The thrill of victory for State Senator-elect Tim Barnes

In the primary, Kurita topped Barnes by 19 votes, and that contested race was overthrown by the State Democratic Executive Committee, which in turn passed the choice of nominee to the local Democratic committees. Barnes became the Democratic nominee in a 61-4 vote.

Rep. Joe Pitts, with his wife, Cindy Pitts

In Cheatham County, Barnes gathered 7,113 to Kurita’s 6,097. Houston County tallied 1,907 to Kurita’s 1,079.

The total tri-county count was 36,978 to 22, 869 to elect Barnes as the new state senator.

Barnes joined a gathering of family, friends, and campaigners at the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville, where he waited for the number to trickle in.  State Representative Joe Pitts said he was “pleased and proud” to see Barnes win the senate seat.

“Tim has a heart for people. He is a man of his word and has always put people first. This will be anexciting time for the people of Montgomery County.”

Incumbent Sen. Rosalind Kurita explains the write-in process to early voter Tom Altman

As I was campaigning for Senator Kurita to educate people about how to vote for a write-in candidate yesterday, it was clear to me that the Democratic party is wasting a lot of time, money, and energy of some of their very best people.  All those loyal Tim Barnes supporters (including many good friends of mine) and all those loyal Rosalind Kurita supporters (including myself) would probably be out campaigning for Barack Obama if this controversial Democrat AGAINST Democrat race had not been instigated by the leadership of the Tennessee Democratic Party.

I believe the PRIMARY job of the Tennessee Democratic Party Leadership is to win seats against REPUBLICANS, not their own party.  They are the ones that need to be scrutinized here.  Who exactly hatched the plot to run a Democrat against another sure-fire winning Democratic incumbent in Senate District 22?  I know about the Wilder vote; this has to run much deeper than that.

I’m working to elect Senator Kurita based on her voting record.  She’s endorsed by the Sierra Club and other green organizations. She’s rated the highest Tennessee senator for supporting green legislation by the TN Conservation Voters.  She was instrumental in passing the legislation to ban smoking in restaurants in the state and to increase the cigarette tax.  She supported verifiable elections in Tennessee.

I feel so disenfranchised by the Democratic Party action in throwing out the Kurita election that I don’t want to go to the Montgomery County Democratic headquarters.  I guess some Republicans are rightfully laughing at us all the way to the polls/bank.

Senator Rosalind Kurita

Democratic Party executive committee member Rickey Wallace has accused state Sen. Rosalind Kurita  of misusing thousands of dollars in political action monies,a charge which which Kurita reportedly acknowledged with the addendum that the errors had be corrected.

This information comes on the heels of the dismissal and subsequent appeal of incumbent Kurita’s lawsuit and in tandem with a write-in campaign for her Senate District 22 seat.

Kurita maintains she won the tri-county (Montgomery, Cheatham and Houston) primary race with a 19-vote margin, though the state Democratic Executive Committee overturned that election and place the decision on a Senate nominee in the hands of the counties’ executive committees. They in turn voted 61-4 for challenger Atty. Tim Barnes.

“Rosalind Kurita has committed and is likely continuing to commit numerous serious breaches of Tennessee campaign finance law,” Montgomery County Democratic Party executive committee member Rickey Wallace wrote in his complaint to the state Registry of Election Finance. Kurita, after responding to the charges of financial misuse, immediately rectified the alleged “discrepancy.”

“Of course, it is our desire to comply with all rules, and that is what we are doing. There was a discrepancy, we got the paperwork, we contacted election finance, and we have fixed it.” ~~ Rosalind Kurita

Kurita, in voting for Republican Senate speaker, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, in early 200, created a rift within the party. In the wake of the Barnes nomination, Kurita has launched a strong write-in campaign that has gained Republican support; Kurita write-in materials are available at both her campaign headquarters and the nearby Republican Party headquarters as well.

Kurita filed a federal lawsuit to regain the nomination. The suit was dismissed; her appeal is pending.

Consultant Paid

Wallace’s complaint  accuses Kurita of using more than $25,000 from her Kurita Majority PAC for primary campaign purposes, including more than $7,000 paid to one of her attorneys. The PAC’s records show a payment of  $14,557 to a campaign consultant. Under state law, PACs can give no more than $7,500 per election to a campaign.

Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser, in a press statement, said Kurita is “so power-hungry that she’s flagrantly violating Tennessee’s campaign finance law.”

Kurita  believes she can beat Barnes as a write-in candidate and said she expects negative campaigning for the balance of the ewlection period, discounting the negative “attack” ads against Barnes in the primary. Those adds were misleading in terms of Barnes legal practice.

The lines to vote were as long as last weeks' lines to register; early voting is off to a heavy start!

The Obama/Biden McCain/Palin bout is the headliners, presidential tickets that read like a history-making vote for change with a man who could be the country’s first African American president or what some fear will be a Bush redux, same old same old, in the top slot and America’s first potential female in one of the top two federal slots.

Senator Kurita explains the write-in process to a voter

In Clarksville, it’s the Kurita-Barnes race that has the locals fired up. Senator Kurita spent the day with her political shirtsleeves rolled up, campaigning face to face with the first round of voters taking advantage of Tennessee’s early voting. Kurita, who is running a write in campaign, said today she will continue her hands-on campaigning through the November 4th election, as she works to retain her Senate seat. Although Kurita won the primary race by 19 votes, that part of the election was overturned; subsequent action and a 61-4 vote by tri-county Dems executive committees put Barnes on the ballot. A Kurita lawsuit in this matter was squelched, but Kurita, who was barefoot after eight hours of on-her-feet politicking, and her ardent supporters, aren’t giving up without one last battle, and it is being waged one voter at a time. Her opponent, Atty. Tim Barnes, had a cadre of campaign workers on the scene as well. His blue “Barnes” signs on the right, Kurita’s red signs on the right, as cars entered and left the plaza lot.

