The farmer who was supported by many Republican leaders but was also criticized for seeking tea-party support while getting federal farm subsidies easily won the GOP nomination for the open congressional seat in northwest Tennessee's 8th District yesterday.
Stephen Fincher got 35,016 votes, just under half the total, in unofficial returns compiled by The Tennessean. Ron Kirkland got 17,638, George Flinn 17,309, Randy Smith 1,546 and Ben Watts 729. Fincher will face Democrat Roy Herron, who defeated Kimberlee Smith 27,132 to 12,965. The winner will succeed Democratic Rep. John Tanner, who is retiring.
The race has been the nation's most expensive for a House seat this year, The Associated Press reports: "The candidates ... have spent $5.2 million on the race so far, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. And that figure doesn't include another $1.3 million spent by one candidate's brother as an independent expenditure." Robert Kirkland, "co-founder of a national home decor retailer Kirkland's Inc.," ran polls and TV ads, criticized Fincher's $3.2 million in farm subsidies and noted that "10 percent of the wealthiest farmers receive nearly three-quarters of all farm subsidies." (Read more)
No comments:
Post a Comment