NASHVILLE - More than 550 Republican leaders, including Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, are endorsing Republican gubernatorial nominee, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, the Haslam campaign says.
The includes all Republican members of the General Assembly, the GOP State Executive Committee and leaders representing all 95 counties, the campaign said.
"Mayor Haslam knows what it means to create jobs in the private sector and recruit jobs in the public sector," Ramsey said in the news release. "He's done it before, in business and as mayor, and he'll bring that unique experience to the governor's office. I trust Bill Haslam to make the tough decisions - the right decisions - in the challenging times ahead."
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Haslam "will fight for Tennessee values and fight to protect your pocketbook."
Tennessee Republican Party Chris Devaney said with Haslam at the top of the ticket, state Republicans "are in a great position to build on our majorities in the Tennessee House and Senate, as well as win a majority of our congressional delegation."
Haslam faces Democrat Mike McWherter in the Nov. 2 general election.