We’ll have BBQ, deserts, and live music for 750+, so bring a friend and spread the word! Let’s give a great 2010 send off to our county candidates - Sheriff Truman Jones, Court Clerk Eloise Gaither, Register of Deeds Jennifer Gerhart, and County Clerk candidate Lisa Harrell.
Sheriff Truman Jones, Circuit Court Clerk Eloise Gaither, Register of Deeds Jennifer Gerhart, and County Clerk candidate Lisa Harrell
Tuesday Night’s Mardi Gras Party at the Murfreesboro Lions Club has been postponed until further notice due to icy roads and inclement weather. Those who have purchased tickets will have their tickets honored at a later time to be announced. Please let friends and family know of this postponed event. Thank You.
The Rutherford County Democratic Party will be hosting a Mardi Gras party at the Murfreesboro Lions Club on Fat Tuesday, February 16th from 4-8pm. Come out and enjoy some Naw’lins style fare prepared by Gubernatorial candidate, Kim McMillan, who will help prepare some great traditional dishes. We will also have a silent auction for some beautifully crafted Mardi Gras masks, activities for kids, and music. It is going to be a great event, so call and get your tickets today.
The menu includes Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, and, of course, Kings Cake! Tickets are selling now online by clicking here, they are $12.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids. Please contact Will at 615.796.1472 or Pat at 615.336.7450 for tickets and info or purchase online by clicking here.
Look forward to seeing you there!
The video above shows clips from local TV news coverage of Saturday’s Grow Tennessee dinner and straw poll. It’s a good introduction to Tennessee’s 5 Democratic Gubernatorial candidates.
You can watch full coverage of this event on WTVF (5) and WSMV (4).
You can read about it in the Murfreesboro Post, Daily News Journal (here and here), Nashville Scene, Nashville City Paper, Clarksville Online, Tennessean, and MTSU Sidelines.
The results are in from Saturday’s straw poll of Democratic candidates for Governor of Tennessee in Murfreesboro. All five Democratic candidates spoke to a sold-out audience at MTSU’s Tennessee Ballroom.
Here is what blogs from across the state of Tennessee are saying about the straw poll:
I believe Bredesen was the clear front runner by this time in 2001. Despite this result, there doesn’t yet seem to be one for this primary. Kyle has only just started campaigning. McMillan had a stronger showing than many might have expected, especially McWherter. Makes you wonder if the McWherter name is all that familiar to the younger voters coming into the party.
What this means, the long answer: I was rather surprised by McWherter’s poor showing. The main criticism of straw poll-type events is that the results are unreliable because campaigns can just bring in a ton of supporters to skew the results. Yet it did seem, to me at least, that McWherter did have quite a few supporters there. I really want to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially given that we know he can raise the money, but he does seem rather awkward on the stump.
I can see Herron contiuing to do well in the rural areas, but he will get bupkis in Shelby County; only McWherter, if any one, can make a dent in the lockdown Jim Kyle has achieved here in a short period of time. Kyle’s great showing in the Boro will cause others outside Big Shelby to take another look at him. Now, The Boro is in the fifth most populous county in Tennessee, so this is a significant showing for Roy, and suggests the Battle of Weakley County will not be going away any time soon.
Roy Herron won the Rutherford County Democrats’ straw poll Saturday. That’s surprising in itself, but he also trounced Mike McWherter, the one most people see as the party’s strongest candidate for governor. McWherter finished behind even Kim McMillan. He’s always seemed like a dud to me, a guy capable of sucking the excitement right out of a room.
The results of the Rutherford County Democratic Straw poll are hardly scientific, but it sort of holds with my observations which is that Mike McWherter has failed entirely to inspire passion in his party activists. Yes, his name recognition might give him a lead in whatever polls are done, but for anyone engaged, its a lukewarm feeling at best…save the people who feel they “owe” Ned Ray one.
Last evening I attended the 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner. What a great event hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail and held at MTSU’s James Union Building. I truly must commend Jonathon Fagan, Chairman of the Rutherford Democratic Party, for doing an outstanding job.
One by one, the candidates were introduced and strode up to the podium to present speeches that were typically five minutes in length. Each delivered what I would assume were their basic stump speeches. This was a good approach, because the audience didn’t seem to be that familiar with any of them. Here’s my general impression of each speech.
Earlier today, we issued the following press release. Congressman Bart Gordon will be in attendance and is pleased to introduce his good friend Congressman Lincoln Davis as keynote speaker.
