Cleveland's Patten enters race for state Senate

NASHVILLE -- Former state Sen. Lou Patten, R-Cleveland, announced Saturday he is running for the District 9 state Senate seat held by Sen. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland, who recently said he will not seek re-election.

That sets the stage for what could be a major 2010 GOP primary struggle with state Rep. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, who announced in October he intends to run for the seat.

Mr. Patten, a 58-year-old businessman who served in the Senate from 1986 to 1994, said he has the necessary conservative qualifications and experience.

"In these uncertain times, it is vital that we elect capable and seasoned leaders with a strong record of fighting for our conservative principles," he said in a news release.

Charging that Congress is "out of control and assaulting our way of life," Mr. Patten said state government needs "leaders in Nashville who have experience in dealing with state budgets and will look to run government like a business and create jobs by keeping taxes low, regulations simple and improving education."

A former Cleveland/Bradley County Chamber of Commerce chairman, Mr. Patten in an interview said, "I just feel like with my experience and community involvement I can be more effective and help the entire district."

He recalled how as a senator he helped push and secure state funding for local projects such as two Tennessee River bridges, economic development projects and Tennessee's effort to build a whitewater venue on the Ocoee River for the 1996 Olympics.

In more recent years, he said, "I'm not sure we've gotten our share, particularly of some of the road projects. In the past few years (Rep.) Kevin Brooks has been working really hard on trying to get the exit 20 (on I-75) situation resolved."

He said as senator, he would press the case with state transportation officials and the governor, noting, "I feel like I was pretty good with that before."

His news release described him as a "conservative, family man who will vote the values of the 9th District -- limited government, low taxes, Second Amendment rights and pro-life."

The district includes Bradley, Polk, McMinn, Meigs and Polk counties. The seat is considered solidly Republican.

Rep. Bell, 46, was first elected in 2006, defeating then-Rep. Bob McKee, R-Athens, in the GOP primary. Since then, the farmer, small businessman and volunteer firefighter has been involved in a number of social conservative issues at the state Capitol.

In announcing his bid last month, Rep. Bell said, "I want to continue the tradition of having a principled conservative voice in the state Senate."

Mr. Patten, a Cleveland native, is an associate partner with Cornerstone Insurance Group in Cleveland. While in the Senate, he served as Senate Republican Caucus chairman. He also served on the Senate Finance Committee and several other committees.

He is a past president of the Cleveland Kiwanis Club. He and his wife, Debbie, have five adult children and one grandchild. He serves as stewardship chairman at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Cleveland.