The Democratic candidate in the 10th District state Senate race, Khristy Wilkinson, is accusing her Republican opponent, incumbent Todd Gardenhire, of using “scare tactics” and “slander” against her in a telephone survey.
Wilkinson said she’s had calls from several voters in recent weeks reporting the “push poll,” which she said Gardenhire is using “apparently to test a message and decide how to market his campaign.”
“The questions show a candidate ready to smear a stay-at-home mom rather than defend votes opposing Insure Tennessee, public funding for education and diversity at our college campuses,” Wilkinson said at a Thursday press conference.
In a separate interview, she told the Times Free Press: “If this is where he’s starting with his campaign against me, it’s only going to get worse. Going up against one of the biggest bullies in the state Senate, I knew this was going to be a low-aiming campaign.”
Gardenhire said he’d done only one poll this campaign season, in August, and said it was not a push poll.