Tennessee's 10th senatorial district has been redistricted to include parts of Bradley County and tilt it toward Republican dominance. State Sen. Andy Berke, a Democrat, isn't seeking re-election in the reconfigured district: He's decided instead to reach for the seat to be vacated when Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield hits the term limit barrier next spring. So there's now a dogfight over the seat in Republican primary, and a less contention contest in the Aug. 2 ballot between three Democrats in their party's primary -- two of whom already hold other public positions which they could keep.
There's good reason for Berke to move on. There's little advantage for him to remain in Nashville, where Republicans rule the landscape. They have overwhelming majorities in both chambers -- and possibly super-majorities after November's election. The mayoral post, by contrast, is not only a chance for Berke to exercise leadership -- it's become a serious political launching pad. Bob Corker ascended after one mayoral term to the U.S. Senate, and former Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam stepped up to become governor,
Given the enhanced odds for Republicans in the reconfigured 10th District, the unexpectedly cantankerous face-off between businessman Greg Vital and long-time GOP insider, Todd Gardenhire, a financial consultant, has gotten the most media attention. The Democratic contenders -- City Councilman Andrea McGary, county school board member David Testerman, and long-time civic activist Quenston Coleman -- have avoided such a row.
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Face it. The issue was Vital's character. He tried to deny lying on his resume. But Gardenhire forced the point:
WEALTHY CANDIDATE
Mr. Greg Vital is running for a place in the Tennessee state senate.
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST
"Chris Carroll covers politics for the Times Free Press.
A Chattanooga native, he graduated from Red Bank High School in 2005 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from East Tennessee State University in 2009.
Chris has investigated violent crime,
AND, MORE RECENTLY, CRIMES OF DECEPTION
hospitals, Red Bank politics and East Ridge politics since joining the newspaper in January 2010." http://timesfreepress.com/staff/chris-carroll/
Candidate Vital was claiming to have experience. Chris Carroll decided to investigate this claim. Since Greg was running as a Republican, Chris Carroll started out with party officials.
REPUBLICAN PARTY: GREG IS AN IMPOSTOR
Like Marti Rutherford, of the Hamilton County Republican Women's Club.
She had this to say about Greg: "Now when all this came up about Greg lying about his education". (http://timesfreepress.com/videos/2012...)
Well, what kind of lies was this politico pushing on the public?
CRUSADING JOURNALIST EXPOSES CORRUPT IMPOSTOR
"State Senate Republican candidate Greg Vital said he's not a college graduate despite saying the opposite in a public forum." (Chris Carroll, Tennessee State Senate candidate Greg Vital says claim about education 'a Freudian slip', Chattanooga Times Free Press, 11 July 2012)
NO DISPUTE ABOUT IT - CANDIDATE VITAL ADMITS HE WAS LYING TO THE PUBLIC
"State Senate Republican candidate Greg Vital apologized Wednesday for "misleading" people into thinking he's a college graduate". (Chris Carroll, Greg Vital's credibility questioned after college slip-up, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 12 July 2012)
So now you know what Greg means when he claims to have experience in "leadership" (see at left). He's talking MISleading.
"GUTTER POLITICS"
Hamilton County Republican leader Todd Gardenhire describes this MISleadership as "gutter politics that denigrate the political process". (Todd Gardenhire quoted in Chris Carroll, Greg Vital denies sending mailer about foe, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 20 July 2012)
The impostor is clearly unfit to represent the people of Tennessee in Nashville.
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