For the second time in just a few weeks, President Donald Trump has returned to Tennessee. The President is currently barnstorming throughout the country to motivate MAGA/Trump voters to turn out for the midterms. Will his visit to Clarksville, with the clear intent to generate enthusiasm for congressional candidates Matt Van Epps and Charlie Hatcher who have districts that include portions of Montgomery County, move the motivation dial in their direction.
The crowd that gathered in the F&M Bank arena was enthusiastic despite hurricane residual rainstorms, competition with UT, Vandy and Austin Peay football games, and many counties in the mid state in the midst of Fall Break that clearly impacted attendance.
A small but loud group of anti-Trump protesters outside, and one who was escorted out at one point had no impact, despite garnering more media attention than the 5,000 or so Republicans inside.
Tennessee congressional delegation members, along with Senator Bill Hagerty, had some always important private time with President Trump on Air Force One.
President Trump pointed out his federal district court judicial nominee Samuel Adkisson from Chattanooga who was present. Senator Marsha Blackburn is inexplicably blocking his confirmation and has offered no explanation for “blue slipping” him.
Blackburn is reportedly upset that her preferred pick for the lifetime judicial appointment, a career Department of Justice attorney (shades of Jack Smith!?!?), was bypassed by Trump in favor of Hagerty’s recommendation of Adkisson. Is there more to the story? Adkisson’s conservative and legal credentials, in addition to the fact that he is currently working for Trump, seemingly make him an outstanding selection.
During her speech at the rally Blackburn called out her Democrat opponent Jerri Green as a “Radical socialist.” She also termed Independent David Hatley as a “Liberal Democrat,” which is completely inaccurate.
Blackburn’s secretive affiliated dark money PAC has a new attack ad hitting Hatley as some sort of pawn of the Chinese due to some components in his manufacturing businesses producing hot tubs and golf carts being made in China.
The China connection attack on Hatley, similar to the fortune cookie primary attack ad she directed at John Rose based upon supposed Chinese owned farmland in Tennessee, is odd. One of Blackburn’s biggest financial supporters, Chinese based TikTok investor Jeff Yass, put at least a million dollars into her PAC.
David Hatley, who recently held a campaign event at Elliston Place soda shop in Nashville, where Marsha filmed the fortune cookie ad (not in a Chinese restaurant), already has a response ad up. He points out that the overwhelming majority of components in his products are actually made in the USA, unlike the Ford F-150 truck driven by many Tennesseans.
Will the Blackburn PAC ad resonate with Tennesseans who will buy millions of dollars of Chinese made products at Walmart, Costco, from Amazon, etc. between now and November 3?
Steve Gill is editor and Publisher of TriStar Daily.
