spears, and PTO president-elect and mother of two, Vanessa Silkwood.
Mr. Bradley, who is endorsed by Mr. Fussell and Nancy Thompson, the widow of late Hendersonville mayor and County executive RJ “Hank” Thompson, grew up in the county school system, and has a daughter who is a 2008 alumna of Hendersonville High School. He has been serving as an attorney for a local clientele for many years, and knows our county well. However, being supported by Mr. Fussell, many of us are concerned, and not without reasonable cause, that he will carry Mr. Fussell’s motives onto the board.
Mrs. Silkwood’s campaign treasurer is the respectable Brian Coulter, who’s been a youth minister for me and my peers for quite a while, as well as a good basketball coach. However, it’s not Brian that’s running for school board, so I’ll focus on Mrs. Silkwood for a minute. She is the president-elect of the Indian Lake PTO, and has two sons enrolled in the school (although one might be at Ellis Middle instead of both at ILE). Her big thing is her Conservative viewpoint, and I feel that implies that she really doesn’t have much else to bring to the table. Added to that the fact that I really have a hard time with radicals and radical-leaning Republicans as Mrs. Silkwood seems to be heading with her excessive touting of her political inclination, I don’t feel that she is a good fit for the board.
Mr. Spears, who is married to Mrs. Courtney Spears, the Theater teacher and (State winning) speech and forensics team coach at MHMS, is by far the most qualified candidate for the District One seat. With a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Mr. Spears has taught at several local universities. He is involved in the community as the President of the Sertoma club, as well as being endorsed by not only the teachers, but also the realtors, of Sumner County. He has served as Policy Director for the Stand for Children advocacy group, and has collaborated with Senator Frist and Governor Bredesen on educational issues. In addition to Mr. Spears’s manifold qualifications, he is also supported by my dad and Mr. Herman Lawson, both of whom ran for the District 1 seat in 2006. For these reasons, and, especially, the fact that he has a wife employed as a teacher and a daughter about to be a student of Sumner County Schools, I personally feel Andy Spears to be the best candidate for the seat. Oh, and did I mention he is a big advocate of communication and government transparency?
District Three
The incumbent of this District, covering the northern part of Hendersonville, Cages Bend, and Station Camp regions, is Assistant Mayor Don Long. He is officially running unopposed, but there is another candidate, Dave Andrews, who is campaigning as a write-in. The reason Mr. Andrews is running as a write-in and not an official balloted candidate is because the man who was running against Mr. Long was pressured, by all inclinations by the incumbent board member, out of the race. Therefore, Mr. Andrews was not able to turn in paperwork in time to be placed on the ballot, but he certainly has been gaining ground since declaring his intent to run. Mr. Andrews’s main priority in running against Mr. Long in District 3 is that he wishes to serve his constituents. He has no other motives than to be a servant to the members of his district and do what is best for them. This also means that, like Mr. Spears, he is for government transparency and communication between the board and the citizens. I feel that his reasons for running, compared with Mr. Long’s track record, make Dave Andrews, the District 3 write-in, the better choice. Because he is a write-in, make sure you correctly enter “DAVE ANDREWS” in the write-in box on your ballot on Thursday. (PS, the links lead to two different sites, Dave’s official campaign webpage, and his Facebook group)
District Five
This is Goodlettsville, Zach’s home, so he’s got a better argument for Shannon Dunn than the fact that Bill Ward is putting his signs outside of his district. That and Zach’s support are the only reasons I would prefer Ms. Dunn on the board. But, check out Zach’s blog and twitter, he’ll have more info for you there.
District Seven
I can’t tell you much about your candidates, Gallatin, but I like Andy Daniels in District 7. He is the father of an autistic child, and wants the special education of Sumner County to be more prevalent and available. He believes that everyone has a dream, and a right to achieve said dream. Furthermore, Mr. Daniels is an alum of the great Samford University. He also seems to have a clear focus of the Board’s focus. He is running against Mr. Jim Huffman—a retired minister who didn’t say anything memorable at a July 22 candidate forum, and who didn’t say hardly anything at all in the Gallatin News Examiner’s July 16 Election Guide—and Mr. Don Sadler, who didn’t even show up at the forum on the 22nd. I would vote Daniels with my little knowledge of that race.
