Prior to the event, Jonathon Fagan, chairman of the Rutherford County Democratic Party, was quoted by the Murfreesboro Post as saying, “The candidate that wins this straw poll will send a strong message to the party, press and donors for weeks to come that they are a serious candidate to move our state forward.”

Herron won decisively with 119 votes, 38 percent in a five-person contest. Full results are below:

• Sen. Roy Herron – 119
• Sen. Jim Kyle – 81
• Kim McMillan – 58
• Mike McWherter – 32
• Ward Cammack – 13
• Undecided – 12

At the event, Sen. Herron said his top three priorities are “jobs, jobs, and jobs,” and the top three ways to get these jobs are “education, education, and education.”

“Tennesseans share these priorities,” Herron said. “Tennesseans want hard work, straight talk, and strong values.”

Herron earned his reputation as a hard worker over his 22 years in the Tennessee legislature by holding over 1,000 listening meetings, perhaps more than any other Tennessee legislator. He has missed only one day of legislative session – the day his youngest son was being born. For fun, Herron runs marathons, and he has completed three 140.6-mile Ironman triathlons.

About Roy Herron

Sen. Roy Heron

Roy Herron was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1986. He has served in the state legislature for 22 years, including 12 years in the Senate, where he was Democratic Floor Leader and Democratic Caucus Chair. A small-town attorney, businessman, and former minister, Sen. Herron has also written three books, including God and Politics. He lives in Dresden with his wife of 22 years, Nancy. Soon his third son will join his father and brothers as an Eagle Scout, the seventh in their family.

Gubernatorial Candidate Kim McMillan addresses well-wishers, as host Tim Harvey looks on.

Amid a modest but vocal crowd of fifty-some well-wishers and admirers, former state house majority leader Kim McMillan was the guest of honor at a picnic held to acknowledge her run for the office of governor. Introduced by Attorney Timothy Harvey, McMillan spoken briefly from the upper level of the split-level rear patio of the Harvey & Silvus Law Firm. Cheers went up as she declared her desire to capture the governor office in 2010.

Guests signed up for mailing list notifications and fund pledges. Donations were accepted on site and bumper stickers were available for those wishing to give to the campaign that evening. Pledge envelopes were also on hand for mail-in donations. Many known names of the Montgomery County Democratic Party were on hand to celebrate McMillan’s quest to become Tennessee’s first woman governor. Among those in attendance were State Senator Tim Barnes, who was joined by his wife Linda. Also in attendance were Wade Monday, Adam Hayes, Kim Smith, Delina Starr, Gene and Robert Lewis, Charles Moreland, Deborah Brown, John Ferguson, attorney Hugh Poland, Dr. Howard Winn and APSU political science professor Dr. David Kanervo.

[Uncredit photos by Turner McCullough JR.]

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Please join us for an outdoor picnic honoring Kim McMillan for Tennessee Committee for Governor. Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Harvey & Silvus Law Firm 310 Franklin Street Clarksville, TN 5:00p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

RSVP to Lauren Bell by Friday, May 1st at 615-585-9678 or

*Contributions will be accepted at the event or can be made at www.kimmcmillan.com

“For almost a year I’ve been listening to the needs of our neighbors and families and loss is on everybody’s mind– loss of jobs, loss of homes, loss of health insurance, loss of retirement security. I know that tough times call for leadership that lifts us up and brings us together,” she added.

“I’m running for governor because I believe I can bring Tennessee together, and I know that together we can do more than just make it through – we can make it better.”

McMillan filed papers to establish an exploratory committee for the 2010 governor’s campaign last spring. “The people of Clarksville and Montgomery County have been good to me and that’s why I met with my hometown paper to make my intentions clear. I want to make sure they know that I’m in this race and I’m in it all the way.”

McMillan teaches political science at APSU.

Special guests include Kim McMillan, Former Majority Leader, Tennessee House of Representatives; Joe Pitts, Tennessee State Representative (District 67); Jerry Martin, State Campaign Director for Barack Obama; Wade Mundy, Communications Director, Tennessee State Democratic Party; and Jerry Lee, Tennessee AFL-CIO Union President.

The MCDP and Clarksville for Obama will serve food and refreshments. the event is open to the public and a $10.00 or higher donation is requested. For additional Information, call 931-378-1999

The hour-long ceremony was coordinated by Beverly Blackard of Little Hope Baptist Church, who became involved with the nationwide program while recently attending the Tennessee Baptist Convention, when participants were told of the need for a coordinator for Montgomery County. Blackard responded to that call, and  said “the Lord sent me here.”

A view from the courthouse stairs

“God appreciates you being here in this public space,” Blackard told the crowd.”Terrorists tried to take over our country and they failed. We have all been affected by what we have witnessed.”