[Show as slideshow]

12►

"Write-In Kurita" stickers beside a John McCain figure at Montgomery County Republican Party headquarters

** National Rifle Association, a Key 2nd Amendment group, endorses Kurita in Write-In campaign

**Gray Sasser says the Dems “decided they were not going to let Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and his partisan allies hijack the Democratic Party’s primary process.”

Senator Rosalind Kurita recently annouced she would run a write-in campaign for the state Senate District 22 seat, launching a campaign from new headquarters at 1817 Madison Street.

Kurita won the primary race with a 19-vote edge over challenger Tim Barnes, who successfully challenged that election result and had the victory overturned by the state Democratic Executive Committee. The state body then ruled that the executive committees of the three counties (Montgomery, Stewart and Houston) that comprised Senate District 22 meet and vote on the two candidates. That vote, 61-4, gave Barnes a Democratic slot on the November ballot.

Gray Sasser, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, in a statement released today, said:

After all the talk of mythical smoke-filled rooms, the time has come to clear the air. As readers of (this newspaper) already know, the Democratic State Executive Committee, after almost eight hours of testimony at an open meeting attended by the public and press, decided that the District 22 state Senate primary election between Sen. Rosalind Kurita and Tim Barnes was “incurably uncertain.

In citing the factors rendering Sen. Kurita’s razor-thin margin uncertain, Sasser cited:

• Sen. Kurita committed a Class C misdemeanor on primary-election day when she entered a polling place.
• Voters received erroneous or possibly misleading information from poll workers.
• More than 700 Republican voters flooded the Aug. 7 Democratic primary.
• At the behest of Republican leaders, no GOP candidate even bothered to run in a legislative district that any political pundit would consider competitive.

“In fact, the only backroom deal in this long, sordid saga was cut long before the Aug. 7 primary, when Sen. Kurita went back on her word to her Democratic colleagues and supported Republican Ron Ramsey for Senate speaker and lieutenant governor,” Sasser said. “Unfortunately, this process has become marked by accusations and, frankly, falsehoods. Sen. Kurita had the opportunity to present her case at an open meeting of the state executive committee, and according to rules that both sides agreed to before the proceedings.” Kurita was not present when the Montgomery, Houston and Stewart Councty execs met to vote on a candidate for the November ballot. The deliberations of the executive committee were held in the open, and several executive committee members disagreed with the eventual decision.

Sasser continued, “While I appreciate and acknowledge Sen. Kurita’s previous contributions to the Tennessee Democratic Party and our state, we were confronted with an extraordinary nominating situation that warranted a closer look and, ultimately, unprecedented action. In the end, Democrats took a stand. They decided they were not going to let Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and his partisan allies hijack the Democratic Party’s primary process. The 66 elected members of the state executive committee did the right thing, following the law passed in 1972 and signed into law by then-Gov. Winfield Dunn, a Republican, which authorizes both political parties to choose their nominees.”

Local Dems also took note of Kurita’s apparent leaning toward the Republican political view as cause for concern, with some pundits voicing the expectation that any future bids for political office will come on the Republican ticket, an possibility re-enforced by the appearance of Kurita Write-In materials at Montgomery County Republican Party Headquarters at 1820 Madison Street, a few doors down from the Kurita campaign office.

“In spite of what Lt. Gov. Ramsey and his supporters now claim in their fundraising efforts on behalf of Sen. Kurita’s write-in campaign, the Democratic State Executive Committee followed the law. While some (including members of our own party) may not agree with the decision, those claiming this difficult decision was reached behind closed doors simply did not take the time to come watch the proceedings.,” Sasser said.

Even as Sasser made his case for the procedures in the ongoing Kurita/Barnes battle, the NRA (National Rifle Association) spoke out with an endorsement for the incumbent Senator, who, in her last bid for this seat used a series of ads that included an image of her holding a rifle.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed Senator Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) in her write-in campaign for re-election to the 22nd district in the state Senate.  The group had endorsed Sen. Kurita during her primary victory and has now endorsed her for the general election in November.

“I am pleased at the continued support of the National Rifle Association and their membership. I fully support the constitutional right to bear arms.  It is important that elected officials fight for all constitutional rights, whether they be speech, voting rights or any other of the precious freedoms written into our founding documents.”

~~ Senator Rosalind Kurita

The Write-In effort for Kurita is in full swing both at her headquarters and at the neighboring Republican headquarters. To volunteer for Rosalind Kurita for State Senate, go to http://www.rosalindkurita.com/ or call 931-542-9912

BBC radio's Rowan Bridge interviews Clarksville for Obama chairman Terry McMoore at MCDP headquarters

When the BBC Election Bus pulled into Clarksville, its first news stop was the Montgomery County Democratic Party headquarters on Madison Street, where a steady stream of area resident surged in and out, registering to vote and picking up Obama/Biden signs from a rapidly depleting stockpile (more signs due in Tuesday, October 7).

The BBC Election bus originated its trip in Los Angeles, and is working its way across middle America, talking to everyday Americans and catching the Presidential and Vice-presidential debates along the way. The bus trips end on Long Island, but the teams will continue to feed political news through the election on November 4.

MCDP Chairman Gene Lewis, State Senate Candidate Tim Barnes and Clarksville for Obama Chairman Terry McMoore welcomed the BBC team to Clarksville.

BBC newsman Allan Little poses a question to military wife Lisa Jackson

BBC television crews took the time to speak with several residents, including Lisa Jackson, whose husband is about to deploy to the Afghanistan war zone. Lisa, a first time campaign volunteer who renounced her Republican ties, explained to BBC broadcaster Allan Little why she is so sure Senator Barack Obama “needs” to be the next president.

