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September 6, 2009
'Isolated' Megasite Flap Highlights West Tennessee Importance in Governor Race
U.S. Rep. and GOP gubernatorial candidate Zach Wamp executed another defensive maneuver in the ongoing battle of words regarding the Haywood County industrial site that the Congressman recently labeled as "isolated." His opinion piece in today's Jackson Sun attempts to further smooth over tensions that emanated from citizens and politicians of the region—and directly follows last Sunday's guest editorial by Sen. Lowe Finney and Rep. Craig Fitzhugh.
Words do get away from us, and usually it's a good idea to double back and make sure to make amends, as well as to clear up any misunderstandings. But the real story here is that West Tennessee is incredibly important to these Republican candidates, even if it's true, as some say, that the primary will be won in the "ring counties" around Nashville. It still can't be done without the West.
Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons has natural support by way of "home field advantage" (and has wisely weighed in on this megasite discussion). Democrat Mike McWherter, son of a very popular former governor, is a Jackson businessman, and who's to say that he won't siphon some of whatever energy Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam hasn't already pumped out of the region?
I honestly don't know how well Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey plays in the West, and could stand to be educated. I imagine he has a pretty good lock on quite a few "Nashville types," though, and so Zach Wamp is therefore committed to eking out whatever he can from West Tennessee.
And that is why he is being so careful to repair his self-inflicted PR damage now. He cannot afford to do anything else. If he had made a similar offhand remark about the Wacker site (which is in his own district), we probably wouldn't have heard much of a follow-up, even if the same number of people had spoken out about it.
TN Gubernatorial Elections | By joe lance | 12:11 PM