Haslam won’t attend Reagan Day dinner Thursday

NASHVILLE — Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a 2010 Republican candidate for governor, will not be attending a major gathering of conservatives in Knoxville on Thursday, his campaign confirmed today, citing a previously scheduled fundraising event in Sumner County.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been working on this fundraiser for months and didn’t get the information on the Reagan Day dinner until after the fundraiser was past the point at which it could be cancelled,” Haslam spokesman Jeremy Harrell said in an e-mail in response to questions. “The mayor hates to miss this dinner as it is in his hometown and will draw an important group of conservative leaders from across the state.”

He said a Haslam campaign representative will be attending the Tennessee Conservative Union’s annual Reagan Day Dinner.

Mr. Haslam also is a co-sponsor of the event as are GOP rivals U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville. Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons, another candidate, is not a cosponsor, Tennessee Conservative Union Chairman Lloyd Daughtery said.

Mr. Daugherty said the event will feature a GOP gubernatorial straw poll-like vote. Each table, which seats 10, will vote for their favored candidate.

Some 300 people are expected to attend, Mr. Daugherty said.

Rep. Wamp said last week that while he would like to attend, he may be forced to remain in Washington if a U.S. House vote on a controversial health care overhaul is held Friday. He said he plans to vote against the measure. The Hill newspaper, which covers Congress, reported today that House Democrats said the vote could take place in a rare Saturday session.