By Eleanor Boudreau
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-912602.mp3
Memphis – Roy Herron, a Democrat, rolled into the Tomato Festival in Ripley in a red truck. Ripley is in Tennessee's 8th congressional district, which covers the northwest part of the state and stretches into the middle. The current 8th district representative, Democrat John Tanner, is retiring, and recently endorsed Herron.
Herron has no anxiety about the primary on August 5th, but if he loses in November, his loss will disrupt more than a century of continuous Democratic representation of the district, and could effect the balance of power in Washington, D.C.
Republicans are noshing at the bit to take control, and Herron knows, if he wants to win, there is hard work ahead.
Herron stepped out of his truck and into the parking lot and was quickly surrounded by a team of nine campaign workers, including one of his sons, and his wife. His wife patted a blue 'Roy Herron' sticker onto the breast of his long-sleeve denim shirt; then they were off into the gathering crowd.
If you were at the Tomato Festival on Friday, it's likely Herron walked up to you and introduced himself. It's likely he stood close and shook your hand. Then, it's likely he pointed off towards the parking lot and his red truck.
"It has got about 400,000 miles on it," Herron told voter after voter. "In my family we get a new pick-up every 22 years, whether we need one or not."
After that, it's likely Herron put joking aside. "If y'all send me to Washington, I'll spend your money like I spend mine--I'll be close with it."
Herron made his way up, down, and across bleachers, behind lemonade and funnel cake stands, and into the fray of farmers selling tomatoes with his message.
Lines between Democrats and Republicans in West Tennessee aren't as clear as they are in some other places across the country. Retiring Representative Tanner was one of a handful of "Blue Dog" Democrats who voted with the Republican party, against President Obama's healthcare reform. Herron says that was the right decision, and his message of fiscal responsibility sounds a lot like his Republican opponents.
Herron sees a role for the federal government in creating jobs--specifically when in comes to the I-69 corridor and the West Tennessee megasite.
"I don't like spending, but I do believe in investing," he said. "I will be working to do everything I can to make sure we have the right infrastructure so Tennessee and west and middle Tennesseans have the jobs they need for their families."
Herron said, "I'm a conservative Democrat, but I am a Democrat, because I do believe in standing on the side of the hurting people and the working people, when it comes down to there are big corporations multi-national corporations and folks on Wall Street, who are doing working people and hurting people wrong."
To hear about Republicans in the race click here.