We have our first house candidate, and our first contested primary, of 2014. State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) lost to Diane Black by less than 1000 votes in the 2010 TN-6 Primary, and he's back for another try in a new seat. This time he's taking on congressman, soon-to-be-former physician, serial philaderer, abortion advocate, and all-around creep, Scott DesJarlais, in the Republican primary.
“I am a conservative in word and deed. I have lived my life both personally and professionally in a way that is consistent with my core conservative values,” he said. “I promise that I will never embarrass you with my personal conduct or compromise on my conservative principles.”
Tracy is certain to be a top-tier challenger in what looks to be a crowded primary field. It will be a real test of TNGOP organizational strength to try and whittle the field, which may also include State Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas, Cracker Barrel Exec Forrest Shoaf, and a host of others, down before the primary. Unlike most Southern states, TN has no runoff, so it's important to pick one candidate here to avoid DesJarlais slipping through with a plurality. On paper Tracy would seem to be a good candidate to unite behind. The seat should be a Safe R district based on DesJarlais's win this year in the face of scandal, but Democrats may try again with ex-State Sen. and 2012 nominee Eric Stewart of Winchester.
Elections have consequences -- from the race for President to the race for one seat on a city council. The political economist Max Weber wrote that the state possesses a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. But in the United States, the state is divided into myriad federal, state, and local entities. And the elections to fill those entities are the products of the fascinating interactions between campaigns, party affiliations, voter turnout, and the media spotlight. Red Racing Horses analyzes those elections -- from a Republican-leaning perspective -- to keep a close eye on the process of electing officials, and to offer our perspective on the election-related issues of the day. Thank you for visiting, and we hope you'll enjoy the blog.
Inside information? Problems logging into your account? Complaints? Compliments? E-Mail us at redracinghorses@yahoo.com
