.

I can get behind a KnoxViews 4 Briggs campaign.

We're supposed to wait and see if any Dem files...but yeah, I'm pretty jazzed.

Glad to see him run but I am waiting to see the Democratic candidate.

It's not my district, so I can't vote, and if I could I would wait on the Democratic candidate.

Still... good news.

If a Democrat runs, would the Dems make a "chaotic" move in the GOP primary?

I'm just posting as an observer here, not as a reporter.

Seems to me, though, that given the unlikelihood of a Democrat winning in this Republican-gerrymandered district, that Dems might prefer the incompetent, ineffective Campfield over Briggs, who is altogether likely to get in there and accomplish something y'all would hate. Stacey does have a lot of entertainment value, and is a huge embarrassment to all but the paleorepublicans.

An old friend--a former Knoxvillian but now living out of state--e-mails this morning to suggest that this Campfield character is really making Tennesseans look "dum."

I sent him this link and suggested he remit his Briggs campaign contribution pronto.

Personally, Betty, I can't imagine that Briggs would push any legislation I would dislike more intensely that any bill Campfield might introduce...

Briggs is sane and he is ethical, I think.

Remember having Campfield elected again could possibly set him up for bigger and better things.

Some would say "impossible," but how many would've guessed he could make it this far?

A good poll question would be to see how many Knoxviewers live in Campfield's district. Compare that to the margin of victory in the last two elections. The press that Campfield gets may keep people from voting at all. But may make his base more likely to vote. He is on the front page of the paper every week.

I am still holding out for a better Democratic candidate. We are well over a year away for this election.

Don't write Campfield off! He is a smart and tough campaigner that will work day and night. Briggs will have the mainstream politicians and money backing him but Campfield has never had that crowd. If another candidate with any name recognition gets in the Republican Primary, Campfield will win. It probably will be a close race with only Briggs and Campfield running. Moderate candidates doesn’t run very good in the Republican Primary.

It will take wearing out six pair of shoes in the next year to beat Campfield. Candidates not willing to campaign are just wasting everyone's time.

Campfield is politically smart. He does campaign ALL the time, but I think his door knocking abilities may be exagerated.

He "won" the last primary. But only because of Hill.

Campaigns learn from others' mistakes.

The only thing that I think could help Campfield would be if Obama declares martial law.

But you never know what can happen. The election will be somewhat based upon the issues during the campaign.

To what degree , and how much Campfield can exploit them, are the questions.

Campfield didn't get the majority of votes in the last primary.

Haslam didn't get them either.

Different demographics and reasons.

But nothing's a sure thing.

He's knocked on mine.

Stacey's friends don't get enough votes to flip an election. Steve Hill did that.

Neither Hill nor Ledbetter was a friend of Stacey's. Ciparro was Campfield's stalking horse and his candidacy was a popcorn fart in the wind. Ledbetter would have won had Hill not gotten into the race.

Subsequent to the race Hill was "rewarded" with an interim appointment to the senate to fill the vacancy left by Burchett's being sworn in Sept 1., but he had no love for Stacey when he got into that race, and he was quite convinced he was going to win.

Neither Hill nor Ledbetter was a friend of Stacey's. Ciparro was Campfield's stalking horse and Ledbetter would have won had Hill not gotten into the race.

Subsequent to the race Hill was "rewarded" with an interim appointment to the senate to fill the vacancy left by Burchett's being sworn in Sept 1., but he had no love for Stacey when he got into that race, and he was quite convinced he was going to win. As was Ledbetter. They are both longtime Republicans with no ties to Stacey's wing of the party.

And winning the primary with that per centage sort of proves the point...his theory and strategy is just to keep his name out there and a majority of his voters will keep on voting for him.
I am reserving judgment on Dr. Briggs unless and until he provides correct medical facts to refute Stacey's distortion of
how hetrosexuals do NOT contract AIDS
where babies really come from
and other ridiculous claims...'parents MUST be punished if their children do not make good grades'...stuff like that. I still could not vote for a Republican, since I believe "IKE" was the last honest, non-crook GOP President.

And we will hold Dr. Briggs to a much higher standard than his other GOP/TEA seat holders if he was to win...like creation of JOBS, encourage new businesses to come here...with well trained workers, not 'low pay and no benefits' workforce...

Democratic organizations need to understand that it is important to run someone who can define the difference between R's and D's in every contest, especially the "unwinnable" ones. Conservatism is a complete failure for working folks and that needs to be pointed out...over and over and over...

