BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Having debated issues and qualifications at hundreds of campaign events over the last 19 months, Tennessee’s Republican gubernatorial candidates spent the last day before Thursday’s primary arguing about how they were traveling.
Zach Wamp stopped at a suburban Nashville restaurant and took Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam to task for spending the day flying around the state on a rented plane. The Chattanooga congressman told reporters outside the City Cafe in Brentwood that his travels in an RV allow him to remain closer to the voters.
“We didn’t have the big money, we didn’t have the corporate jet,” said Wamp, who was headed toward Memphis later in the day. “We’re rolling around Tennessee today – on the ground with the people, not flying around.”
Haslam defended his air travel during a stop at the Noshville deli in Nashville, saying he was flying to six cities to reach the largest possible number of voters.
“We actually are taking this last chance to get all around the state,” he said. “We’ve driven 85,000 miles in this campaign. I’ll match up the number of miles we’ve put on with anybody’s.”
A third Republican candidate, state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville, was making several stops in East Tennessee, ending with a rally in his hometown featuring musician Jimmy Fortune.
Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen can’t run again because of term limits. Jackson businessman Mike McWherter, son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, is the only Democrat running.
Wamp supporters huddled in the shade outside the City Cafe and fanned themselves with campaign materials amid temperatures around 100 degrees.
“Thank you all for coming, it’s only 105 degrees out,” said Wamp, who predicted more of the same for Thursday.
“It’s going to be hot, it’s going to be really hot, but it’s going to be a hot day for the Wamp team,” said Wamp, who was joined by country stars John Rich and Ricky Skaggs.
Former University of Tennessee and NFL linebacker Greg Gaines, who lives in Franklin, said he’s supporting Wamp over the affluent Haslam, whom he considers “spoon-fed.”
“People want a plain guy who came from humble beginnings,” said Gaines, who made out a check to the Wamp campaign outside the City Cafe, though he wouldn’t say for how much.
“It may be a little late, but it’s better than nothing,” said Gaines.
Land developer Jim Ford politely declined a Wamp sticker as he walked out of the restaurant.
“I’m with Haslam,” said Ford, 77, of Brentwood. “The best governor we’ve ever had was Phil Bredesen, who was a businessman who had and didn’t need money. Haslam is the same.”
Before being elected mayor in 2003, Haslam was president of Pilot Corp., a chain of convenience stores and truck stops founded by his father with annual revenues of $16 billion.
Wamp predicted a victory on Thursday based on the hard work of his supporters and staffers.
“This team is built like a group of gypsies, all dedicated to a cause,” Wamp said.