Tennessean: Sen. Jim Kyle enters race for Tennessee governor Memphis Democrat to focus on education

[doeriver]

Sen. Jim Kyle enters race for Tennessee governor
Memphis Democrat to focus on education, job creation
By Erik Schelzig • ASSOCIATED PRESS • August 12, 2009

MEMPHIS — State Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle on Tuesday formally joined the crowded field of Democrats seeking to become Tennessee's next governor.



Senator Jim Kyle, Memphis

Kyle said his campaign platform would emphasize improving the state's graduation rates at public colleges and universities.

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The entry of Senator Kyle threw a might large wrench into the inner workings of TeamRonRamsey, wherein such political players such as Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and his boy wonder, Rep. Jason Mumpower, are attempting to minimize the legislative and committee impact of West Tennessee legislators (and most particularly, Memphis) on any stripe within the leadership of the Tennessee General Assembly:

But Mumpower created a stir in this fall's legislative campaigns when he helped Republican Tony Shipley narrowly defeat Democratic Rep. Nathan Vaughn.



Rep. Jason Mumpower, Bristol

Mumpower said Vaughn, a black businessman thrice elected in a city only 4 percent black, was "better suited to be representing inner-city Memphis than the rural hills of East Tennessee." A GOP campaign mailer depicted the heads of Vaughn, Barack Obama and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the bodies of three blackbirds under the heading, "Nathan Vaughn -- part of the liberal, big-government flock."



Vaughn charged that the attacks were racist. Mumpower said last week he was only "contrasting liberal values with a conservative community. It was pointing out that Rep. Vaughn said one thing at home and voted a different way in Nashville. Certainly no offense was meant."

A common joke here in the Northeast, is that there are actually two "K-towns in East Tennessee: there, of course, is "K-town" in reference to Knoxville, and "K-K-K town" in reference to Bristol.