“The Republicans are out of touch, they have a selfish approach to government. I did my homework, and in my opinion, Obama is brilliant, prepared and capable, he’s the type of leader we need. I am talking aboutt he state of the country, not my own needs. Obama just has the better plan.” ~~ Lisa Jackson

Retired Army Chaplain Rev. Charles Moreland speaks to BBC newsman Allan Little

Vietnam veteran and retired chaplain Rev. Charles Moreland spoke of his two tours as an Army chaplain in Vietnam, from 1966-68. “I trust Obama to the right thing,” Moreland said, indicating that war is not the answer. Moreland, who is quietly active on many fronts in Clarksville, had high praise for the Obama/Biden ticket, and said of Republican vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin, “I’m glad she’s on McCain’s ticket.”

BBC Radio Reporter Rowan Bridge spoke with a number of Democratic volunteers before heading to Republican Party headquarters at 1820 Madison Street, where a similar bustle of voters seeking yard signs, bumper stickers and T-Shirts were politicking through the day. Beside the McCain/Palin promotional materials were write-in vote materials for Senator Rosalind Kurita.

[Show as slideshow]

Some long-time Democrats become “Incurably Uncertain” about remaining in their own party after Kurita’s election win was discredited on September 13. The eight hour session which seemed to most observers to be a sure win for Kurita ended with a 33-11 vote to null and void Kurita’s Senate election win.

When this decision was announced, APSU Associate Professor of Biology, Dr. Joe Schiller, told the officials in the room that “they had been instructed to vote based on the evidence and facts, not on retribution and revenge”. He was asked to leave the room. Feeling disenfranchised, he told me that the whole event was a miscarriage of justice and he is seriously reconsidering his party affiliation. “If it is a Republican conspiracy when Republicans vote for Democrats, that’s a conspiracy I’d like to have.”

“There was no proof. It was a Scopes monkey trial. It was embarrassing”, said Beth Robinson, a Clarksville computer systems analyst and member of The Climate Project. “This reminds me of the Supreme Court ignoring the voting public and handing Bush the White House despite the fact that Gore received more votes.” Beth said she’d like Senator Kurita to explore a write-in campaign and possibly run as an Independent.

Standing room only as the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee hears evidence in the Kurita/Barnes primary election case

R. Neal wrote his view on the case in the Tenn Views web site. He includes a link to Kurita’s attorney’s response to the Barnes challenge, which you can read here or at http://www.tennviews.com/files/kuritachallengeresponse.pdf Neal writes that Barnes filed a challenge, citing a litany of alleged irregularities. Kurita filed a response refuting them point by point. Read the rest of Neal’s article at http://www.tennviews.com/node/3882.

Retired attorney, Alma Sanford was in shock and declared publicly that she is leaving the party and will vote for McCain. In a later interview, she admitted that she would never vote for McCain, but she will also not vote Democratic. For the people who know Sanford and her 49 years of dedication to the Democratic Party, this is indeed a sorry blow.

Alma Sanford with Attorney Robert Rochelle

Democrats scurry to discredit Alma Sanford, who is a Tennessee native.  She won a Humanitarian Award in 1994 for her efforts in defending the elderly from evictions from their homes. Sanford did extensive volunteer work on the Gore and Kerry campaigns, raising thousands of dollars for Kerry. Starting in 2004, she co-founded the Tennessee group, Gathering to Save our Democracy, and she lobbied two or three days a week for four years seeking improvements or alternatives to Tennessee voting machines, from which votes cast are  not verifiable. (Ed: In January, 2010, Tennessee will launch a verifiable voting system.)

Here is Alma Sanford’s letter to Clarksville Online:

“As I sat beside my friend who is also a retired attorney, at the eight hour long hearing of the Tennessee Democratic Party on Saturday, I kept remembering the years I practiced law in front of Judges in a real court setting.  My friend agreed with me after a couple of hours of testimony from witnesses called by Tim Barnes, the complainant, that any judge before whom we had ever appeared would have thrown out the case.  The so-called “evidence” was based on thinly disguised vengeance and the anguish of a ’sore loser.’

The Executive Committee

“We wish we could have heard the Executive Committee members discuss the evidence – or the lack of evidence.  Only three members ever spoke to the ‘heart of the case,’ i.e., discussed the evidence.  One member stated emphatically that he was concerned about setting a bad precedent by throwing out an election because Republicans had voted in the Democratic Primary, when Tennessee is a state that allows open primaries.  He stated that if the election of the voters of District 22 was set aside, that at the next meeting of the Executive Committee, the members should determine how many Republicans will be allowed to vote in a Democratic Primary before the threshold is reached.

“Instead of a decision based on evidence and facts (as Sen. Kurita’s attorney was able to get Tim Barnes to say he wanted), one member after the hearing told me, “The decision would have been the same had the vote been taken at 9:00 a.m. (when the hearing began).”  She said the members had made up their minds because they were still so angry about Senator Kurita voting to unseat Sen. John Wilder as the speaker of the Tennessee Senate.

“Where was the anger of the members of the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee when, in 2004, so many elections for State Senate candidates were lost that the Senate no longer was in Democratic control?  Did any one of them ever express anger at the Chair of the Party?  Did one member express anger at the Chair of the Coordinated Campaign who was charged with the duty to elect all Democrats?  Did any one express anger at the Senate Democratic Caucus Leader because he failed in his job.

Left front: Attorney George E. Barrett and Tim Barnes, second from right

“To date, I have never heard any member of the TNDP or anyone else for that matter, find fault with any of the MEN who held the aforementioned positions.  No one ever challenged Sen. John Wilder when he regularly appointed Republicans as Chairs of Senate committees, passing over Senator Kurita (and other Democrats) as she continued to rise in seniority with the numbers of years she served in the Tennessee Senate.

“I talked with Senator Kurita on Thursday, September 11th, and she had just read my e-mail asking people to come to yesterday’s hearing to support her.  In that e-mail, I had stated that Tim Barnes’ campaign manager told me that Tim Barnes is anti-choice.  Senator Kurita said, “Well he managed to keep that a secret because no one ever asked and he never did state his position on ‘choice’ during the campaign.”  She stated emphatically that she had no idea Tim Barnes was anti-choice.

