Posted on 04/12/2006 1:25:24 PM PDT by SmithL
Former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate today by saying he wants the people of Tennessee to hire him for the next six years.
"This is a lot more than a political campaign," Hilleary, a Republican, told a group of 40 supporters at McGhee Tyson Airport. "This is a job interview."
Hilleary said he would bring conservative principles to bear on issues like the war in Iraq, immigration reform and the country’s "looming financial crisis."
Hilleary said conservatives aren’t to blame for ballooning federal deficits, even though the GOP controls Congress and the presidency.
"We’ve filled the Senate up with Republicans, but not conservative Republicans," Hilleary said.
He said he was a pro-military, pro-life and pro-tax cut.
"My record matches my words exactly," he said.
Hilleary bemoaned the lack of an energy policy and said "radical environmentalists" were responsible for high gas prices by blocking oil exploration and nuclear power plant construction.
A veteran of the first Gulf War, Hilleary called for "overwhelming force" to put down the Iraqi insurgency.
"We need more boots on the ground," he said. "We can’t get by on the cheap. The people in the field deserve better."
Hilleary said the federal government has to cut off the flow of illegal immigrants so they don’t become a burden to the health, education and legal systems.
"If we can send people to the moon, I guarantee you we can seal off our southern border," he said.
The stop at the TAC Air terminal was the second of the candidate’s daylong statewide blitz that is to wind up tonight in Nashville.
Hilleary is facing former U.S. Rep. Ed Bryant and former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker in the August GOP primary.
Sounds like a man with a plan...Frist should take notice....sometimes I think RHINO's like Frist are just democrats with better hair do's.
If my last name was Hilleary, first thing I'd do would be to change it.
I'M FOR HILLEARY!!!! Just hope he's tough. Can't stand Frist - want him out of there SO bad! What a WUSS!
I've heard the GOP primary for Senate has been pretty contentious.
Ed Bryant, Bob Corker and Van Hilleary have been poking their fingers in each others eyes for months now.
I hope it doesn't maim the eventual GOP nominee against Harold Ford Jr.
I'm for Ed Bryant.
Hilleary ran such a poor campaign for governor I am afraid he'll pull a repeat. The last thing we need is Ford in there. (though Corker is a close second on that disaster.)
How ridiculous. Everyone knows he's running for Senate. Gee, better hold an announcement ceremony anyway!
The Dems running against Bush did this in 2003. They ran and ran and ran for months, and then when they needed to get some press attention, they held an "official" announcement. Weak!
Granted, he lost, but what about it was poor?
Can't argue with that!
I wish him well but I'd give him a little unsolicited campaign advice: "conservatives aren't to blame for the ballooning federal deficit..." No, but many Republicans are (including Bush) and many have appeared to distinguish themselves from Democrats as "tweeedle-dee" does from "tweedle-dum". The voters know that to deny this is a crock. What we need is a revival of the Reagonite agenda of fiscal restraint, smaller, less intrusive government, and strong national defense.
Well said.
This guy would have my vote if I lived in Tennessee. I agree with everything he says here wholeheartedly except for what he apparently believes more boots on the ground could do.....550k in Vn was not enough to do what what was necessary for the South Vietnamese and ARVN to do for themselves. Crushing NVn would have been easy, but the matters in the South required balls and patriotism by the people of the south.
That said, I AM NOT for pulling out of Iraq because of the many ramifications of our presence on the greater WOT (I think of it as a Counteroffensive to Global Jihad), first and foremost is our (finally) recovering HUMINT techniques and contacts in the area and the conglomerate "beachead" we now have in Gulf countries.
Media and agenda-driven politico's serve us up a steady diet of crapola framed as the "War in Iraq" or the "War for Iraq" or the "War against Iraq", none of which are accurate or complete.
Well, rhetoric is one thing.
Anyone that knows more about this race? I'm curious if the rhetoric can be trusted to match the man rather than what he feels must be said to win the seat?
Same with his challengers.
Interesting note however. The Republican challenger against Cantwell here in Washington has been bringing up border enforcement as well. Interesting because it's certainly in the "D" column, and I'm certain he wouldn't be talking about this without polls suggesting it was a hit here. Yet D.C. polls in the Senate run from it?
Agreed. Hilleary is more of a limp-wristed milquetoast fop than Frist. We need MEN in the Senate...Bryant's qualifications exceed Hilleary's by a long shot.
Well said.
Agree 100% with you.
Wow, ever since Valerie Bertinelli divorced him, Van Hilleary has changed! /sarc
Keep Harold Corrupt Ford OUT OF THE SENATE.
His campaign against Bredesen wasn't as bad as the campaign in the Republican primary against Jim Henry. Henry challenged Hilleary to a debate and Van didn't accept the challenge. Hilleary had such a huge lead in the polls over Henry that there wasn't really anything to gain by debating him, but that may have cost Van in the race against Bredesen, because it looks like a lot of Henry's supporters crossed over and voted for Bredesen in the general election.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.