U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais
State senator Jim Tracy speaks in this file photo.WASHINGTON – Sex, abortions and civil penalties: Sound like the makings of a negative ad?
To most politicians, yes. Still, two men in a prime position to stir the pot and produce powerful 30-second TV commercials say they likely will refrain in their campaigns to unseat U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais — arguably the federal legislator with the most baggage in Tennessee and possibly the South.
State Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, and state Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, are challenging DesJarlais in next year’s 4th District Republican primary.
The second-term incumbent, a physician fined $500 last week by the state’s medical board, continues to battle charges of unethical behavior. According to the board’s findings, he had sex with two of his patients in 2000. Ten years later, he successfully campaigned as an anti-abortion advocate. Then in 2012, documents turned up showing he encouraged his ex-wife to get two abortions in the 1990s.
Voters last year knew about the Jasper Republican’s sex with patients and re-elected him. But they only found out about the abortion revelations after Election Day, meaning Carr and Tracy have the first crack at painting DesJarlais as a hypocrite.