Tracy faces Democratic challenge

Friday, May 9, 2008
By John I. Carney

State Sen. Jim Tracy
(Official legislative portrait)
[Click to enlarge]

State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) faces a challenge from either Dee Butler or Jean Anne Rogers, both Democrats from Murfreesboro, this November, depending on the outcome of the Aug. 6 Democratic primary.

Lt. Gov Ron Ramsey, a Republican, told Republicans in Marshall County last Saturday that the Democratic Party plans to target Tracy and urged them to contribute to his campaign.

"I don't know if it's a target race or not, really," Tracy told the Times-Gazette on Thursday. "That's not for me to decide.

"I was elected to represent all the residents of the 16th district -- Republicans, Democrats, men, women and children, and I think I've done that."

Tennessee Democratic Party spokesman Wade Munday didn't have much reaction to the idea that the 16th District was being targeted.

"I don't know if it's any more of interest than any of the other state seats that are coming up," said Munday.

"We have an A-list candidate in Jean Ann Rogers," said Mark Brown, communications director for the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus. "We feel that this is a winnable seat. It's a swing district.... Frankly, we feel like the people of Senate District 16 are looking for a change."

The 16th District includes Bedford and Moore counties and parts of Rutherford County. Prior to Tracy's election four years ago, the Senate seat had been held for years by a sequence of Murfreesboro Democrats -- including John Rucker, Andy Womack and Larry Trail.

Rogers attended Bedford County Democratic Party's annual banquet last month, as was Womack, who said he would like to see the seat back in Democratic party hands.

Tracy said that he is preoccupied right now with finishing the current legislative session and doing his own campaigning and isn't yet concerned with whom he will face in the fall.

"I'm working hard right now to get through [the] session," said Tracy.

Comments

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Jim Tracy promised to take care of all these Chicken trucks that go way over the speed limit here on 64 east...He said that 64 east would have more state troopers out here to stop them from speeding...But he has not follwed thru at all with it...Several times his office has been called about this problem and nothing is ever done about it...These truck fly down 64 east and they will run you over...Just last week one came around the curve way to fast and came over into the other lane and almost hit me head on...The truck never slowed down and I had to go off the side of the road.....Our own mail carrier has almost been hit several times..A teacher from Cascade school wife was almost killed last year on this same road by a logging truck...You have to say a prayer to God before you even get in your car to drive this road asking him to get you were you are going and back home safe when you travel this road....It is TERRIBLE and no one seems to want to do anything about it....

-- Posted by rebelrose on Sat, May 10, 2008, at 10:54 AM

Senator Tracy has done several wonderful things for the city of Shelbyville. Why would we as members of this community want to put another Democrat from Murfreesboro back into that seat. Mr. Munday said he feels the 16th district wants a change, we are currently in that change. That seat has been held by a Democat from Murfreesboro for as long as I can remember. We need to continue with the current change we are working on now, and keep someone who does care about the city of Shelbyville, Bedford, Rutherford, and Moore Counties in that seat.

-- Posted by dubbya :-) on Mon, May 12, 2008, at 1:07 PM

Our legislators no doubt are besieged with call after call of which they have no jurisdication. They simiply enact and pass legislation, they do not enforce it. Speeders, paving, garbage collecting, overweight trucks, all have department heads in charge of those type of operation. I doubt Tracy is qualified to run a radar gun...Ever thought about calling local or state law enoforcement

-- Posted by Tbrew on Mon, May 12, 2008, at 7:16 PM

Dee Butler is a candidate running for the 16th District Senate seat as well, and I definitely believe that she deserves an "A+" rating when listing candidates! Not only is she experienced, but she is running on a platform of Health: healthy communities, healthy neighborhoods, and a healthy planet. The Butler family has been farming in this state for over one hundred years. Not only is she a NATIVE Tennessean, Dee Butler, has shown that she has not only a firm footing in Tennessee's agricultural past, but a firm grasp of what it takes to help TN to stay competitive and thrive well in to the twenty-first century. I say vote Dee for Tennessee!

-- Posted by recycler on Thu, Jun 26, 2008, at 12:56 AM

What is wrong with you people? Doesn't anybody realize that there is another candidate besides this Jean Ann Roger whom I might add threw her hat in at the last minute. I have been following the campaign of Dee Butler and yes, she is a little "off the cuff" of what we normally have in a candidate but she is the one who is the A list candidate. People, let's stop going on a name and support the candidate that is the most qualified!

All I am asking is that we at least acknowledge all candidates in any race. Get it together, Democratic Party!

-- Posted by edf2a@comcast.net on Thu, Jun 26, 2008, at 8:35 AM