“I noticed in Sen. Kurita’s statement at the hearing yesterday, she stated clearly, “I am a pro-choice Democrat.”

“The reason I have been so adamant in my support of Senator Kurita is because of a certain hearing before the Tennessee Senate in 2006.  There was a bill (SJR 127) before the Senate that would have sent to the voters a constitutional amendment banning all abortions in Tennessee, even to save the life of the mother.  Senator Kurita made a very impassioned speech, as a Registered Nurse, about how important it is to have that personal decision made by the Mother and her Doctor without interference of any governmental agency.

“As a pro-choice voter, if I lived in District 22, I would much rather have Senator Kurita represent me than Tim Barnes.  However, the Tennessee Democratic Party has probably made sure that will never happen again.

“What a sad day for all who have spent years and many dollars defending democratic principles and who thought that the Democratic Party agreed with those principles.  It appears we were wrong.”

~~ Alma Sanford, J.D. , Antioch, TN

A packed house for the Kurita/Barnes hearing on Setember 13

Other Kurita supporters who came to the session:

Penny Brooks of Ashland City, State Chapter Co-Legislature Chair and Co-Political Chair of the Sierra Club, said that she came in support of Kurita because of Kurita’s outstanding environmental record, especially on energy. Brooks supported Kurita’s election win because she does not believe there were deliberate illegal tactics to determine the election in her favor.

Cynthia Bennett, National Board Member, of Tennessee National Organization of Women (NOW) in Nashville, said that Kurita has been a strong supporter of women’s rights in Tennessee. Bennett came to this panel hearing to show the support of the women of Tennessee for someone who has actually stood in the well of the Tennessee Senate and spoke eloquently against changing Tennessee’s constitution, which was an action to take reproductive rights away from Tennessee women. “Kurita stood strongly for us and we stand strongly for her.”

Shane Ray, Fire chief of the Pleasantview Volunteer Fire Department, came in uniform. He said “She’s hard working and dedicated; a good woman who is open and willing to listen, even when we disagree. She’s honest.”

Kathy Parker of Clarksville said that Kurita stands up for State employee’s raises.

David Borden Kircher of Nashville said Kurita won the majority of votes and to take victory away from her would be unfair.

Russell A. Cain of Clarksville came to support Senator Kurita and his vote. Issues raised are alarming and tend to indicate serious political and ethics concerns, he said.

Holly Quick and Floyd Poston, from Nashville, said they came in support of Kurita’s win and said the election was certified by the state. In addition, they are both staunch supporters of women’s rights including the right to a safe and legal abortion. They feel strongly about  election integrity. Holly was an early and strong supporter of verifiable paper ballots for all Tennessee voters. She is the secretary of Gathering to Save our Democracy.

Also appearing in support of Kurita:

• Marietta Shipley, Attorney at Law, former Judge in Nashville
• Margaret Behm, Attorney at Law, Nashville
• Toby Abrams, Tennessee State President N.O.W.
• Martha Wettemann, employee of TN Dept. of Labor and Pres. of Davidson County Chapter of TN State Employees’ Assn.; Treasurer of Cheatham County Democratic Party
• Dr. James Powers
• Roger Schecter, retired attorney
• Jean Sanford McGee
• Deborah Narrigan, Nurse – Chair of Gathering To Save Our Democracy, Legislative Committee
• Matthew Taylor, Cheatham, Student & worker in Rosalind’s campaign, and his mother County
• Linda Swindle and Penny Brooks from Cheatham County
• Holly Spann, Active in Nashville Women’s Political Caucus and & Davidson Democratic Women County
• Mary Parker, Attorney at Law

I was only able to find and interview a few Barnes supporters at this session:

• Mark Olson of Clarksville came supporting Barnes because Rosalind, in his opinion, is a Republican. She voted for a republican for the senate speaker post.
• Mike Williamson of Clarksville came supporting Barnes because Rosalind’s attitude toward the legal profession and the rights of the accused during the election offended him.
• Tommy Vallejos from Clarksville came in support of Barnes saying it is time for change and that  Kurita sold out the people who voted her in.

My observations: During the session we heard about “potty-gate”: Kurita crossed the line at a polling place to use the bathroom. Witnesses saw her go into the school building where the gym held the polling booths. Kurita admits this occurred, but said she saw and talked to no one and did not enter the voting area. Barnes’ attorney said policy says this could be taken as trying to harass or intimidate voters. Kurita’s attorney produced the policy, which did not use those words.  It said that entering the poll could be trying to improperly influence the voters. Barnes produced no one who saw Kurita inside the building.

We heard testimony from a man who didn’t get to vote for Barnes. Part of his story was that when he went to vote he did not want to choose either the Democrat or Republican Party for voting purposes. Later we heard testimony from the poll workers about the man which gave us a different view entirely. Anyone who has voted in a primary knows you are required to declare your party affiliation.

A big part of the accusation was that the Republicans had deliberately set out to upset the election and its results. We heard testimony from APSU student Democrat leader, Adam Haynes, who said he went to the Republican headquarters where a woman suggested that Republicans should try to upset the Democrat election. Adam had no names and defense declared it hearsay. When questioned Adam admitted his golf club was used in a video on Facebook and YouTube showing a man beating an image of Kurita with a golf club. On YouTube it was titled “A young Democrat takes out his frustrations on Senator Kurita.” The video had been removed from the site soon after it was posted.

Senator Kurita, with her husband, George (l), speak with a constituent at the recent opening of Democratic Headquarters

One of the most serious charges made was by a woman who voted at the fairgrounds polling place. She testified that the poll worker told the man in front of her that Barnes was a Republican. Then she testified that another poll worker told her that “they are saying that to everyone” (that Barnes is Republican). Defense produced written testimony of a second poll worker who corrected the first poll worker’s mistake immediately. The woman in line corrected the first poll worker immediately. The Poll worker who was supposed to say, “They are saying that to everyone”, testified that she did not say, under any circumstance, that statement.

