2014TN-04: Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R) Facing Tough Primary Challenger

Joseph Robidoux III · #1

In 2012 Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL 08) was the douchebag many wanted to see defeated. He was and we saw Tammy Duckworth elected as a bonus. In 2014 my vote for "Douchebag Needed to be Defeated" is Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN 04).

DesJarlais is a family values teabagger who threaten his former wife with a handgun plus demanded his mistress get an abortion prior to becoming a Republican congressman. He now votes for every measure supported by the National Rifle Association or the National Right To Life Committee.

http://www.thefogbow.com/forum/viewtopi ... 28#p427928

Any Democrat would probably lose in the TN 4th congressional district (R+18 PVI according to the Cook Political Report) but the good news is DesJarlais is going to have primary opposition; enough opposition that DesJarlais has been labeled as most likely to lose to a primary opponent.

About 100 people braved threatening skies at the Franklin County Courthouse to show their support for the South Pittsburg Republican, holding signs, American flags and umbrellas through a rushed program.

The event came on the same day that the National Journal, a magazine that tracks congressional politics, rated DesJarlais the most-likely incumbent in Congress to lose his primary next year.

DesJarlais faces state Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas and state Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville in the 4th Congressional District’s GOP primary. Each of the others drew similarly sized crowds to his election announcement.

[/break1]tennessean.com/article/20130808/NEWS02/308080064/U-S-Rep-Scott-DesJarlais-chases-third-term?nclick_check=1]http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130 ... ck_check=1On Jan 3, 2015 the Tennessee 4th district will probably still have a very conservative congresscritter representing them; it just won't be an asshole named DesJarlais.

Joseph Robidoux III · #2

File this under "it couldn't happen to a more deserving person".Rep. Scott DesJarlais, the Tennessee Republican who came under fire in 2012 after unearthed divorce proceedings revealed he encouraged an ex-wife to have two abortions, is contending with the scandal again, days out from the Volunteer State primary.State Sen. Jim Tracy, the top Republican challenging DesJarlais in the Aug. 7 GOP primary in the 4th District, is airing a scathing ad in the final two weeks of the contest. It’s on the airwaves during the pivotal early voting period, which began July 18 and runs through Aug. 2.“The press says Congressman DesJarlais no longer has credibility,” a narrator says in the 30-second spot. “Reprimanded, fined for unethical conduct, he deliberately deceived the voters. Conservatives said DesJarlais should resign because of his hypocrisy. Scandal makes DesJarlais ineffective in Washington.”The ad references other parts of the scandal, including the fact DesJarlais had multiple romantic affairs with patients and co-workers — an infraction that earned him a $500 fine from a medical board. DesJarlais opposes abortion rights.[/break1]rollcall.com/scott-desjarlais-abortion-scandal-tv-ad-jim-tracy/?dcz=]http://atr.rollcall.com/scott-desjarlai ... racy/?dcz=The video is available at the above link.

Joseph Robidoux III · #3

Sorry, the TN Dept of State website doesn't list what percentage of precints have been counted.

United States House of Representatives District 4

Republican Primary

Jim Tracy - Republican 31,013

Scott DesJarlais - Republican 30,228

John Anderson - Republican 3,973

Steve Lane - Republican 1,295

David R. Tate - Republican 815

Michael S. Warden - Republican 568

Oluyomi "Fapas" Faparusi, Sr. - Republican 258|Democratic Primary

Lenda Sherrell - Democratic 18,283

Joseph Robidoux III · #4

Getting closer.

United States House of Representatives District 4

Republican Primary

Jim Tracy - Republican 33,980

Scott DesJarlais - Republican 33,413

John Anderson - Republican 4,364

Steve Lane - Republican 1,442

David R. Tate - Republican 908

Michael S. Warden - Republican 644

Oluyomi "Fapas" Faparusi, Sr. - Republican 279|Democratic Primary

Lenda Sherrell - Democratic 20,439

[/break1]elections.tn.gov/ushouse.htm]http://www.elections.tn.gov/ushouse.htm

Edit: Map of Tennessee 4th congressional district.

