NASHVILLE — Republicans Zach Wamp and Ron Ramsey say they are in the GOP gubernatorial race to stay, but each claims the same conservative base. Both suggest the other should consider withdrawing from the primary contest.
The two candidates are in a four-way GOP contest that includes Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons. Mr. Haslam has dominated fundraising and recently advertised on television and radio with a multiweek paid media blitz.
“I do think that Lt. Gov. Ramsey and I both have conservative credentials,” U.S. Rep. Wamp, R-Tenn., said, adding quickly, “I’ve got a lot more juice right now, and a whole lot of his support frankly is coming to me. I’ve got a lot of momentum, and he’s got to make that decision on how long he stays.”
Lt. Gov. Ramsey, the state Senate’s speaker, countered that, “I got half a million dollars more in the bank than he does, so if he wants to get out of the race more power to him. I think he realizes I’m cutting into that conservative base he needs to win because his Washington roots are catching up with him.”
While Mr. Haslam and District Attorney Gibbons also seek to highlight their own conservative credentials, U.S. Rep. Wamp and Lt. Gov. Ramsey are seen more as “movement conservatives” on a broad spectrum of issues, said Tennessee Conservative Union President Lloyd Daugherty.