The Rutherford County Democratic Party (RCDP) announced today that they have sold out the first straw poll in the 2010 Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee. The 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner will take place Saturday Sept. 19th from 6-7pm CT at MTSU’s James Union Building in the Tennessee Ballroom. Congressman Bart Gordon’s good friend Congressman Lincoln Davis will give the keynote speech at the event.
The evening is hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail. The event is a fundraiser that will also serve as an important early straw poll of Middle Tennessee Democrats on who they feel has the best vision to move Tennessee forward as our next Governor.
“Not only did we quickly sell out the event we also maxed out the Tennessee Ballroom’s 360 person capacity,” said RCDP Chairman Jonathon Fagan. “The candidate that wins this straw poll will send a strong message to the party, press and donors for weeks to come that they are a serious candidate to move our state forward.”
Gubernatorial candidates Sen. Jim Kyle, Kim McMillan, Sen. Roy Herron, Mike McWherter and Ward Cammack will be at this event and share brief words about the future of our great state.
The Rutherford County Democratic Party will host an evening with five Tennessee Democratic Gubernatorial candidates Saturday September 19 on the campus of MTSU.
The 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner is a fundraiser that will also serve as an important early straw poll of Middle Tennessee Democrats on who they feel has the best vision to move Tennessee forward as our next Governor.
The evening is hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail.
“Grow Tennessee will be an early indication of who Middle Tennessee Democrats are supporting in the 2010 Gubernatorial primary,” said RCDP Chairman Jonathon Fagan. “The candidate that emerges on top will send a strong message to the party, press and donors for weeks to come that they are a serious candidate to move our state forward.”
Gubernatorial candidates Sen. Jim Kyle, Kim McMillan, Sen. Roy Herron, Mike McWherter and Ward Cammack will be at this event and share brief words about the future of our great state.
WHEN: Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 6-9 p.m. CT
WHERE: Middle Tennessee State university’s Tennessee Ballroom in James Union Building (directions)
TICKETS: call RCDP at 615.796.1472 or Pat McFadden at 615.336.7450 or click here to order them online through ActBlue.
IF WE WIN THE 62ND CHALLENGE:
The Challenge: District 62 - TNDP Statewide Phonebank Challenge!
As you all know we are currently one seat down in the State House of Representatives. It is imperative that we regain a majority in the State House so that we can have a fair shake in the 2010 redistricting – this will effect every district in Tennessee.
A State House seat is currently OPEN as Democratic Rep. Curt Cobb has resigned his House District 62 seat to become the Bedford County Clerk and Master. Ty Cobb, the brother of Curt Cobb, is the Democratic nominee for the open seat.
It’s vitally important win the upcoming special election on Tuesday, October 13th and keep this seat in the Democratic column. We need your help for Ty to win!
To that end, I am happy to announce the details of a new TNDP STATEWIDE PHONEBANK CHALLENGE!
The Details
We need all of our County Parties to help us make phone calls into District 62 to identify likely Democratic voters and get them out to vote. That is where the challenge comes in. Between NOW and Sunday, August 23rd we will count the number of calls made. The County Party making the most calls will win one free table with priority placement at Jackson Day. By priority, we mean as close to President Clinton, Co-Hosts Governor Bredeson, and Harold Ford as we can put the table!
TOP TEN CALL MAKERS IN THE COUNTY GET THE SEATS! Call (615) 796-1472 or email our secretary at will.r.fields@gmail.com
Over 150 Rutherford County Democrats came together tonight in Cannonsburgh in Murfreesboro, TN for guest speakers Sen. Andy Berke (D-10) and Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester. Lots of folks donated food and several raffle items, and the weather couldn’t have been nicer for an evening in May.
The RCDP fundraiser was held in an open air pavilion in Cannonsburgh, a living history museum of early Southern life in Murfreesboro. Many new faces as well as the very familiar shared a meal together and looked ahead to the 2010 elections.
If you were curious about the history of the venue for this event, here’s the Murfreesboro Post’s ‘Top 10′ things you should know about Cannonsburgh. There are a lot of people who helped make tonight’s event possible. Will Fields cooked the awesome food. Aaron Cerutti helped get the 15 tables and 150 chairs moved. Pat McFadden, Steve Cates, and many others helped set the tables. So many folks donated things for the baskets and the food. Chloe Cerutti raised $1000 with her raffle ticket sales alone. Margaret Scrivens helped at the door and in the kitchen. Kathy Ferris donated the lecturn and sound system to the party, made a lot of great potato salad and sold a lot of tickets. Chantho Sourinho and Kathy Ferris tied for the most tickets sold (40 each).
