Wamp borrowed for campaign

NASHVILLE — In a last-ditch effort to win the Aug. 5 Republican gubernatorial nomination, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., took out $364,000 in loans from First Tennessee Bank during the campaign’s final week, according to his third-quarter disclosure filed Monday with the state Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.

That boosted the Chattanooga congressman’s total borrowing over the course of his 20-month effort to $425,000, according to his disclosure. In all three instances, Wamp’s disclosure states Wamp personally guaranteed the loan.

But in the end, Wamp lost the spirited GOP primary race to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, who won with 47 percent of the vote. Wamp received 29 percent while Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, got 22 percent.

While Wamp reported an ending cash balance of $725,151.15 as of Sept. 30, it is unclear how much of that came from contributions designated for the general election campaign and therefore unable to be used for the primary.

The Associated Press reported after Wamp’s preprimary report was filed on July 29 that of the $783,848 Wamp reported in cash on hand as of July 26, $56,573 was available for the primary. That would have left him with $727,275 he could not use — close to the $725,151 cash balance he reported as of Sept. 30.

Efforts to reach Wamp through his congressional office spokeswoman, Laura Condeluci, via e-mail were unsuccessful. So were efforts to reach Wamp campaign treasurer L. Dan Johnson and campaign Chairman Bob Davis, whose consulting group was paid by the Wamp campaign by telephone were unsuccessful.

An effort to contact campaign finance Chairman Bill Baxter through his company late Monday afternoon was unsuccessful. Baxter’s home phone is unlisted.

Wamp’s third-quarter disclosure shows he took out a $339,000 loan July 29. That was followed by a $25,000 loan on Aug. 5. He previously had taken out a $61,000 loan from First Tennessee on Sept. 30, 2009.

He reported paying SRCP Media of Alexandria, Va., $312,588, with $244,278 of that going for “Media-TV” on July 29, according to his disclosure. He also paid Davis’ group, RJD Group, $23,723, according to his filing.