Art Rhodes, a GOP candidate in the 3rd District congressional race, said he wants to combat “runaway federal spending” and that he has the experience in Washington and in business to be an effective congressman.
Mr. Rhodes, of Cleveland, Tenn., visited with the Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial board on Thursday.
Chief operating officer of a retirement and investment business, he said he would not back privatizing some or all of Medicare and Social Security as some of his fellow candidates have. He said there are multiple ideas for reforming the government spending programs.
Until the people who receive Social Security and Medicare are given a clearer understanding of what privatization would do to the programs, “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said.
Mr. Rhodes’ resume includes being a Republican observer in West Palm Beach, Fla., for the Bush/Gore presidential recount in 2000. He said the second term of President George W. Bush was an “utter failure” in terms of fiscal responsibility.
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He also backs a list of standard conservative platforms, including being pro-life, pro-gun rights and stopping illegal immigration.
Mr. Rhodes was a chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Mike Parker, R-Miss., who was elected as a Democrat in 1988 and switched parties in 1995.
Chip Forrester, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, said Mr. Rhodes is “not very far on our radar screen,” though he agrees with Mr. Rhodes’ opinions about President Bush.
“It seems to me, having worked for a Democratic congressman who switched parties, it sort of has the feeling of an opportunist, someone who doesn’t have the core values he sticks with and, in addition to that, it doesn’t sound like there’s anything that distinguishes him from the rest of them,” Mr. Forrester said.
Dr. Richard Wilson, a professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who said he votes in the Democratic primary, said he doesn’t view Mr. Rhodes as a front-runner in the race.
“I think he has a more mainstream and more acceptable general election strategy,” Dr. Wilson said of Mr. Rhodes comments on Social Security.
Art Rhodes
* Age: 49
* Occupation: CEO of a pension plan
* Fundraising: $150,000
3RD DISTRICT CANDIDATES
* Republicans
Tommy Crangle, Chuck Fleischmann, Tim Gobble, Harvey Howard, Jean Howard-Hill, Van Irion, Rick Kernea, Basil Marceaux Sr., Art Rhodes, Robin Smith, Grover Travillian
* Democrats
Alicia Mitchell, Brenda Freeman Short, Brent Davis Staton, John Wolfe
* Independents
Don Barkman, Mark DeVol, Gregory C. Goodwin, Robert Humphries, Mo Kiah, Savas T. Kyriakidis
* The state primary is Aug. 5.
Source: Tennessee Department of State
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