Former Tennessee Republican Party Chairwoman Robin Smith said Tuesday that she will be stopping in all 11 of the counties in the state’s 3rd congressional district for a major announcement today.
Ms. Smith has said she is leaning toward running for the U.S. House seat now held by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., but she has not formally announced her candidacy. Rep. Wamp is running for governor.
Mark Winslow, Mrs. Smith’s chief of staff at the state party, who was listed on the release, stopped short of saying whether Mrs. Smith plans formally to announce a campaign.
“Like I said, we’ll let that play out,” Mr. Winslow said. “But I’d say you can pretty much divine where this is going.”
According to the news release, Mrs. Smith’s first stop will be at 7 a.m. at New York Restaurant in Copperhill. After a 9 a.m. stop at the Little Old Fort Inn in Cleveland, Tenn., she will be in Chattanooga at noon at Wally’s Restaurant at 1600 McCallie Ave.
She then heads north, hitting stops in Meigs, Rhea, Roane, Jefferson, Grainer, Anderson, Union and Claiborne counties.
Other Republicans who have declared they are running include Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble, Chattanooga attorney Chuck Fleischmann, Chattanooga engineer Tommy Crangle and Cleveland businessman Art Rhodes.
Democratic candidates include former Tennessee Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Paula Flowers of Oak Ridge and Chattanooga computer systems analyst Brent Benedict.
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