Posted on 03/30/2002 11:39:41 AM PST by GailA
GOP legislator asks Alexander to quit race
By Tom Humphrey, News-Sentinel Nashville bureau March 30, 2002
Republican state Sen. Mike Williams of Maynardville said he stayed out of a 1994 congressional primary at the urging of Lamar Alexander, and now he is urging Alexander to stay out of the U.S. Senate primary.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Alexander does not plan to honor the request, a spokesman said.
In a letter to Alexander, Williams said "you asked me not to run in the interest of party unity" when Williams was considering a 1994 race for the Republican nomination in the 4th Congressional District.
"You sincerely believed as an elder statesman in our party that a contested primary between Van Hilleary and me at that time in that particular race would be very divisive to the party," Williams wrote. "You also noted that it would waste limited financial resources that would best be saved for November."
In his letter Williams said he put aside his ego and his goal in the interest of the greater good of the party and Alexander's advice "was good."
Williams wrote that while Alexander has had "a very long and illustrious career," he has "not been on a ballot in Tennessee for 20 years."
"At this time, in the interest of party unity, I am respectfully asking you to step aside from consideration of the U.S. Senate seat so that millions of dollars will not be wasted in a primary race. Your withdrawal will keep the party united and focused on victory 2002 in November," Williams wrote.
Kevin Phillips, spokesman for the Alexander campaign, said after talking with the candidate that the former governor "does not recall" asking Williams to step aside in 1994.
As for Alexander stepping aside, Phillips said he "absolutely" would not.
"We thank Mike for his opinion," Phillips said, "but respectfully couldn't disagree more. The question is not whose turn it is. The questions are who is best prepared to serve in the Senate, to strengthen the country, to help President Bush win the war and hold the seat for Republicans. The answer is clearly Lamar Alexander."
Former Vice President Al Gore has written a fund-raising letter for the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declaring that donations will go to keeping a Democratic majority in the Senate as a "bulwark against right-wing extremism."
"Democratic senators are committed to helping families caught up in the current economic downturn, while Republicans continue to make tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations their top priority," Gore wrote.
Gore also criticizes Republicans on environmental issues, for resisting as "too expensive" prescription drug coverage for seniors and for being "more interested in paying back their campaign contributions than representing the American people."
The state Senate has now used 81 of the 90 "legislative days" allotted by the Tennessee Constitution for the 102nd General Assembly. The House has used 80.
That would normally mean the two chambers are close to adjournment, but that's not necessarily so with the continuing stalemate on taxes and a state budget.
Both chambers have adopted a schedule that calls for just one official "legislative day" each week. A "legislative day" occurs when the full House and Senate meet in floor sessions. Days devoted to committee meetings don't count as such a day, although they do count for the $114 daily expense allowance paid to lawmakers.
If the lawmakers pass the constitution's 90-day limit for "legislative days," they can continue to meet, but their $114 daily allowance is shut off.
Tom Humphrey may be reached at 615-242-7782 or humphrey@edge.net
Mike Willams is from Maynardville which is located in UNION COUNTY not Union City. Union County is in east Tennessee due north of Knoxville and located a mile or so up the road from me :>}
Having said that, I'm not from Tennessee so I don't know the politics there as well as you. From my vantage point, it just seems like Lamar would have a better shot.
After watching the disgraceful Pickering hearings and all the other outrages in the Senate, all I want to do is win. Lamar might be more moderate than I'd like, but I'm pretty certain he'd be a fairly dependable vote and not a Jeffords.
At this point I just want to seize the power from Daschle, Leahy, etc.
That name sounds very familiar (although it is likely a fairly common name). Is this the same guy who was on TV a lot about 10 - 12 years ago? Can somebody help me with this? - - my brain is really itching....
As for pro abortion, gun control Republicans, I have and would vote for them in certain circumstances. Being from NJ, I voted for Christie Todd Whitman. What else could I do, vote for Florio? If I lived in NY I certainly would have voted for Rudy. No way would a real conservative win there.
