Campaign Updates

Tracy Releases Final Statement on Election Results

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:19:00 GMT

Conservative businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy released this statement today regarding the 6^th Congressional District Republican primary election results:

“We’ve had a tough primary battle, but it is now time to look ahead to November and I encourage all the candidates to get behind our Republican nominee for Congress in the 6th District, Senator Diane Black. If there is something that comes to light during the election certification process, then our campaign will reassess the situation at that time. There is a lot at stake in this year's election for our state and nation, and I am confident that the Tennessee Division of Elections will act in a prompt manner to ensure a swift and accurate certification.”

“This was possibly the closest three-way race in Tennessee history and one of the closest congressional three-way races in American history. Obviously, it is difficult to lose a razor-thin election like this. However, it is imperative that we come together and put our focus on the general election in November. I want to thank all my outstanding supporters, interns, volunteers, and staff. The support we received in this campaign was overwhelming, and we could not have done this without all their hard work, time, financial support, friendship, and their prayers.”

Life On The Trail With Dad - August 9

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:42:00 GMT

Hey everyone, I’m Jim’s oldest son, Chad, and I have thoroughly enjoyed doing these blog posts each week about my experiences of day-to-day campaign life and traveling around the entire 6th Congressional District with my dad. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I have been happy to share some of my experiences during what was, by far, the busiest as well as the most enjoyable time of my life.

The Final Chapter

As all of you know we lost an absolutely heartbreaking Republican primary election last Thursday night. At last count, we were down somewhere between 300 and 500 votes (depending on what publication or organization) with the final ballots still trickling in from overseas as each of the main three candidates are right around 24,000 votes received from over 80,000 cast in the entire district. Obviously, this is the closest three-way race in Tennessee history (percentage-wise) and very possibly one of the closest congressional three-way races in American history. I really don’t know how it could get any closer with three candidates.

It was a roller coaster on election night as we took a 300-vote lead with 88% of the precincts reporting after barely trailing most of the night. Then, the next thing we know, we get hit in the gut just 30 minutes later and were down about 900 votes. Somehow, a major 1,200-vote swing had taken place. The process was absolutely crazy and none of us could really keep up with what was going on…numbers were coming in from everywhere. In addition, there were significant issues with the Secretary of State’s main website and also with the Election Commission in Putnam County, who ended up releasing its early voting numbers late in the evening. It was chaotic to say the least! I think it’s safe to say nobody had seen anything like this with it coming down to razor thin margins between the three candidates. Senator Diane Black has been declared the winner, even though it’s not official until the certification takes place soon, so congratulations to her.

We’re now ‘closing up shop’ at our headquarters in Murfreesboro and we’ve been working like crazy to get all our big signs down as soon as possible. We ran a classy campaign and we all feel it’s very important to finish classy by getting all our signs down quickly so we can move on. I’m very proud of the campaign we ran and how hard my Dad worked. He out-raised all his opponents combined, maintained a budget with no deficit-spending and personal loans, got several big endorsements, campaigned and worked as hard as humanly possible, and never got into the mud-slinging and dirty politics that the other two opponents engaged in.

If we lost because the other two were able to throw in well over a million dollars of their own money combined, then so be it. If we lost because of their gutter politics and negativity, then so be it. I guess it can all be hurtful, but that’s the way politics goes a lot of times.

They were able to send out several more mail pieces and get on television and radio much more than my Dad, but somehow he nearly pulled it off in the end. That speaks volumes to me because technically he shouldn’t have even had a chance with that disadvantage, but obviously it speaks to his character, his values, his likeability, and the campaign itself. Just like in sports, when you lose on a buzzer-beater, a last-second field goal, or a walk-off home run, it is always tough to take but it’s obviously not meant to be. That’s life…and that’s why we’ll all be perfectly fine and we’ll move on to do bigger and better things. Who knows what Dad’s future holds, but he certainly received overwhelming support with $750,000 plus raised from over 1,000 individual donors and met some awesome people all over the district and beyond. Despite the narrow loss, THAT can only be classified as a major (almost unheard of) accomplishment, something to be very proud of. When you give it all you’ve got, work as hard as you can, and raise as much money as you can, you can keep marching along with your head held high because it was done the right way.