District Nine
This is blatantly simple, as it has been for the past twenty-two years, Vote Will Duncan for school board. The other guy is older than Rev. Duncan, and his platform? Bringing church and state together. I was least impressed by him at the Forum. So, those of you in the Portland, Castalian Springs, and Bethpage areas, go with the popular candidate.
District Eleven
Mr. David Brown is also an incumbent, and running unopposed for Westmoreland’s district. So, go ahead and vote for him if you’re in that area of the county, I haven’t heard anything about him.
County Commission
Basically, there’s either two candidates up in each district, or both incumbents and a challenger. I don’t really know about any of the district races outside of districts 6-11, and all of those are in my first scenario. So if you’re in Districts 1-5 or 12, find out for yourself what’s going on and who you should vote for. Especially in 1, 2, 3, and 5, in which there are more than two candidates.
Now on to the good stuff, Tennessee.
GUBENATORIAL PRIMARIES
The Democratic Primary is basically set, With Mike McWhorter being the only candidate on the ballot. But the Republicans are where it gets interesting.
Republican Primary
Bill Haslam
I would consider Haslam to be my favorite (I’m lazy so I’m not linking anyone anymore, it should be pretty easy from now on, just www.(insertnamehere).com.) He seems legit, and certainly has a good following across the state. He’s had the experience the state needs right now, so I’d go with him.
Ron Ramsey
As our Lieutenant Governor, Ramsey knows what it takes to get the job done. However, I don’t know if he’s as apt to do it as Haslam seems to be.
Zach Wamp
I don’t know much about Mr. Wamp, but I think he’s probably a little too conservative for my tastes.
The video says it all. This guy needs to be our next governor. NOT.
STATE HOUSE PRIMARIES
You pretty much have no choice here, if you’re in Congressional district 45, it’s Maggart if you’re voting Republican, Ihrig if you’re voting Democrat. Moving on, since it’s nearly election day.
STATE SENATE PRIMARIES
Again, in the 18th Senatorial District, there’s only one choice on each side, in the 17th, I think there’s three, but the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Beavers.
US CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES
This one’s gotten really fun, especially in the Republican side.
Republican Primary
The one person you DO NOT want to vote for is Lou Ann Zelenik. She’s crazy. So insanely radical it’s not even funny. Plus she’s been mudslinging like it’s her only hope. Which, in all honesty, it probably is. So, in conclusion to that argument, please do not vote for Lou Ann.
Our next candidate is Diane Black, who I’ve grown up with her as an elected official from Sumner County, first as a Representative, then senator in the state of Tennessee. I also know Senator Black personally, she has visited my home before, and is very active in her church, St. Tims Lutheran in Hendersonville, where Troop 157 is based. I have seen her at many a Scout functions—Eagle courts of honor, other special events the troop’s held over the years—and I think that’s very important. I’ve never had much of a problem with her, so that’s got to be good for the amount of time she’s been serving.
Jim Tracy, of Shelbyville, is the other main candidate in the Republican primary. He’s kept his nose out of the Diane-Lou Ann fracas for the most part, so I think that’s good. I think he’d be a good Congressman, but I don’t know a whole bunch about him. My vote, had I voted in this primary, would’ve gone Diane’s way.
Democratic Primary
I can’t even remember the other people in this race, I believe there’s a George Erdel running, and maybe Dave Evans is a Democrat, but if you vote in the Democratic Congressional Primary tomorrow, please vote for Ben Leming. I think he is a very good person for the job, as a recently retired Marine, Leming is no stranger to protecting our rights and liberties. I’ve also agreed with a lot of the stuff he’s been saying regarding issues that have come up in the past half year. So, vote Leming for congress if you’re going Democrat tomorrow.
Well, I think I’ve got everything, and just remember to check out Zach’s Blog and Twitter for the things I didn’t really cover, especially SB District 5 and Ben Leming.
Toodles, -ct
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