There is something that God wants us to say today,” said Pastor Madewell. “And that is that we are free worship and serve God and stand firm in his word.” In the audience, people nodded, murmured “Amen” and raised their hands to the heavens.

Former legislator Kim McMillan and Representative Curtis Johnson both read from the writings of our founding fathers, citing quotes from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln alluding to America as being rooted in Christianity.

Pastor John Renken of Extreme Ministries spoke of the friends he has lost in the post-9-11 war in Iraq; it was the only significant acknowledgment of that new day of infamy, the Cry Out America rally was advertised as a 9-11 ceremony.

“God opened every door to me,” Beverly Blackguard said in explaining how the rally came together and this “public” place came to be used for this event. Montgomery County provided chairs for seating at the foot of the courthouse stairs, and a sound system carried the speeches and prayers through the courthouse site and into the streets.

The program included two semi-secular songs, America the Beautiful and God Bless America, and the Christian hymn How Great Thou Art.

Participating in the event were Dr. Dennis Pulley, Missions Director of Cumberland Baptist Missions; Pastor Michael Madewell of Mount Hermon Baptist Church; Pastor Jimmy Terry of Tabernacle Baptist Church; Pastor Skip Armistead of Hilldale United Methodist Church; The Honorable Kim McMillan, former Tennessee House of Representatives and affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church; Rev. Dr. Lenoir Culbertson of the Madison Street United Methodist Church; Pastor Jorge Garcia of Iglesia Bautista La Roca Eterna; Pastor Martin Alexander of New Light Missionary Baptist Church; Representative Curtis Johnson; and Pastor John Renken of Xtreme Ministries.

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Special guests include Kim McMillan, former Majority Leader, Tennessee House of Representatives; Joe Pitts, Tennessee State Representative (District 67); Wade Mundy, Communications Director, Tennessee State Democratic Party; and Jerry Lee, Tennessee AFL-CIO Union President.

This event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $10 and up. RSVP at the local Clarksville for Obama website.

For additional information, call 931-378-1999.

Signing in for the day's event

Democrats from five counties flocked to the Hand Farm in Montgomery for the annual “Labor Day” barbecue and party rally. The event, which is coordinated by the Montgomery County Democratic Party and held each year on the first Saturday after the national holiday, is designed to celebrate Labor in the form of unions and workers. It jumpstarts the “politicking” that will dominate the ensuing two months before the 2008 Presidential election. Participating counties included Montgomery as the host county, with Cheatham, Robertson, Davidson and Williamson Counties throwing their support to the event.

Kim McMillan, the first woman elected as majority leader of the State House of Representatives, emcee’d the event, which presented an array of guest speakers including Congressman Lincoln Davis of Tennessee’s 4th District, Gray Sasser, Chairman of the state Democratic Party; Tennessee AFL-CIO President Jerry Lee; State AFL-CIO Organizing Director Stuart Acuff; U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Tuke; and U.S. 7th Congressional District Candidate Randy Morris.

Intent on the Message

Opening ceremonies included the Nashville Firefighters Color Guard, the singing of the National Anthem, an Invocation by Jerry Maynard, and the presentation of an award to Lt. Governor John Wilder.

Honorary Celebration Chairs were filled by Congressmen John Tanner, Bart Gordon and Jim Cooper, Senator Jo Ann Graves and Representative Joe Pitts.

The days festivities included the traditional all-you-can-eat chicken barbecue. Candidates and organizations either had booths or were visiting bootha and taking the time to speak with constituents. The first local distribution of Obama yard signs began at this event, with Clarksville For Obama campaigners assembling the signs throughout the day.

This event was first present in 1996 as a Unity Dinner that attracted several hundred attendees. In 1998 it became the Truman Day Celebration, and in 1999, having outgrown its original site of the Jaycee Building, the celebration moved to the Hand Farm.  Six years ago the event evolved yet again to the Middle Tennessee Labor Day Celebration.  It is the only such event in Tennessee celebrating Labor Day, Labor Unions, and the working men and women of Tennessee.

Photos by Bill Larson

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This seventh anniversary of the 21st century “day of infamy” will be noted and memorialized Thursday by local officials and clergy from many of the city’s churches, who will gather at the Montgomery County Courthouse lawn for a “Cry Out America” rally.