Also provided were written testimonies about an annoying phone call to someone telling them Barnes is Republican, and an annoying prank phone call at an early hour saying only “Barnes”. The “evidence” was given as speculation that his opponent was somehow involved in these pranks.

In testimony from Barnes, we learned that his animosity for Kurita started when he ran for office several years ago. Kurita did not attend his fundraisers and did not raise money for his campaign. Barnes said she did not support other Democrats either. Barnes brought up the fact that Kurita had voted out Democrat Wilder, (91), from his Senate seat, (an issue that put a lot of the wind in his campaign). Barnes also talked about the negative ad campaign that Kurita ran about his job as a lawyer.

The defense attorney asked Barnes if he knew as an attorney that unless evidence was submitted before the case as testimony it could not be considered in a case. Barnes said yes. Did he also know that everything he just said was not submitted and could not be used in the case? Barnes said yes.

People who went to support Kurita by showing up were encouraged by the seeming lack of substantial evidence against her and were subsequently appalled at the conclusion. In the aftermath, there is talk of a write-in vote for Kurita. In the wake of this primary election fiasco, a deep rift has developed within the Democractic Party in Clarksville, and throughout the three counties — Montgomery, Cheatham and Houston  that will be represented by on of these two candidates.

Democratic Executive Committees are meeting Wednesday, September 17, at 7:30 p.m., at the Riverview Inn, to decide which name will appear on the November ballot. That decision could be the final verdict on this state Senate seat, since there is no Republican contender for the seat. The wild card in November would be Kurita running as a write -in  or independent candidate.

Senator Rosalind Kurita, flanked by MCDP Chairman Gene Lewis (right) and Rep. Joe Pitts (left) cut the ribbon to officially open MCDP Election headquarters

With the handicap access ramp’s paint scent still fresh in the air, Tuesday evening saw the Montgomery County Democratic Party, (MCDP), host a jubilant election headquarters grand opening. Party officials, elected representatives and ‘names to remember’ were on hand to mark the event. The ribbon cutting at 534 Madison Street was marked with congratulatory thanks to all the supporters who came out to the event. The office will be open from 2-5 p.m. until the Democratic Convention is over; after the convention, it will be open full time.

New ramp makes handicapped access easy at MCDP headquarters

State Rep. Joe Pitts, State Senator Rosalind Kurita, former House Majority Leader Kim MacMillan along with MCDP Chair Gene Lewis all held the ribbon as a smiling Senator Kurita cut the cloth. With a smooth single stroke, the headquarters doors were open and everyone flowed inside for refreshments. Attendance was estimated to be over 150 persons.

The MCDP will conduct and coordinate all of its 2008 general elections campaign activities at this location. In addition, Clarksville for Obama will conduct all of its remaining campaign activities from the 534 Madison Street site as well. The building sits at the intersection of University Blvd. and Madison Street, across from the Madison Street Christ of Christ.

Several of the regional candidates brought campaign material for distribution to promote their campaigns. David Davison provided lawn signs in addition to personal fans. Ryan Morris also had lawn sign signs on hand. The Bob Tuke for Senate Campaign conducted volunteer sign-up. Rev. Charles Moreland had his “Prayer for Obama” brochures on display. Clarksville for Obama staffers had a table with campaign buttons and car bumper stickers for sale. Also a fresh shipment of Obama ‘08 T-shirts arrived and was immediately opened to a myriad of calls for purchase. Senator Kurita was among the first to purchase one of the Obama ‘08 “Change You Can Believe” T-shirt.

Along with the those named above, also in attendance were County Sheriff Norman Lewis, Clarksville for Obama campaigners Jim and Nan Roberts; Cindy Pitts, wife of Rep. Joe Pitts, candidate for 7th Congressional District Ryan G. Morris, candidate for the State House District 78 seat David Davison, Ward 8 City council candidate David Cutting, Senate district 22 challenger Tim Barnes and his wife Linda, TNDP Executive Committeman Keith Jackson, Dr. Richard Gildrie, Dr. Howard Winn, and MCDP Treasurer Barbara Brown.

Also attending were Clarksville for Obama campaigner JoAnn Latz,Tyrone Taylor-Montgomery County Co-Chair for the “Bob Tuke for U.S. Senate” campaign, Dr. George Kurita, MCDP 1st Vice-Chair Kim Smith, Freda and Donald O’Neal, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member and community activist Angel Natal, Clarksville for Obama Campaign Chairman Terry McMoore, APSU College Democrats President Adam Haynes, MCDP 3rd Vice-Chair Robert Lewis, MCDP 4th Vice-Chair Betsy Ignacio, community activist Virgina Hatcher-Simms along with MCDP Secretary Brenay Poindexter, Horace Murphy and his wife, Dr. Jean Murphy, Caribbean Drums Performer/Instructor Ivin Roberts and Pastor Timothy Grant.

Along with the trays of finger vegetables, sliced meats and cheese, diced fruit, the sheet cake and chilled fruit punch, networking was busily conducted. Introductions, acquaintance renewals and campaign support pledges, well wishes, congratulations and fund-raising abounded.

Upcoming Clarksville for Obama activities include a House Party in Adams, TN on Saturday, August 23rd. More details forthcoming. There will be an “Organize for Change:” Convention Watch Party on August 28th at MCDP Headquarters. For more information on Clarksville for Obama, to purchase t-shirts, buttons or bumper stickers, or to sign up to host a house party, get event hosting assistance or otherwise support the Obama in ‘08 campaign, visit their website: <www.clarksvilleforobama.com.>

The Montgomery County Democratic Party General Membership Meeting will be held Tuesday, August 26th at the new election campaign Madison Street headquarters. For additional information or questions, please contact: Gene Lewis, MCDP Chairman at (931) 801-6209. As the Democratic Party National Convention sweeps to an end this weekend, the MCDP headquarters will swing into action. the MCDP headquarters phone number is 931-552-5523. Volunteers are always welcome.

