WASHINGTON — Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., soon will be facing what he calls the toughest political decision of his life: whether to run for governor.

The congressman has been among several Republicans, including former Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, mulling a bid to succeed Gov. Phil Bredesen, who will be term-limited in 2010.

“I told Sen. Frist that if he runs, I’ll support him,” Rep. Wamp said. “But I don’t know if he’ll run. If he doesn’t, I’ll have a big decision to make between this fall and the end of the year on whether to stay in the House for a few more years or lay it all on the line and run for governor.”

Rep. Wamp, 50, has served in the U.S. House since 1994 and is seeking his eighth term in November. He once pledged to serve for only six terms and supported a failed bill to impose term limits.

But Rep. Wamp, who holds a senior position on the House Appropriations Committee, said he will leave it up to his constituents to determine whether or not to return him to Congress.

“I do think giving term limits are the old-fashioned way, and I think the voters are turning over Congress,” he said. “We’ve got a whole lot of new members. As long as you’re on your toes and show a keen desire to serve and work hard without shortcuts, I think you can let the voters make their own decisions.”

DEAL: MORE DRILLING IS NEEDED

With Congress in a stalemate over what to do about gas prices, Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., said Democrats are wrong to avoid votes on expanded oil drilling.

“Supply is the one thing we can do something about, and it’s the one thing Congress is blocking,” he said. “If Congress would say, ‘We’re going to tap into our resources, even if it takes a while down the road before it manifests itself in the supply chain,’ that would have a big impact on the price of oil.”

Democrats have instead focused their energy bills on alternative fuels and discouraging oil speculation.

DAVIS HOSTS FEDERAL FUNDING SEMINAR

Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., will host his annual procurement and grant seminar Monday and Tuesday at the Manchester-Coffee County Convention Center.

The conference will include information about federal funding availability and grant-writing workshops for small businesses and local governments in Rep. Davis’ district. It will feature speakers from about 30 funding agencies and nonprofits, along with representatives from the Appalachian Regional Commission, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, USDA Rural Development, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and NASA.

“This is the kind of boost a small business owner could use to seize on this opportunity for funding or procurement of government contracts that are abundantly available but not widely known,” Rep. Davis said.

Compiled by Washington correspondent Herman Wang.

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