By Eleanor Boudreau
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-930337.mp3
Memphis, TN – Republicans are expected to pick up seats in Congress on November 2nd as a result of anti-incumbent sentiment sweeping the nation. But just how many seats--and which ones--is still being hotly contested. Tennessee's 8th Congressional District, like most seats in Congress, is currently held by a Democrat; and the wrestling over that seat is both a concertina of the national power struggle and a dog-eat-dog cage match.
Blue Dog Democrat Congressman John Tanner has held the seat in Tennessee's rural 8th District for 20 years. He announced his retirement December 1st. So there isn't technically an incumbent running. Still, Roy Herron, a more than 20 year veteran of the state senate has inspired the kind of anti-incumbent ire usually directed towards, well, incumbents.
Herron was the only non-incumbent target of attack ads run by the Political Action Committee 60-Plus Association. The National Republican Congressional Committee has also called Herron a lap dog for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and run ads attacking him.
Last week Herron barked back with this surprise announcement at Union University.
"If I'm elected and it comes time to vote for speaker. I will neither vote for Nancy Pelosi nor for Mr. Boehner," Herron said.
The very next day the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee withdrew funding from ads it had planned to run for Herron. Herron's camp says the withdrawal and Herron's announcement are attached. Bruce Oppenheimer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt, says the Committee could have withdrawn funding out of spite, but there are other possibilities.
"Or did they think that their support of him in that district might not be a positive?" Oppenheimer said.
The Republican nominee in the district is Stephen Fincher. Fincher has been in the 8th District race longer than Herron, but he's brand new to politics. He's a farmer from Frog Jump and he began his campaign back in August running against Tanner with the slogan "PLOW Congress." At Union University Fincher said he wants to serve in Congress for 12 years. "I don't want to be a career politician," Fincher said.
Fincher is also running on fiscal conservatism. "I think we need business people in Congress," he said.
There is a poll out showing Herron is the underdog in the race and Fincher is ahead.
Oppenheimer points to some problems with the poll. For example, it's only 10 percent African-American, whereas the district is 22 percent African-American. And the poll is also slightly skewed towards people who voted for John McCain.
"There is still a lot unknown about these candidates, so there is still some volatility," Oppenheimer said.
Any other year it would be shocking that a political unknown could take on a seasoned politician, but not this year.
"There is clearly a difference in governing experience of the two candidates. You know, is that something that helps or hurts Herron in this sort of year," Oppenheimer said. "Herron potentially has an issue which is--do you know enough about Stephen Fincher?"
Fincher took out a quarter of a million dollar loan to help his campaign. But the assets Fincher disclosed as a requirement of running for office don't show anything that could be used as collateral for a loan of that size. So Herron and others allege that the loan is either an illegal campaign contribution or Fincher is hiding assets from voters. A lawyer for Herron has written a letter to the Federal Election Commission asking them to investigate.
Herron is trying to make that issue stick with attack ads featuring hunting dogs.
"That could get some traction," Oppenheimer said. "The question is do you get traction when your party is in control and there is nine percent unemployment in the country."
That question will be answered once and for all November 2nd.