[Show as slideshow]

123►

Statewide, the senate district 22 race was viewed as a bellweather for future political upheaaval. Many early voters were repulsed by the last minute negative advertising of the incumbent. Now there is a recount challenge and accusations of voter misdirection. Did someone take a page from the Karl Rove ‘Book of Dirty Tricks?’ How will all this play out in the end?

This year, the state senate race for District 22 was one of the most closely watched battles in the state. Media and political pundits all across the state were keen to see if incumbent Rosalind Kurita would survive the intra-party effort of her own Democratic Party to unseat her in retaliation for her betrayal vote in January 2007 which gave control of the state senate to the Republican Party. Would Lt. Governor Ramsey’s fundraising encouragement save the day?

Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis political insiders and pundits were all speculating that her party affiliation switch was inevitable, no matter what the outcome of this election. This battle alone had marked Tennessee as a ‘State in Contention’ for the November election.

Kurita was known to be a aggressive, hardball campaigner. That is a given when one reviews her previous campaigns against Brenda Radford and Wallace Redd. However, many opined that a new low was reached when in the final two weeks of the campaign, character assassination material against challenger Tim Barnes repeatedly starting filling voters mailboxes. These colorful over-sized supercards seriously misrepresented Barnes’ law practice and principles.

The smears were so detestable that on election day, thirty-eight Clarksville lawyers placed a full page ad in the Leaf Chronicle denouncing Kurita for the smear and demanded she apologize for the misrepresentations. Attorney Mark Olson wrote a separate letter ridiculing the senator’s serious apparent lack of basic understanding of our legal system. He called her actions, “shameful, and beneath the dignity, and the honor, of a Tennessee Senator.” Even the Nashville Bar Association took note of the ad as “regrettable.”

As a state senator, she, herself, is a lawmaker. Lawyers work to enforce those laws enacted by the legislature. Thus, the lawyers contend that her assault on Barnes invariably was an assault on her own lawmaking role as well.

Winning by the slim margin of 19 votes, what acts of contrition will she offer? Many early voting supporters were embarrassed by the last minute smear campaign against Tim Barnes. Currently, everyone is awaiting the results of a recount and an investigation of alleged voter misdirection. Will she seek to mend broken fences with her fellow Democrats? Will she fulfill East Tennessee political pundits predictions and finally switch to the State Republican Party? Will she apologize to the legal community for so negatively savaging the legal profession? Thus far, no “mea culpas” have not been forthcoming. At least, not publicly.

Noting that so many of her fellow legislative colleagues are, themselves, lawyers or have close associations with lawyers, should she prevail in the recount, her return to the state senate chamber should prove rather interesting indeed, to say the least.

Incumbent Senator Roslaind Kurita campaigns outside St. Bethlehem Methodist Church Thursday, August 7.

Nineteen votes. That narrowest of margins gave victory in the District 22 Senate race to incumbent Rosalind Kurita, who spent election day campaigning at wards across Montgomery County and the rest of the district that continues to support her. District 22 includes Montgomery, Houston and Cheatham counties. Sen. Kurita was unable to be reached prior to posting the election result.

Kurita defeated challenger Atty. Tim Barnes by 19 votes, a true “horse race” as elections go, with each candidate taking turns at the lead post until the final count gave victory to Kurita. Barnes has said that due to the closeness of the race, he will request a recount.

Voter turnout, including both early voting and the actual Thursday primary, was 11.86%. A total of 5238 Montgomery County voters cast ballots in the two-week early voting period, while another 4486 voted in the August 7 primary.

According to the Montgomery County Election Commission website (10 p.m. 8/7/08), Montgomery County voters favored Barnes 52.02% to 47.96% or 3369 to 3106. District wide, the numbers were Kurita 4477 (50.1%) to Barnes 4458 (49.89%).

Tim Barnes and supporters campaign at St. Bethlehem School on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard

At the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville, Barnes and his supporters waited for two and a half hours as the tally trickled in, first with a victory in Houston County. As the numbers were crunched in Montgomery County, though, the range between the two candidates was at most a one percentage point difference. Kurita ahead by 64. Barnes ahead by 110. Kurita trailing by 20 votes. Barnes ahead by 10. A true horse race between veteran campaigner and the new kid on the political block.

As the final numbers trickled in, victory was momentarily declared in the Barnes stronghold, but moments later a re-check of the numbers brought defeat by the slimmest of margins: 19 votes. A collective exhale sent the air from the room and the initial euphoria of victory died.

This young lady watches as the intricacies of a voting machine are explained

Challenger Tim Barnes, a local attorney, ran a challenging campaign that came to a head earlier this week when a series of controversial oversized postcard ads began arriving at the homes of local voters. The ads challenged Barnes’ legal practice and said he worked on behalf of criminals (drunk drivers, domestic abusers) via his representation of the defendents in such cases. Thirty-eight local attorneys came to his defense (and the defense of a Constitution that guarantees fair and equal treatment under the law), citing Barnes work as an adoption attorney and the rights of all people to a legal  defense.

In other races, 7th district incumbent Rep. Marsha Blackburn won an easy victory over opponent Tom Leatherwood, 1880 to 330, while incumbent John Tanner, 8th district representative, retained his seat with a 1590-5 vote.

A slew of last minute negative media from the incumbent begs the question- Whatever happened to taking the high ground? Is the incumbent so fearful of her challenger’s appeal? After all, as the incumbent, shouldn’t your record speak for itself?

August 2nd was the close of early voting in Tennessee for the State and County primary ballot. The election Commission saw brisk and fairly steady traffic for most of the day. Many citizens are dismayed by tactics that have been attributed to the incumbent, Senator Rosalind Kurita. Phone canvassing is said to have been conducted among Black voters, urging them to get out on August 7th and vote for Senator Barack Obama and Senator Kurita. Since the presidential candidates are not listed on the August ballot whatsoever, this seems a deceptive ploy to solicit the Black vote.

