Tennessee: Bill Lee wins GOP gubernatorial primary – IOTW Report

Tennessee: Bill Lee wins GOP gubernatorial primary

FOX:

Underdog conservative outsider Bill Lee upset a crowded field of well-funded, better-known candidates to win Tennessee’s Republican gubernatorial primary Thursday, sending shockwaves through a state where he was down double-digits in polls as recently as last month.

U.S. Rep. Diane Black, who had the endorsement of Vice President Mike Pence, was the clear favorite in the race. Former state economic development chief Randy Boyd, who had the backing of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was widely considered Black’s chief rival.

But President Trump, who has a 56 percent approval rating in Tennessee, stopped short of endorsing any candidate in the race, including Black — despite keeping her by his side and praising her at several events.

Lee, a businessman whose poll numbers surged dramatically in the last week of the campaign, took advantage of infighting among his rivals, as he traveled the state and touted his Christian values while Boyd and Black sparred.  more here

13 Comments on Tennessee: Bill Lee wins GOP gubernatorial primary

  1. “… where he was down double-digits in polls….”

    By this point doesn’t everyone realize that polls are part of the establishment political mechanism? Lee would have had to have been at almost 100% in reality to be shown as having a slight lead in what passes for polls these days.

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  2. The guy did 100 stops in 100 days campaigning… This is what happens when you go directly to the people and ask what THEY want. Going to and from local newspapers and media outlets asking them what the people want is NOT going to work anymore.

    Some people are actually learning from Trump.

    Praise God. /Salute

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  3. Diane Black had HIGH unfavorable ratings among voters and she couldn’t even carry her own county. She’s enriched herself as a “Representative”– has a 20000+ sq ft home worth over $11 million. A close relative was on Randy Boyd’s staff and another relative worked for him when Randy was Commissioner of the Dept. of Economic and Community Development, so I have a lot of insider knowledge. Randy is a quality person and would’ve made a great governor. However, I will be happy to vote for Bill Lee in November.

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  4. Didn’t Boyd give $250k of his own money to the local La Raza affiliate Conexion Americas?

    I voted for Harwell because, if anything, I am the patron saint of lost causes.

    Not thrilled with Lee’s history of donating to liberal Democrats. because conservatives don’t give Megan Barry money.

    No more Haslams, Corkers or Alexanders.

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  5. I don’t recall Black coming forward to support Trump until AFTER she decided to run for Governor. Then her PR ploy was to sponsor a bill to allow private donations to go directly to the wall. As a major figure on the budget committee it seems she could have FOUGHT to make sure the wall was funded.

    Hope Lee is a good guy. Could hardly be worse than his competition.

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  6. It has everything to do with the attack ads. In addition, people are fed up with any of the recycled names. We are looking for Statesmen not politicians.

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  7. Lee gave money to Megan Barry, our ousted adulterous trollop of a mayor, in spite of her support for abortion, sanctuary cities and anti-2A position. Some conservative.

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  8. I wouldn’t vote for Harwell for dog catcher; I’v been watching her torpedo good gun-rights legislation for the last eight years.

    I’m with you Sum Random Guy; I’m tired of watching the same people switch jobs every two years.

    Now if the Tennessee GOP will just support Lee’s campaign…

  9. Rick: You’re right on the 2A issue. I had not even seen that discussed with her. My gov vote was a throwaway. It wouldn’t ever go to La Raza Randy, Black was inauthentic but Lee did well for a first time runner.

    Likewise, I’m hoping that his donations to liberals were just “the cost of doing business”. Karl Dean would wreck this state the way he and Serpas wrecked Nashville.

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