State legislative candidates will be among those on the ballot for Thursday's primary election.

The incumbent candidates -- Republican State Sen. Jim Tracy and Democratic State Rep. Curt Cobb, both of Shelbyville -- will be unopposed in their respective party primaries. But each has potential challengers competing for the chance to appear on the November ballot.

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Bedford County Administrator of Elections Summer Leverette looks over printouts from the voting machines to be used Thursday, confirming that they have been "zeroed out" prior to being sealed. Candidates were invited to inspect the printouts on Tuesday morning, but no candidates or their representatives were present at the announced time. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

In the 16th District State Senate race, Democrats Jean Anne Rogers and Dee Butler, both of Rutherford County, are seeking the chance to run against Tracy in November.

"I feel great," said Rogers. "I'm having fun, I'm out there meeting people.

"Of course, I don't know until the cows come in how it's going to go."

Rogers said the economy is the biggest issue raised by voters on the campaign trail.

"Working families are having a hard time making ends meet," she said, "and it's just hard out there."

Rogers isn't planning any big election night event for the primary. "This is Phase One," she said. She will host a small group of supporters at her home.

Butler was also upbeat about her chances.

"I believe it's been going great," she said. "The reason I say that is because there are more green citizens than evergreens. I'm the only one talking about environmental issues."

Butler noted that Tennessee's four largest metro areas are all highly ranked for their pollution problems.

"I am the only candidate talking about those kind of issues."

She said that at on Sunday, voters with whom she spoke were talking about the lottery-funded HOPE scholarships. The state recently changed the qualifying GPA requirement for the scholarship, but Butler asked why a statewide standard needed to be set. Why not, she asked, give each college the ability to decide how to apply the funds?

Butler also said she promotes neighborhood issues such as relations with law enforcement and support of neighborhood watch programs.

The 16th District includes all of Bedford and Moore counties and part of Rutherford.

Tracy, even though he has no competition on Thursday, has been hard on the campaign trail with an eye towards November.

"We're very pleased at where we are right now," said Tracy. "We're working 16-18 hours every day." On Tuesday, when he spoke to the Times-Gazette, he had gone from a morning appearance in La Vergne to a midday appearance in Moore County.

Tracy said the key issues he's been hearing about from voters are the economy, including jobs and gasoline prices; education; and illegal immigration and its impact on local infrastructure.

He said voters are interested not only in the issues but in a candidate's ability to have some impact on the issues.

"People are wanting to know the leadership qualities they have," he said, "the leadership qualities they have to bring about results across party lines. I've tried to do that."

State House

Meanwhile, in the 62nd District house race, Republicans Barbara Blanton and Chris Brown of Shelbyville and Danny Lowe of Lincoln County are competing for the right to challenge Cobb in November.

"I think it's going great," said Blanton, a former Mississippi state senator.

She said the high price of gasoline is a top concern for voters. She said that state officials and voters should encourage Tennessee's federal representatives -- including Sen. Lamar Alexander and Sen. Bob Corker -- to open up more areas for oil drilling.

High food costs are another voter concern. Blanton wants to reduce the sales tax on food and complained about Bredesen's criticism of the back-to-school sales tax holiday, which he said is costing the state $10 million.

"If the Governor wants to save the state $10 million, then he should stop building a party room underneath the Governor's Mansion," said Blanton.

Immigration issues are another concern expressed by voters. The high number of illegal immigrants "really runs up the cost of our school system," said Blanton, because it costs $6,500 or $7,500 per child, depending on whose figures are being used, to operate the school system.

"I support legislation that would require that the drivers license test be conducted in English only," she said. "When (her husband) Ted and I lived in Puerto Rico -- he was in the U.S. Navy for 3 years -- the test was in Spanish only. The road signs in Puerto Rico were in Spanish and the road signs in Bedford as well as all of Tennessee are in English."

Brown, as well, said he's heard comments about immigrants from voters.

"A lot of it is about what's going on with immigration, and the Somalis, and our religious beliefs," said Brown. "Our Christian beliefs have basically been thrown out of the door lately."

He said voters realize that immigration is a federal issue but want to know how Tennessee can respond and make its concerns known to federal issues.

Brown also said he opposes recent discussions of opening toll road pilot projects in the state.

"As a trucker," he said, "I don't believe we need to have any toll roads or bridges."

He was upbeat about his chances.

"I feel fine about Thursday," said Brown, a former candidate for Bedford County sheriff.

Lowe also is upbeat about his chances.

"Things have been going great on my end," Lowe said. "Everything has been positive, but I do think it will be competitive. I think it will be close."

He said voters have expressed concerns about gas prices, energy bills, electric and fuel costs, and "the sense that the economy is dragging."

Lowe stressed his support of conservative principles.

"The hay is in the barn," said Lowe, "and it's time to move on and see what the voters want, and we'll go from there."

Cobb, who will be unopposed in his Democratic primary race, was upbeat about his chances for re-election in November.

"I'm just getting organized right now, but I'm feeling good about it."

He said constituents are interested in education, transportation and infrastructure.

"As far as the education," he said, "we've improved as far as our BEP funding." But he said the state needs to continue to find ways to help local governments meet the cost of education.

Cobb noted that the first phase of widening North Main Street is now underway, with the second phase due to start in January next year, and construction bids on the first part of the Shelbyville bypass to be let this fall.

"We've just got to keep these projects going," he said.

On the issue of immigration, another hot button with voters, Cobb noted that the House passed a bill unanimously to take away benefits from illegal immigrants, except those mandated by courts or the federal government. But the bill failed to make any progress in the Senate.

A Nashville newspaper story this week quoted Cobb on the issue of payday loans and then noted that he later received a campaign contribution from a political action committee representing that issue. Cobb said the bill left a false impression; the contribution, he said, was one of many received at a fund-raising event. He said contributions don't sway his vote and that he's voted against his supporters in the past.

Cobb said he was one of the sponsors of a 2005 bill which regulated the title loan industry, which he said put one-third of such companies out of business. He said he's not enthusiastic about payday or title loans but believes they're preferable to unregulated loan sharks. He noted that the state received only 22 complaints on the subject last year, indicating that regulation is working.

"If they're regulated, at least people are getting some protection."

The 62nd District includes all of Bedford County and parts of Lincoln and Rutherford counties.

On the general election ballot will be primaries for U.S. House and U.S. Senate seats; several yes/no judicial retention votes, a number of uncontested county races, an uncontested race for two Bell Buckle alderman seats, and one contested school board race, in the First District, pitting incumbent Dixie Parker against challenger Robert Allison.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Polls will be open locally from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. at precinct locations throughout the county. Nashville television stations sometimes announce their local start time of 7 a.m. as if it were a standard, but the local polls won't open until 9.