Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Haslam said today that the statewide campaign chairman of his former GOP rival, Bill Gibbons, is now supporting his effort and has agreed to serve as a statewide campaign co-chairman.
In its news release, Knoxville Mayor Haslam’s campaign said former Gibbon’s campaign chairman David Kustoff and several other former Gibbons supporters joined him at the opening of Mr. Haslam’s Memphis campaign headquarters.
“Bill Haslam has the experience, intelligence and temperament needed to be an outstanding Governor,” Mr. Kustoff said.
Mr. Kustoff served as the state campaign manager for the Bush-Cheney 2000 presidential campaign, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s general election chairman in 2002 and state chair for Bush-Cheney ’04.
The Haslam campaign sought to portray the move as a sign of growing Republican support, saying “voters are quickly gravitating toward the only candidate in the race with a proven record of conservative executive leadership.”