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August 17, 2009
McManus Will Not Run
As several have already pointed out in the hours since the announcement, the District 31 Senate seat ingloriously vacated by Paul Stanley essentially has Rep. Brian Kelsey's name on it, now that Kelsey's fellow House member has decided to stay put.
From the Memphis Flyer:
After weighing his options, which included what he already had said were favorable House committee assignments and may also have included Monday's endorsement by six Republican state senators of his House colleague Brian Kelsey, state Rep. Steve McManus has decided not to contest the forthcoming special election for state Senate District 31.
The Memphis Daily News reports that Rep. McManus wants to run for the U.S. House in a potentially redrawn 7th Congressional District. No sooner had that news come across the browser than an update was made to the Facebook group that had been established to promote McManus for state Senator. The name of the group changed to "Steve McManus for US Congress." Soon after that, another update came, which indicated that the "for US Congress" has been removed. But the cat is out of the bag.
Rep. McManus's full letter, as posted by A.C. Kleinheider, is after the jump.
Fellow Tennesseans,It is with the most profound sense of gratitude for the support from the hundreds of citizens, public servants, and business leaders from across the state that I have decided against seeking the Republican nomination for the vacant State Senate seat representing District 31.
Almost four years ago, I was humbled to receive the trust of thousands of citizens from Cordova, Germantown, and Memphis and was sent to Nashville to serve in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Since that time, I have been given the opportunity to use my decades of experience in the financial services industry to work in the hopes of helping guide our county and our state through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
As Secretary of the House Commerce Committee and member of Finance Ways and Means and Fiscal Review Committees, my concentration on economic progress and stability is given adequate weight to make a difference for every Tennessean concerned about losing their home, their job, or their savings for retirement or their child’s education. With the certainty that next year’s budget will be much more challenging for the government and people of our state, I feel that my attendance in the House of Representatives is of a particular importance.
My contribution as a member of the General Assembly lies in my comprehensive knowledge of the economy. If I can better help the people of Tennessee emerge through this recession through service in the House of Representatives, than it is in that body that I will stay until I feel our state is as financially stable as possible.
With a spirit of service,
Steve McManus
State Representative
State Senate Elections , US House Elections | By joe lance | 4:47 PM