October Surprise?

Retiring Congressmen John Tanner and Bart Gordon each have over $1 million in leftover funds in their campaign coffers.  That could prove to be an enormous problem for state legislative Republicans in the 2010 elections.

If John & Bart decide to transfer huge sums to the Tennessee Democratic Party (and they have done so many times before) or to other Democrat party organizations or even an independent expenditure committee to be spent on defeating House Republican candidates – look out.  In the past, their contributions totaled in the six figures.  But that amount could increase into the millions.  Spread out over a half-dozen or so House races could make a huge impact in who controls the House next session.

There are early signs of this phenomenon starting to take place (for example, a $2,000 to David LaRoche on June 12 of this year from the Bart Gordon for Congress Committee).  More is sure to follow.

It would take a monumental effort by the Republican leadership just to get back to parity if that were to occur.  And as we saw in our last edition (“Hide the Money”), you can thank your Democrat lobbyist “friends” for helping make it happen.

Will they do it?  History says it's likely they will.  Stay tuned.

Love Your Hair (Hate Your Guts)
The Queen Bee with a Capital "D"

Case study: The Windrow Group

Anna Windrow has long been a Belle of the Ball among the Dems, epitomizing the way their lobbyists operate in Nashville. She took a whirl with Phil Bredesen and turned it into a profitable lobbying enterprise. But along the way she decided that only Democrats would be allowed to milk the cash cow she’s created. If you are a Republican, in perfect Southern Belle fashion Miss Anna can smile when she brings in a client to meet you, then go back to her office to scheme how she can get you beat in the next election.

Windrow doesn't even pretend she likes Republicans. Trickling down two paltry $1,000 contributions to the GOP in 2009 (believed her first ever to the GOP), Windrow has saved the vast majority of her largess for Democrats only (over $35,000 the last few years). Windrow is an old hand on the Underground River. In recent years, Windrow has also contributed 100% of her federal contributions (over $20,000) to her fellow Democrats.

"Oh, Lawdy, Miss Anna. I don’t know nothin' 'bout lobbyin' them Republicans!"

Marrying into Money

Windrow's contribution habits extend to her company's personnel practices as well. Unlike those Democrats who try to hire a token Republican or two, she has concentrated on hiring the progeny of two of the most notorious Democrat lobbyists/fundraisers in the state: Dick Lodge and Charles Bone. This has only added to the available campaign cash she has helped direct (exclusively) to Democrats. How much cash are we talking about?

Combined with her own contributions and those of the daddies of her only two employees, Windrow's firm has become the indirect beneficiary of their families' $150,000+ in accumulated contributions to Democrats since 2000.

And what did they give to the Republicans? Exactly $0. Zip. Nada. Butkis.

Faced with the prospect of new Republican regime, Miss Anna is now probably asking herself: "But what will I do? Wherever shall I go?"

Frankly, Miss Anna, we don’t give a damn.

Coming Up:

Praise the Lord and Bless the Statesman’s Dinner. I’ve been redeemed.

See Dem lobbyists trying to buy a second mortgage on their souls in order to avoid being cast out of the Garden of Politics

and

Are you Randy, Baby?