Senator Kurita has not made much of a show in the Clarksville arena. Personal appearances have been low on the general public’s radar. She has, however, bombarded voters’ mailboxes with printed material, including glossy supersized postcards with unauthorized pictures of herself with Governor Bredesen, inferring a nonexistent endorsement. There’s that TV spot that berates her challenger for effectively seeking to collect judgments for his wronged clients.

Her campaign mailings proclaim dedication to helping lower high fuel and energy cost. Having just been appointed to the Governor’s Study Committee on Alternative Energy Technology and Production this Spring however, is not going to impact gasoline prices anytime soon or in the near future. The committee won’t even submit its preliminary organizing report until December.

She rejected the State Democratic Party stance on preserving HOPE Lottery Scholarship funds for only scholarships in favor of the Republican stance to set up a commission to dole out $99 million from the fund for K-12 school construction, focusing mainly on adoption of geothermal heating and cooling systems. There are 95 counties in this state. Recall that our own county commission, just this spring, rejected this alternative system as being too costly, despite its admitted environmental advantages.

Challenger Tim Barnes reminds voters that while she hails the senior citizen home nursing care reform legislation that passed this past legislative session, she, herself, did not vote for its passage. Financial disclosure reports show that Senator Kurita has received large donations from the nursing home industry lobby. They are her largest contributor.

While the senator’s party affiliation is officially Democratic, she did cast the lone vote to deny John Wilder continued tenure as Speaker of the Senate and as Lt. Governor. With that switched vote, the agenda and priorities of her party were placed on the back-burner of the state’s Republican Party bandwagon. Overnight, committee chairmanships were dramatically reassigned. Legislation favored by her own party has been repeatedly buried in committee or rejected on the senate floor. She voted with the Republicans to pass legislation which seriously cut some injured workers benefits under the state’s meager Workers Compensation Program. ( SB 3424- 5-20-04) The good senator has so faithfully supported the Republican Party cause that Knoxville and Memphis political pundits hail her as the GOP’s best asset. State Republican fundraisers have been directed by the new Lt. Governor to support her re-election campaign. One pundit has even intimated that, no matter what the outcome of this election, her party affiliation switch was practically written on the proverbial wall.

Kurita also voted with the Republicans to deny Senator John Wilder’s attempt to save the Tennessee Plan, the state’s method for selecting Supreme Court and appellate court judges. Wilder had heralded the plan as a sound method to shut out partisan politics in selecting judges. Kurita said she considered her vote, ‘procedural,’ not indicative of her stance on th Tennessee Plan. She wouldn’t declare her position on the plan, instead saying, “she’s a nurse and not an attorney.” In summing up the past legislative session, The Knoxville Sentinel has recognized her with its “Best Republican Democrat” award.

Challenger Tim Barnes, a Clarksville attorney with no nursing home industry lobbyist ties, has pledged to remain true to the Democratic Party priorities and issues. He has received the endorsement of many professional, collegiate groups and private citizens. The APSU College Democrats declared their support for Attorney Barnes and a punitive phonecall was placed to the TBR about the group’s action. The Tennessee Federation of College Democrats, TFCD, have also come out for Barnes. Will another phonecall follow their action as well? TFCD President Leah Kirk said, “College Students across the state are tired of the degrading acts of Senator Kurita to the Democratic party’s values and ideals in Tennessee,” Kirk said. “We are standing up for our issues. We need someone in the State Senate willing to vote with and for Legislators who care about minimum wage, HOPE Scholarship funding, as well as funding to allow more Tennesseans the opportunity to attend college,”

Barnes has received the support of the Tennessee AFL-CIO and Clarksville’s Labor Organizations United Together (CLOUT). CLOUT includes the Clarksville Montgomery County Education Association, the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 364, the American Federation of Government Employees, the International Association of Machinists Union Local 1296, the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, the Central Labor Council and the Clarksville Firefighters. Barnes benefits from having the support of the most prominent labor union in the state, which is heralded for their ability to mobilize voters in favor of their candidates.

Barnes’ campaign also has the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, State Association of Firefighters, United Steel Workers, Laborers 386, Machinists District 711, Tennessee Carpenters Regional Council, the Stage Employees Union, Communication Workers of America Local 3808, American Federtion of State County Municipal Employees L.L. 2173, the Building and Construction Trades, the University of Tennessee College Democrats. Additionally he has received support from former Governor Ned McWherter, House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle, Mike McWherter, Nashville Sen. Thelma Harper and Memphis Sen. Beverly Marrero.

Much of this intra-party opposition comes as a result of Senator Kurita’s vote to switch control of the senate to the Republican Party. She said her reason for aligning with the Republicans was because ’she wanted to be somebody.’ Was it not enough to be the District 22 Senator? Well, she is now Speaker Pro Tem of the Senate. This is a largely ceremonial position, true. In theory, she is now the Assistant Lt. Governor of Tennessee, but that is a non-existent position under the state constitution. It would also be another non-publicly elected state office which Kurita has consistently said she opposes. What other temptations draw the senator’s glaze: U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the governor’s office, even? Was this all some form of ‘tit for tat’ for the Democratic Party’s failure to support her bid over Harold Ford Jr. for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former Senator Bill Frist?

In January 2007, Senator Kurita said of her Senate Speaker vote, “It was purely a vote of conscience,” and “I have not asked for anything for myself.” [Leaf-Chronicle, January 11, 207] It would seem that pledge certainly was applied to the Democratic Party, which received only two of nine senate committee chairmanship appointments under new Speaker Ramsey. Former Speaker Wilder had given Republicans four of the nine senate committee chairs under his tenure.

Financial reporting records show Kurita had a substantial war chest with which to wage her re-election bid. The good senator is reported to have retained the services of Fletcher and Rowley, the renown Nashville public relations firm, known for negative advertising. According to the Nashville Post politics blog jam, Sean Braisted said her biggest expense was to Fletcher and Rowley. Nashville media political pundits have speculated whether she was feeling stressed enough to unleash the hounds at Flecther as the campaign draws to an end. Judging by the caliber of her recent campaign mailings, it would seem that she has decided time has come to get down and dirty with this campaign. How else would you explain mailings criticizing an attorney for providing constitutionally guaranteed legal counsel to those who need it?