Numerous clergy and elected representatives will blend their voices to mark the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 with an interdenominational  “Cry Out America” prayer gathering on the Montgomery County Courthouse lawn from noon to 1 p.m.  The event will move to Madison Street Methodist Church in case of inclement weather. Similar gatherings, coordinated by the Awakening American Alliance, will be held across the country and are being publicized by Christian broadcasting networks nationwide.Speakers for the event include 68th District state Rep. Curtis Johnson, 67th District state Rep. Joe Pitts, Kim McMillan, former state House majority leader, and representatives of local clergy, including Dennis Pulley, Cumberland Baptist Association director of missions; Hilldale United Methodist Pastor  Skip Armistead, New Light Missionary Baptist Church Pastor  Martin Alexander, Madison Street United Methodist Church Pastor Lenoir Culbertson, Mount Hermon Baptist Church Pastor Michael Madewell, Tabernacle Baptist Church Pastor Jimmy Terry, Clarksville Church of God Pastor Paul Nolan, and Iglesia Bautista La. Pastor Jorge Garcia.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Awakening America Alliance, in promoting this event and their The Awakening America Alliance is a cooperative initiative within the body of Christ to increase awareness of the deep spiritual need in today’s America and to pursue a new Christ awakening in our nation that will impact our world.

The Awakening America Alliance, in their website information, says they will:

• Provide a broad umbrella under which the body of Christ in America can unite together in seeking a contemporary spiritual awakening.
• Issue a wake-up call for revival in the church and a Christ awakening in the nation by utilizing unified activity, various forms of media, and highly visible events.
• Collaborate together in prayer, fasting, and God inspired action to impact the nation’s non-Christian population.
• Challenge today’s church in welcoming and discipling new generations of American youth.

When Democrats from five Tennessee counties gather at the Charles Hand farm, Ben Johnson is sure to be there with his campaign buttons, lapel pins, and bumper stickers. Johnson, who lives in Lebanon, Tennessee, was quick to point out that he makes his wares “for democrats only,” and will use only Union vendors to print his products.

In fact, the theme of the day was a strong support of Unions throughout the area. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents Trane workers locally, was a major sponsor of today’s event.  The strong Union presence was in honor of the Labor Day event.

According to the Department of Labor, Labor Day was first celebrated in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. By 1894, the US Congress had passed its recognition of Labor Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on the first Monday of September of every year.

The Ballistic Pintos of Old Hickory, TN performs at the Charles Hand Farm. Photo by David W. Shelton

The strong Union presence was matched by a sincere excitement of area Democrats who had a single mission in mind for next November’s election, as voiced by Kim McMillan, senior advisor to Governor Phil Bredesen: “Tennessee is and will be a blue state.” This was a message that was voiced by nearly everyone who spoke at the event.

Speakers were quick to point out that their mission wasn’t to put an end to the Bush regime, but rather send home those who they say “empowered” him. One target is the US Senate seat currently occupied by former governor Lamar Alexander. McMillan introduced Mike McWhorter, the son of another former governor—Ned McWhorter—as a possible candidate. His mission, McMillan said, would be to “send Lamar and that plaid shirt back home.”

McWhorter has not officially announced his candidacy, but said that he was seriously considering the option. He pointed out several issues that he would address, including the war in Iraq, which came up often throughout the night. Republican policies in Iraq, he said, “are wrong.” He also said that the current administration is “mortgaging our country’s future” with an “out-of-control” national debt.

Tennessee’s Democratic party president Gray Sasser addressed a general excitement for the future for the party in the state, and said that the party’s primary goal is “to make darn sure that no red pickup truck will ever get anywhere near the White House next November.” The reference was to the popular “red pickup truck” senatorial campaign led by former Republican US Senator Fred Thompson, who announced his candidacy for the Presidency this week.

Other speakers for the event were 5th District Congressman Jim Cooper, TN AFL/CIO president Jerry Lee, and the keynote address was provided by the R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President of the IAM union. Buffenbarger has served as president of that union since 1997.

The day wasn’t all speeches and rhetoric, though. Music was provided by the Ballistic Pintos, a country group out of Old Hickory, Tennessee. The group featured drummer Richie Albright who often played with Waylon Jennings, and vocals by Bobby Keel.

State Senator Rosalind Kurita talks with attendees at the Labor Day Celebration. Photo by David W. Shelton

There was a dart competition between unions, for which a trophy was awarded to the United Auto Workers, who apparently “played only slightly less badly that everyone else.”

Attendees had an opportunity to vote for their nominee for the President of the United States of America. In an informal (and unofficial) straw poll, Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite, with John Edwards coming in second.

The day wasn’t without its lighter moments, which featured “the world’s smallest horse,” as described by his owner, local attorney Kevin Kennedy. He said that the miniature dwarf horse, “Twinkie the Wonder Horse,” is only 46 pounds and 16 1/2” tall. The equine miniature was a star attraction, drawing children from all over to pet a horse that was far smaller than they were.

Clarksville electrician Bill Edmonson provided democratic spirit by donning a donkey mask, which he kept on throughout the speeches. Edmonson offered plenty of applause and “thumbs ups” for the speakers.