Knoxville News
Tom Humphrey
9/4/10

The 8th District Republican Congressional primary was reported as the most expensive in the nation and now it appears the district is on its way to similar stature in the general election. The Jackson Sun reports that two groups have announced plans to spend more than $1 million on a new round of advertising that will back Republican Stephen Fincher and attack Democrat Roy Herron.

The National Republican Congressional Committee says it will spend $856,198 in a seven-week period. The 60 Plus Association, a Washington-based conservative group that supports privitazation of Social Security, will spend another $260,000. It has already run a series of ads attacking Herron.

From the Sun:

On Friday, the Herron campaign called for Fincher to renounce ads from special interest groups who support privatization of Social Security.

“The 60 Plus group has one goal: to get all the money they can for their Wall Street bosses,” said Brandon Puttbrese, the spokesman for Herron. “Every negative attack ad paid for by Washington and Wall Street is a

reminder that Stephen Fincher is on their side, not ours…Everything about Stephen Fincher’s money raises questions, and these DC special interest groups raise serious doubts about his independence and his willingness to fight for Tennessee families.”

The 60 Plus Association supports personal retirement accounts, while Fincher has said he is against privatization of Social Security.

Fincher spokesman Paul Ciaramitaro noted that Herron will “sing a different tune” when Democratic groups run ads to support Herron.

“These are independent advertising purchases,” he said. “…Stephen’s platform and policy positions are clear. This guilt-by-association accusation is just another tired trick from a career politician who is staring at the end of his 24-year government career.”

The special interest ad buys in the Tennessee race are reflected nationwide, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article that noted specia interest groups have already spent three times as much in 2010 as they did in 2006.

Read article here: http://blogs.knoxnews.com/humphrey/2010/09/another-1-million-in-8th-distr.html