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File Photo by D. Patrick Harding
Former U.S. Senator Bill Frist speaks during a Chattanooga Rotary Club luncheon about the future of healthcare in the United States.
Two Republican heavyweights are appearing at separate fundraisers this month for U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a first-term Tennessee congressman facing two well-known challengers from within his own party.
On June 15, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will appear at a Nashville-area fundraiser for Fleischmann. Six days later, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander is hosting a separate fundraiser for Fleischmann in Washington, D.C.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press obtained copies of invitations to both events this week.
The suggested donation to Alexander’s event is $500, while organizers at the Frist event are asking $1,000 per person or couple.
The news follows recent endorsements — and fundraising appearances — for Fleischmann from House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.
But Fleischmann hasn’t secured every establishment endorsement in his quest to defeat two deep-pocketed GOP challengers in Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District — Scottie Mayfield and Weston Wamp.
As of March 31, Fleischmann had $760,000 in campaign cash, Wamp had $436,000 and Mayfield had $416,000.
For complete details, read tomorrow’s Times Free Press.
Chris Carroll covers federal politics for the Times Free Press. A Chattanooga native, he went to Red Bank High School and graduated with honors from East Tennessee State University. Chris investigated violent crime, municipal government and hospitals before taking the political beat. For tornado coverage, he and Pam Sohn won a first-place Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors deadline reporting award. In 2010, Chris won the Golden Press Card Award of Merit and another deadline reporting ...