As I said in a previous post, I have alot of respect for Ed Bryant, I just think Lamar has a better shot. It's better to have a united party than a nasty primary with soundbites that will come back to haunt us.
The only "Republican" I woundn't vote for is McCain. He is an egotist with no loyalty. I loathe the guy.
Not if it means winning back the Senate and getting conservative judges in place.
I'm sorry, but I'll take a half-a-loaf Republican before I'd vote for a Democrat any day of the week.
You mean that jerk Bush?
As for RINOS like Spector and Snowe, for the most part they've been fairly dependable. They voted for the important things like the tax cut, Ashcroft, and Ted Olsen. Spector voted for Pickering in Judiciary. RINOS are certainly better than the likes of Kennedy, Daschle, and Leahy. I'd rather have a Senate full of Jon Kyles and Jeff Sessions, but I'll settle for Republican control.
I will vote for the Republican candidate versus Bob Clements, no matter if it is Bryant or Alexanr.
No.
Agreed, as long as it's a minimum of "half-a-loaf". For example, scumbags like Riordan and Jeffords could never get my vote under any circumstance. I don't think Alexander is quite that bad and if it comes to it, I hope TN Republicans will hold their noses and vote for Lamar.
But let's hope it doesn't come to it.
I really hope Ed Bryant wins this.
I saw the Beltway Boys today and they had Larry Sabato on and were talkng about the Senate seats up for the Fall...they all agreed that even though the generic party preference polls showed that all 4 vacating GOP seats, Tx, NC, SC and Tn would stay in the GOP, they figured one might drop. I'll bet they were looking at a, Alexander candidacy.
Bush has to live in the world of politics, if he didn't sign it the issue and McCain would never go away. He took it away as a Rat campaign issue, and it will not stand as is.
Unfortunatly, sometimes you have to be pragmatic and pick your battles to succeed. This hardly makes him a jerk. Bush is a great man and a wonderful President. I don't know about you, but I've never found a politician I agreed with 100%. I believe Bush is a good and decent man doing the best for our country and I'm sorry that you don't. Think for a moment of what we could have had.
Show me where the USSC has striken cases down as being unconstitutional. Show me where you don't believe in government usurption of our rights, liberties and freedoms as secured from government abust by the Bill of Rights.
What does it take? He is from the second biggest Congressional District in the state. Being from Middle and West Tennessee is a big plus in the way of a GOP win. He as well is a lot more up to date on current issues. His district includes Shelby County.
The last thing Tennessee as a whole remembers about Lamar is a red shirt 20 years ago and a couple of failed POTUS campaigns. If Lamar had been in Freds shoes I have to question what his vote would have been. Would Lamar buckle to pressure like Fred did in the hearings and then worse vote Not Guilty? I would have liked to have seen Bryant chairing that committee.
You see Fred ran on his past which was prettty impressive. His tenure as senator though is another matter. Fred helped take on the most corrupt Tennessee governor ever. Yet Fred was silenced. Why? Party asked him too? Clinton had a file? Threats? what was it? Bryant stood much taller than Fred when it was all over. I'm not looking for a yes man for Bush or anyone else. I'm looking for the one who will to the best of their abilities uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Alexander has a problem with that. The Second Ammendment being one of the issues.
[Alexander] fleshed out his gun control policy by supporting mandatory trigger locks for guns, background checks at gun shows and raising the age limit for purchasing and possessing handguns. Source: CNN.com AllPolitics May 19, 1999
Same thing George Bush supports is it not? A yes man who would put a yes sir vote before Constitutional Principle. But wait I go to Bryant 2002 web site and what do I see in the photos. See for yourself right here. Tell me what is that item Ed is holding in at least two pictures?
Yep I know up front me and Lamar don't see eyye to eye right off. While I may have some difference even with Ed I know Lamar Alexander does not understand our Constitution. Ed post's portions of it for all to see.
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