The Fightin’ 8th Race
- Dr. Ron Kirkland, a Jackson physician challenging presumed GOP frontrunner Stephen Fincher in this summer’s primary, announced last week that he has raised more than $365,000 (PR pasted below) in his first month of campaigning.
As his campaign notes in the press release, Kirkland didn’t enter the race until January, so he won’t file his first fundraising report until after the first quarter ends. Given the response to Democratic State Sen. Roy Herron’s self-funding from GOP circles that have heavily promoted Fincher, it will be interesting to see how much Kirkland contributed to his own campaign and, if he did, what the reaction will be.
- Speaking of Fincher, the Frog Jump farmer and gospel singer won the straw poll at last week’s Madison County Republican Party Reagan Day Dinner, taking two-thirds of the more than 450 votes cast.
In the gubernatorial straw poll, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp took nearly half of the just more than 470 votes cast. Another East Tennessean, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, who leads in fundraising, took second with about a quarter of the votes cast.
The full press release stated that Kirkland has not contributed ANY personal funds. Just thought I'd supply that info to clear it up.
[...] Shelby County Commissioner Geroge Flinn running for the Republican nomination in the fightin’ 8th, a candidate emerges for the open [...]