[/break1]govtrack.us/congress/members/TN/4#]https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/TN/4#

#5

Here you go with 77% reporting:[/break1]politico.com/2014-election/results/map/house/tennessee/#.U-RA4mO0uM0]http://www.politico.com/2014-election/r ... -RA4mO0uM0Tracy is still leading but only by a few votes. It looks like it will be down to the wire.and perhaps beyond before it is settled.

mimi · #6

What does it take to get a guy like that kicked out? Why should this even be close? ](*,)

mimi · #7

WOW RT @jamiedupree: AP reporting 100% counted gives Rep Scott DesJarlais R-TN a lead of 33 votes #TN04what?so I thought mebbe he was kidding.Hayley Mason ‏@WSMVHayleyMasonAlthough Sen. Jim Tracy has claimed a victory, election numbers are now showing DesJarlais is leading by about 35+ votes.AOSHQ Decision Desk ‏@AOSHQDDOur final count, all precincts in: DesJarlais 34786 Tracy 34755 total w/ all candidates 77,492Daily Kos Elections ‏@DKElectionsAP has all precincts in, DesJarlais up 33 votes. Let the legal wrangling begin. #TN04Alex Coelho ‏@apcoelhoPolitico has 100% of TN-4 precincts reporting and a 33 vote lead for DesJarlais over Tracy. #tn4

Joseph Robidoux III · #8

Take you pick.

United States House of Representatives District 4

Republican Primary

Scott DesJarlais - Republican 34,787

Jim Tracy - Republican 34,752

John Anderson - Republican 4,590

Steve Lane - Republican 1,483

David R. Tate - Republican 937

Michael S. Warden - Republican 659

Oluyomi "Fapas" Faparusi, Sr. - Republican 284|Democratic Primary

Lenda Sherrell - Democratic 22,854

[/break1]elections.tn.gov/ushouse.htm]http://www.elections.tn.gov/ushouse.htm100% Precincts Reporting

S. DesJarlais (i) 44.9% 34,779

J. Tracy 44.8% 34,746

J. Anderson 5.9% 4,589

S. Lane 1.9% 1,483

D. Tate 1.2% 937

M. Warden 0.9% 659

O. Faparusi 0.4% 284

[/break1]politico.com/]http://www.politico.com/

Joseph Robidoux III · #9

What does it take to get a guy like that kicked out? Why should this even be close? ](*,)I hear Sharon Rondeau is going to publish a hard hitting investigative article on the subject.

#10

100% reporting with Desjarlais up by 33 votes.....about .1%. Does that mean a recount? Does that include absentee and all those other ballots that don't get counted until later? They have not called the race for anyone.

Sterngard Friegen · #11

There will be a recount. It is essentially a dead heat at this point.

mimi · #12

I guess this is gonna take awhile cuz all morning it's been going back and forth as to who holds the lead.DesJarlais and challenger Jim Tracy were separated by just a handful of votes the morning after the vote Friday, with the lead see-sawing between the candidates for Republican nomination.[/break1]yahoo.com/rep-desjarlais-challenger-trade-leads-tenn-162238067--election.html]https://news.yahoo.com/rep-desjarlais-c ... ction.html

mimi · #13

Tennessee's Murky Recount Rules: GOP Primary Nowhere Close To Over

There's no automatic recount.

Here's how a recount would work in this election. First, the election commissions in each county within DesJarlais' district has to certify their election results. They have until Aug. 25 to do that, according to Tennessee Secretary of State communications director Blake Fontenay told TPM. Then, after all the counties have certified the election results, candidates have a five-day window to file a challenge.

A provision of Tennessee law, according to The Hill, says that a recount can only be ordered if there is a tie, signs of fraud that would effect the overall outcome of the election, malfunctioning voting machines that also could change the outcome of the election, or "any other instance the court or body with jurisdiction of a contested election finds that a recount is warranted."

"And if there is a challenge then that would be heard by the Republican state executive committee in this case," Fontenay said. "It's not a challenge that would go to us. And it would be up to the committee to determine what needed to be done. I mean it's their primary so they could ask for a recount or they could simply set aside the results. Obviously, they could uphold the results. And, upon hearing the facts presented, they might decide not to even have a formal proceeding."

That's assuming that it goes to a recount, which seems likely given how small a margin of victory could be in the race. Vanderbilt University political science professor Bruce Oppenheimer noted to TPM that either DesJarlais or Tracy seeking a recount seemed likely. But, Oppenheimer said, the candidates still have to wait for provisional votes to be counted. So the result could still change. The big thing is that there’s no automatic recount."more:

[/break1]com/dc/scott-desjarlais-jim-tracy-recount-law-tennessee]http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/scott-d ... -tennessee