U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, a five-term Republican congressman running for Barack Obama's former Senate seat in Illinois, is resurrecting the idea of selling off the Tennessee Valley Authority to cut the federal debt.
But Tennessee Republicans don't appear to be embracing the idea of selling the government-owned utility. U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the co-chairman of the TVA Congressional Caucus and the chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, praised TVA at a recent ceremony swearing in the agency's new directors. Alexander said TVA helped boost personal income in the Tennessee Valley from only 48 percent of the U.S. average when TVA was established in 1933 to 82 percent of the U.S. average today.
Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney said he hasn't heard any GOP candidates in Tennessee supporting the idea of selling TVA and thinks most would be wary of the idea given the hostile reception to the idea in the past.
"That idea didn't work out too well for Barry Goldwater," Devaney recalled.
Goldwater, a conservative Arizona Republican, lost in a landslide to President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
Tea Party endorses Kyriakidis
The Chattanooga Tea Party this week endorsed independent 3rd Congressional District candidate Savas Kyriakidis, according to a news release from Mark West, local tea party president.
"Savas' commitment to his faith, the Constitution, conservative values and principles and the people of the 3rd District is without dispute," West said in the release. "Further, in a time when both parties have failed the American people, we believe that Savas' independent voice will enable him to champion the needs of the 3rd District."
Kyriakidis is co-owner of the Acropolis Restaurant at Hamilton Place and now serves as the command judge advocate for the 20th Special Forces Group.
Representatives for Republican 3rd Congressional District candidate Chuck Fleischmann had no comment. John Wolfe, the Democratic 3rd District candidate, did not return messages seeking comment Thursday.
Greek philosophy lives in congressional race
As a lawyer, a Greek and a restaurant owner, Kyriakidis says he is used to talking.
His Acropolis Restaurant near Hamilton Place is a frequent meeting place where he and others end up talking about everything from his mission to distribute Bibles in Africa to his conservative candidacy as an independent candidate.
Kryiakidis insists there is something in the identity of his restaurant, which is named after the monument in Athens, Greece.
"The Acropolis has been the center of politics and religion for 5,000 years, and it's not going to stop now," Kyriakidis quipped.
Fleischmann picks up endorsements
Despite criticism from some conservative Republicans running as independent candidates this year, Chattanooga attorney Chuck Fleischmann continues to pick up endorsements of elected officials across Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District.
State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Chattanooga, said Fleischmann "will represent the conservative values of the Republican Party; smaller government, lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, secure borders, and support of our 2nd Amendment rights."
The election is Nov. 2.