My picks for the primary, with a letter to Mike McWherter thrown in

MOVED TO THE TOP, with something added.

These are the folks for whom I AM voting, and for whom I WOULD vote if I lived in their districts.

GOVERNOR

Thanks to A) Ward Cammack bailing because he was too new a convert, B) Roy Herron bailing to run for  the 8th District, C) Jim Kyle bailing because he realized, eight months in, what he should have realized at the beginning, that Bill Haslam has a gazillion dollars and D) Kim McMillan realizing that the assholes with money in this state weren't givin' it to no uppity WOMAN and deciding to lower her sights and run for Mayor of Clarksville, we are left with E) Mike McWherter.

Nice guy, he's trying, but after stumbling, he seems to have forgotten the primary in which he is running, namely, the DEMOCRATIC primary.  Now just wait, you say, he's WON the primary by being the last one standing, so he can run now like it's the general election.

Um, right.  What they're REALLY saying is now he doesn't have to pay attention to those pesky liberals in Memphis and Nashville, who now have to vote for him anyway to keep from having Bill Haslam as Governor.

As Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friend.  While it is indeed true that if Memphians who are liberal and/or Democratic in nature bother to go vote this fall, they are more likely to vote for McWherter than Haslam, McWherter has evidently NOT been told that getting them to the polls may be the hard part.

Look at Big Shelby for the fall.  Not enough of it is in the 8th District for people to get worked up over Roy Herron versus whichever crazy person wins the GOP Primary, the TN-09 race will be a fait accompli for whoever won the Democratic primary, and no local state legislator is in jeopardy of losing to the other party's nominee, barring death or indictment.

So that leaves the governor's race as the primary driver for turnout in November, and if local Democrats see Mike McWherter as just a DINO running as a half-assed Republican, they won't vote in that race.

Ah, but wait again, you retort, they turned out for Phil Bredesen, didn't they?  Yes, they did.  In 2002 we were getting over the 8 years of Don Sundquist, the choice was Philly B or Van Hilleary, and Bredesen was at least CAMPAIGNING like a Democrat, even if he would rarely govern like one.

in 2006, there was a huge turnout for some other reason; wasn't there a Senate race that year ? Not to mention that the GOP abandoned their gubernatorial nominee, Jim Henry, since who could be a more Republican Governor than Philly B?  And they wonder why Bredesen carried 95 counties.

All right, Mike, let's cut to the chase: if you don't want Shelby Countians voting in your race in November, you keep running to the right, ignoring your base.  I can always write in Mabel for Governor, and everyone else in Shelby County can pretend you're John Jay Hooker.

However, YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY VOTE FOR GRANTED. I DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR YOU, AND NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE.  You can keep chasing votes you will never get, especially if Haslam is the GOP nominee (the Republican Bredesen) and you will get your ass handed to you.

Start throwing red meat to liberal and centrist Democrats NOW.  Stop this nativist bullshit because they won't vote for you any way (and Mike Turner had better figure that out quickly or he will lose, and that would be a DISASTER for Tennessee, by the way).

Rant over.  Let's move on, shall we?

TN-07

Ok, so Greg Rabidoux is unopposed in the primary, but he needs all the help he can get, because he is taking on Marsha Blackburn in the fall in one of the most Republican districts in this country, where tea-baggers thrive like maggots on a roadkill corpse.  Bad analogy?  Well, you get the point.

Needless to say, the man needs our help if he is going to climb Mount Marsha and plant the Democratic flag in TN-07, because she has $$$ and support, considering that TN-07 has the reddest parts of Big Shelby, Montgomery and her own Williamson County in the district.  Please go here and throw him some coin, ok? If you can volunteer, sign up on the website.  Once we get past August, what else could you do for the fall?

TN-08

Who the hell is Kimberlee Smith?  She's apparently running against Roy Herron, who will beat her like a drum and then do the same to whichever of the Three Stooges wins the GOP Primary.  Next!

TN-09

I'm voting for Willie Herenton because Thaddeus Matthews told me to.  Say, did I mention I'm going to play for the Miami Heat with LeBron, Dwyane and Chris Bosh, too????

Several months in and Doc's race against Steve Cohen still makes no sense, and other than the people closest to the Doc, I honestly do not know anyone who claims to vote for him.  Everyone I work with, regardless of race, creed or color, that lives in TN-09 is PETRIFIED of the prospect of a Herenton victory, but I see no way that it will happen.  The race could fall anywhere from 55-45 to 80-20 and I would not be surprised, but Steve Cohen should win this race, and I support him completely.

My Senator, Beverly Marrero, is not up this year, but I would vote for her any day.  My Representative, Mike Kernell, is unopposed in the primary; he'll face Tim Cook again in November.

My State Democratic Executive Committeeman, David Upton, is being opposed by another friend of mine, Kevin Gallagher.  So as not to piss off either of them, I'll write someone in!!!!

Congratulations in advance to Maura Black Sullivan, who will be unopposed as the new State Committeewoman for Senate 30, as Hazel Longstreet did not seek re-election.

So, that's it for my races, but here are some where there actually are primary races.

HOUSE 84

The incumbent of many years, Joe Towns Jr. is facing Mitzi Turnage, and it appears that she is working hard out there, but I have not determined a groundswell to replace Joe.  He has my support for re-nomination and re-election in the fall.

HOUSE 85

The appointed incumbent, Johnnie R. Turner, who was appointed to fill the seat of her late husband, Larry Turner, faces Eddie Jones in the primary.  However, Ms. Turner, who is quite a powerhouse on her own, moved into the seat like a veteran this spring, and her leadership is something we want to keep in Nashville, so I hope you'll vote for her in the primary.

HOUSE 87

Karen Camper is AWESOME.  Period.  She has great energy, takes no guff from anyone, especially Republicans, and is a terrific asset to our delegation in Nashville, and it would be a TRAGEDY if she lost to Justin Settles in the primary.  He may be a decent guy, who knows, but Karen Camper is badass and deserves all the support we can give her.  Not only that, she apparently makes the best catfish in town, per our buddy JoanVixen!

All right, that's how I'm voting, your mileage may vary.  Just get your ass out there and VOTE!!!!