Many Montgomery County voters found another mailing from incumbent State Senator Rosalind Kurita assailing the character of her challenger, Clarksville attorney, Tim Barnes. This latest mailing seems to be an extension of her proposed ban on advertising by attorneys who accept DUI cases. That proposed ban was ruled unconstitutional by the State Attorney General as a violation of the State Constitution’s and the U.S. Constitution’s freedom of expression and legal representation guarantees.[Leaf-Chronicle, April 27, 2008: "Kurita's bill looks like politics"]

The new mailing attempts to paint Barnes as specifically tailoring his law practice to represent spouse abusers, drunk drivers and repeat offenders. Mind you, the yellow pages are filled with ads by a myriad of attorneys offering their services for a wide of array of legal situations. Tim Barnes has no exclusive lock over legal representation for anyone needing it. Thus, it would seem the declared ‘three strikes’ of this flyer are invalid. Voters must be vigilant and diligent in reviewing campaign material that ends up in their mailbox.

This media outlet is reminded of a previous refrain by the senator when her ban proposal failed, “I’m a nurse, not an attorney.” Fortunately for her, we are all U.S. citizens with guaranteed rights and protections of the U.S. Constitution and Tennessee State Constitution.

When contacted for a response to this last minute mailing effort, Barnes, who is challenging Senator Kurita for the Senate District 22 seat, would only say, “Either this an intentional attempt to deceive the public or an appalling display of ignorance of our constitutionally protected rights in a criminal proceeding.”

Thursday, August 7th, is the State Primary Election. For any registered voter who has not yet voted, please exercise your franchise, in other words, your right to vote and cast your ballot. Examine the candidates and make an informed decision.

Vote. It’s the “American Citizen” thing to do!

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Voters Council has thrown its support to Senator Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 22. The endorsement was made at a rally held at New Providence Outreach Center. The council is a voter advocacy group focused on minority issues.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Voters Council,” Kurita said. “I am and will continue to be a staunch advocate for women, minorities, children and seniors in the state legislature.” Senator Kurita is speaker pro tempore of the Senate.

On the heels of that endorsement, the National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee’s leading small business advocacy association, also announced its endorsement of incumbent Rosalind Kurita in Senate District 22. Sen. Kurita has been a strong supporter of the needs of her small business constituents, NFIB/Tennessee State Director Jim Brown said.

“I am honored to have the support of the National Federation of Independent Business. I will do everything I can to pass legislation that encourages small businesses to grow and continue creating jobs.” — Sen. Rosalind Kurita

Brown noted Sen. Kurita’s co-sponsorship of an important healthcare reform bill, SB 4014, as an example of her outstanding leadership. The legislation, which passed this year, will enable certain small businesses and their employees to join small group health cooperatives to spread risk and obtain better predictability of health insurance rates. Sen. Kurita also voted for regulatory flexibility for small business in 2006, the comprehensive workers’ compensation reforms of 2004, and the CoverTN health insurance program that offers an affordable and portable option for certain small businesses.

Kurita is speaker pro tempore of the Senate. She is vice chair of the Senate General Welfare, Health & Human Resources Committee and a member of the following committees: Transportation, Rules, Finance, Ways & Means, Joint Veterans Affairs, Joint Workers’ Compensation and Joint Select Oversight Committee on Education. She is a registered nurse.

House District 22 encompasses Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery counties. The primary will be held Thursday, Aug. 7. The general election will be held Nov. 4.

NFIB’s endorsement is important for Kurita. Small-business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for actively recruiting friends, family members and acquaintances to go to the polls. NFIB has pledged it will activate its grassroots network on Sen. Kurita’s behalf. NFIB’s political support is based on the candidate’s position and record on small-business issues. Rosalind Kurita’s endorsement comes from NFIB/Tennessee SAFE (Save America’s Free Enterprise) Trust, the political action committee for NFIB/Tennessee’s membership. The endorsement brings the considerable grassroots support of Tennessee’s small-business owners to Rosalind Kurita’s campaign.

Kirk said this was “a difficult decision’; initially the TFCD said that they would not be making any endorsements in partisan primary races. However, it became clear that the active membership of the organization supported Barnes because of his stances on the issues and his eagerness to do the work of and to be the representative of the citizens of the 22nd Senatorial district.The actions of Sen. Rosalind Kurita also played a pivotal role in the decision for the TFCDs endorsement.In 2007, Senator Kurita voted to remove Tennessee’s most senior statesman, John Wilder (D-26 Somerville) for Lt. Governor in favor of Ron Ramsey (R-2 Blountville). For this controversial move, she was rewarded with a leadership position in the Republican controlled chamber. This vote led to the stalemate that exists in the Tennessee State Senate today, as well as the hold up of several important pieces of legislation including issues of Lottery Scholarship GPA and Judicial Selection.

In making this announcement, Tennessee Federation of College Democrats President Leah Kirk said, “Tim Barnes is someone who will represent the students and young people well. He isn’t afraid to stand up for change and gives us hope for the future, our future.”

“College Students across the state are tired of the degrading acts of Senator Kurita to the Democratic party’s values and ideals in Tennessee,” Kirk said. “We are standing up for our issues. We need someone in the State Senate willing to vote with and for Legislators who care about minimum wage, HOPE Scholarship funding, as well as funding to allow more Tennesseans the opportunity to attend college,” Kirk continued.

Tim Barnes is a graduate of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas and The University of Arkansas Law School in Fayetteville. Tim has been practicing law for 23 years and continues to maintain his office in historic downtown Clarksville. He, his wife Linda, and their three children Patrick, Molly and Fergus are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Clarksville. Tim is also a member of the American Red Cross Board in Montgomery County.