Democratic congressional candidate opposes PACs, not President Barack Obama

A local Democratic congressional candidate whose top issue is reducing the influence of special-interest money in politics refused this week to criticize President Barack Obama's reversal on that same issue.

Obama this week decided to solicit unlimited contributions to a top Democratic "super PAC" supporting his re-election, a financing method he denounced in 2008.

"I am upset, but not at Obama," said Mary Headrick, a physician from Union County who is a candidate for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District seat.

Headrick, whose written campaign platform includes a call to "prohibit corporate money infusion in politics," said the problem is the system, not the president.

"If you are competing and everyone else has much more powerful tools than you, and you want to be competitive, you need to have comparable tools," Headrick said. "For him not to use tools as powerful as his opponents' is a real quandary."

Enabled by a 2010 Supreme Court decision, super PACs -- separate from campaigns but often run by people close to them -- can take unlimited donations from individuals and corporations, unlike regular political action committees. Much of the money is spent on advertising.

Obama in 2008 said he did not want support from independent political groups, at one point calling such activity a "threat to democracy." On the campaign trail, he railed against special-interest money and stopped outside groups from advancing his cause.

This week's solicitation of donations to Priorities USA Action, a top Democratic super PAC run by two former White House aides, effectively reverses Obama's stance.

Super PACs supporting specific Republican presidential candidates brought in about $40 million last year, while groups that supported Democratic causes, including Priorities USA Action, raised $19 million, according to The New York Times.

Sometimes, gobs of money come from a single couple. Along with his wife, Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has contributed $10 million to a super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich.

"We're not going to fight this fight with one hand tied behind our back," Jim Messina, campaign manager of Obama's re-election bid, told The New York Times.

Weston Wamp, the son of former congressman Zach Wamp, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in the Republican primary for the 3rd District seat, offered his thoughts on Twitter.

"Hope people realize that Super PACs are giving unlimited & unprecedented influence to billionaires and corporate interests in elections," Wamp wrote.

Bill Taylor, the other Democrat running for Congress in the 3rd District, declined comment on Obama's reversal, but took the opportunity to explain his position on industry-backed special-interest money.

"I won't rule out all PAC contributions as an absolute rule," Taylor said in an emailed statement. "However, I will be careful which ones I accept donations from. I approached one today because their interests and my policy statements are aligned."

The executive director of Physician Practice Resources, a Chattanooga-based company that helps doctors manage their offices, Taylor said he wouldn't take contributions from drug companies.

Headrick also said she has not ruled out accepting political action committee donations herself.