WBIR reports:

Campfield says, "I'm a Chil-fil-A traditional family conservative. I'm not wavering on tax increases. I support the free market and I support the people's right to vote [for currently appointed public officials]. Those aren't things I think he [Briggs] can say."

...
Briggs says, "I want to go almost diametrically the opposite direction," said Briggs. "I want to bring businesses into the state, to create jobs, to create a better educational system, and also to look to see what we can do to reduce the cost of higher education."
...
Briggs voiced a general opinion that he wants government to stay out of people's lives as much as possible. He also said problems in schools are best handled by local school boards and the teachers who work with the issues first-hand rather than what Briggs described as "know-it-alls in Nashville who have never had a child of their own go through the public school system."

Campfield says so much crazy shit he's having a hard time keeping his story straight.

Today, Tom Humphrey reports that Campfield's latest "don't say gay" bill is not at all about outing gay kids:

On the "Classroom Protection Act," which has provisions calling for parents to be notified about a child's homosexual activity under some conditions, the senator said, "There's a misperception that we're going to out little children who say 'I'm gay' or something like that... That's not true. This is only dealing with someone abusing a child or a child abusing someone."

That's not exactly what his bill says:

A school counselor, nurse, principal or assistant principal [may counsel] a student who is engaging in, or who may be at risk of engaging in, behavior injurious to the physical or mental health and wellbeing of the student or another person; provided, that wherever possible such counseling shall be done in consultation with the student's parents or legal guardians. Parents or legal guardians of students who receive such counseling shall be notified as soon as practicable that such counseling has occurred...

And here's how he explained it to Nashville NPR a little over week ago:

But it [the bill] requires a school nurse, counselor or administrator to tell parents about discovering any "urgent safety issues." That includes homosexual behavior, says state Senator Stacey Campfield of Knoxville. "I can’t speak from personal experience, but being homosexual in and of itself is not deadly or dangerous. The act of homosexuality is very dangerous."

Humphrey indulges Campfield to a degree that is rather sickening.

And Dr. Briggs would have to vote in the affirmative for ALL the crazed bills that punish women and their MEDICAL rights and the rights of their DOCTORS to provide the best choices for their patients...Stacey has provided most of those hate-filled, ignorant bills...the first and worst by declaring that ALL fetuses that died in miscarriage, or by preventing a birth that was the result of...you name the reason...these 'babies lost, (a true misnomer!) would have to be issued death certificates. Dr. Briggs may not WANT to challenge all this idiocy, BUT if any of these were to come to a vote, guess what? He would have to VOTE.
And of course Campfield does NOT care about any of these bills, OR about the real people involved. His ONLY goal is keeping his name out there, daily and weekly. I don't know the limit of bills allowed to be submitted, per Legislator, per Session; but Stacey, so far, has submitted 42.

I have to say, the way some of you are talking about Dr. Briggs sounds like Republicans talking about Democrats.

I will say again, just because you have policy differences with somebody (and Mary W. - we don't even KNOW how Dr. Briggs would vote on the bills you mention) does not make s/he a bad human being. That's the way Republicans (Rush included) talk about Democrats.

Cut it out. You're making us look bad.

My point wasn't to ask you to vote for Briggs anyway, just to say that he's head, shoulders, torso, legs, and feet above our current Senator.

And BTW, I voted for Haslam (one of the few times I've voted Republican except in local primaries where that's the only choice). I did it because I thought he had been a good Mayor and because I couldn't find a single reason to like Mike McWherter although I tried really, really hard. Am I sorry? I'm not sure - I'm not pleased with Haslam, but honestly, based on the platform he ran on, I'm not sure McWherter would have been that different.

So you want to take off on me now?

Can you think of anything he has done as governor that has been in the best interests of average citizens?

He fired the DCS commissioner. Oh, wait. He hired her, too. Never mind.

In the case of Lord Duncan, way too many Republican voters have a peasant mentality. Yer Betters will take care of you and protect ya from the Big Bad Federal Guvment, never mind the fact that John J. Duncan the 2nd is the Federal Government round these parts.

And...way too many Republicans, Independents, and more than a few Democrats were snookered by Bill Haslam's "aww shucks" demeanor and his Opie Taylor/Ritchie Cunningham persona.

The same with Racy Stacey Campfield! Person to person and on TV he comes across as a nice boy...respectful and even reasonable. But he's a hater, pure and simple.

As far as Haslam is concerned, since his veto can be over-ridden by a simple majority he has to be 'on board' with the GOP Lunatic Fringe or his leadership will spin out of control.

It's a sad state of affairs in the Volunteer State, pure and simple.