These people and more demonstrated the power we have when we work together!
Tonight our treasurer, Smitty, challenged Democrats to think about the 2010 elections and think about what small thing you can do to help elect real public servants to represent the people of Rutherford County. One way is to give $10 a month to the Rutherford County Democratic party until the 2010 elections. It’s our 10 for ‘10 challenge, and we need your help to move Tennessee forward!
Come grow with us over dinner May 12th with special guests State Party Chairman Chip Forrester and Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga. Also meet our newly elected Rutherford County Democratic Party officers. Over 125 tickets to this event have already been sold. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect over a shared meal and meet the future of our Party in Tennessee!
Senator Berke was elected in 2006 at the age of 38 and was a student of Barack Obama at the University of Chicago Law School. Chip Forrester was recently elected as the new Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party and is building our party from the grassroots up.
Come on out and meet the future of our Democratic Party! Dinner provided, tickets $15. Purchase your tickets online.
When: Tuesday May 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Lions Clubhouse at Cannonsburg, 407 Hickerson Dr., Murfreesboro, TN
Questions: Please email wilrofie@aol.com.com or call (615) 796-1472.
A lot is at stake for our state in the 2010 elections. Rutherford County is the birthplace of our nation’s Democratic Party. We are also ground zero in a battle to redraw district lines in 2011.
Below is part of an email message that went out last night to Rutherford County Democrats from newly elected RCDP Chairman Jonathon Fagan. If you did not receive an email, please sign up to receive updates.
RCDP Corresponding Secretary Will Fields reports that we’ve sold over 70 tickets to our May 12 fund raising dinner “Come Grow With us” and that we’re very close to meeting our first goal. Thank you for moving Tennessee forward in 2010!
Our party has a 187 year history in this county, and a long list of dedicated members have kept it alive through thick and thin, sometimes at great personal cost. Now we are faced with a great challenge. 2010 will be a pivotal year for our party in Tennessee with 2 congressional seats, including Bart Gordon’s, hang in the balance We must take back the House and Senate, or redistricting in 2011 will assure republican victories for years to come. One thing is clear - Rutherford County is ground zero in the 2010 elections. We owe it to those who have come before and labored so mightily to get involved and get this party going. Below you will find a list of upcoming events.
Your attendance is vital and greatly appreciated. Our next fund raiser will be held on May 12th from 6:30 - 7:30pm. Please purchase tickets online today and visit our new website at www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org where you can sign up for email updates, and let us know of any suggestions or questions you may have.
I also urge you to sign up for our 10-for-10 initiative for the pivotal 2010 elections. Feel free to check us out and join on Facebook and Twitter.
I would like to personally thank each and every one of you, my fellow Democrats, for your help and support for the year ahead!
Sincerely,Jonathon FaganChairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party
Join us May 12th for dinner with our guests State Party Chairman Chip Forrester and Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga as well as our newly elected Rutherford County Democratic Party officers.
This is a chance for any and all to meet the future of our Party in Tennessee! Senator Berke, elected in 2006 at the age of 38, was once a student of Barack Obama at the University of Chicago Law School, and is whispered to be a candidate for Governor of Tennessee in 2010. So come on out and meet the future of our great Party!
Dinner will be provided, and tickets are only $15. You can purchase your tickets online here or by clicking the orange button on the right sidebar at anytime. Be sure to check the RCDP calendar for a map and for other future opportunities to join your fellow Rutherford County Democrats.
When - Tuesday May 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Where - Lions Clubhouse at Cannonsburg, 407 Hickerson Dr., Murfreesboro, TN (view a map)
Questions - Please email wilrofie@aol.com or call (615) 796-1472.
We now have a way for you to contribute to the Rutherford County Democratic Party. As the new officers look ahead at ways to continue building our party, your help is needed more than ever.
Newly elected RCDP Treasurer Matthew Smitty challenged Rutherford County Democrats on Saturday to step up and give “10 for 10.”
That’s just $10 a month until the 2010 elections. You can do that right now through RCDP’s ActBlue account. This is also linked on the right. ActBlue is secure and is used by campaigns across the nation, including the Tennessee Democratic party.
Thank you for moving Rutherford County forward.
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