Posted on 08/06/2020 4:26:37 AM PDT by RandFan
(CNN) Last year, President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Bill Hagerty, his former ambassador to Japan, to be the next Senator from Tennessee before he even announced his campaign. That should've been enough in a conservative state where Republicans overwhelmingly approve of the President.
But the GOP's primary election on Thursday to replace retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander has turned into a bitter, competitive contest between Hagerty and a conservative challenger, Dr. Manny Sethi, over who can be Tennessee's Trump.
Hagerty and Sethi have campaigned as Trump loyalists, even though they've both found things in each other's backgrounds to try to suggest otherwise. Hagerty founded a private equity firm and served as the state's economic commissioner under former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. Sethi, who talks about being the son of first-generation immigrants from India, is an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who founded the non-profit organization Healthy Tennessee.
Trump himself has intervened in the primary, reminding voters of his endorsement in a tweet last week and agreeing to a tele-town hall with Hagerty on the eve of the primary. In announcing the event, Hagerty called Trump "America's greatest President."
The divisive race has extended to the Senate Republican conference. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul have stumped for Sethi. And the Protect Freedom PAC, a group aligned with Paul, has spent over $1.2 million on ads supporting him. In one spot, Paul says directly to the camera, "Tennessee is too conservative a state to keep sending Democrats in Republican clothing to represent Tennessee."
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
We will see TONIGHT.
GOA has endorsed Dr Manny. This is going to be interesting. Despite President Trump’s endorsement, I’m very suspicious of a Mitt Romney RINO plutocrat making the right noises, but not ready to vote conservatively. I can at least respect a working surgeon with strong pro-gun sentiments. Hoping for Dr. Manny Sethi to win.
I’m in TN. The “sign” indicators are about 50/50. It’s going to be close, but I think Dr. Manny may pull it off. Either way, we win.
Amazing this is getting national attention. If you told me that a few weeks ago I would have laughed!
Good luck to Manny it would be a big story if he does it.
Voted for Dr. Manny and hope he wins. But will vote for Hagerty if he wins. I’m just glad to be rid of Lamar!.
I voted Manny. I think all we get with Hagerty is another Alexander or Corker.
Early voted for Manny.
Thank you for your sanity and maturity.
I've been having a "obama, whore bed wetting contest" with a group of TN purists, that want manny to win so badly, that even if he loses in the primary, they will throw away their general election vote on him in November.
Just nuckin futz.
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