On another note, I’m so glad it’s over. I was ready win or lose to get to August 5th. It’s been a long road and obviously tough on the family. There was going to be a sense a relief, no matter what, just to make to the finish line. Many, many people will be very glad to have my Dad back in the State Senate because of the job he does there and the people he helps in the process, and, of course, our family and friends will be glad to have him home much more often than if he ended up in Washington, so several positives will come from this.

I want to thank each and every one of you so much for following my posts each week, but, much more importantly, for supporting my Dad in this campaign. It’s a major, major undertaking and so many of you stepped up! Our family can never thank you enough. Obviously, by looking at the numbers, each and every one of you played a huge role in giving us a legit chance to win. Our interns, volunteers, staff, and supporters have simply been awesome. We couldn’t have made it without all your time, money, hard work, support, and your prayers. It’s been a great honor meeting many of you out on the trail with my Dad and I look forward to staying in touch with you all for many years to come. It was a very special experience for me, my Dad, and my family…an experience that we will never forget and always cherish. Thank you, thank you, thank you! May God continue to bless each of you and your families.

All the best,

Chad Tracy

Jim Tracy Statement on Election Night

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:22:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Murfreesboro, TN – (August 6, 2010)

Congressional candidate Jim Tracy released the following statement regarding the Republican nomination for the 6^th Congressional District:

“I believe in the electoral process and every vote is important. There are still ballots to be counted. The margin is less than three (3) votes per precinct. We’ll wait for the process to be completed and I will be supportive of the wishes of the 6^th District.”

Jim Tracy is a small business owner, former teacher and coach, and former TSSAA & NCAA basketball referee. He has been married to his wife, Trena, for 33 years, and they have three sons. Jim and Trena live in Shelbyville and attend Fairlane Church of Christ, where Jim is an active member and Deacon. Jim is a 1978 graduate of The University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Agriculture Education.

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Tracy To Host Election Night Victory Party

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:01:00 GMT

Conservative businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy announced today that his campaign will host its Election Night Victory Party Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel.

“We want to thank the DoubleTree for hosting us Thursday and we look forward to a fun night celebrating our great campaign for the Republican nomination in the 6^th Congressional District,” said Tracy. “It’s a reward for all those who have worked so hard for our campaign over the past several months, so we’re excited about celebrating the night together.”

The event begins at 7:30 with light hors d'oeuvres and desserts to be served. Dress is business casual. The DoubleTree Hotel is located at 1850 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro.

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Message for Team Tracy from Jim

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:22:00 GMT

Team,

This Thursday is Election Day, and I believe the choice for Congress in the 6th District has never been more clear.

Throughout this campaign, I have been focused on the issues affecting families and small businesses in the 6th. During my time on the trail, I've heard from people who are tired of the irresponsible leadership shown in Congress.

They're also tired of dirty politics and political tricks.

In recent weeks, my opponents have attacked me, and each other, in desperate hopes to deflect attention away from their inexperience and poor records on illegal immigration, job creation, and education. In fact, last week my opponents were in court suing each other over negative campaign ads. That's not how people who ask for your vote need to behave.

Tennesseans deserve better.

Our campaign has received a flood of calls over the past few days from voters angry at the dirty tactics they've seen from our opponents. Many of them have already voted and feel they've made a mistake, and want to know how they can help our campaign. If you know someone who feels they made a mistake by voting for one of our opponents, it's not too late for them to help our cause. Encourage them to find two people to cast their vote for me and help ensure our Tennessee values are represented in Washington. Please share this message with you friends, neighbors, and co-workers, and encourage them to support our campaign at the polls.

My focus has been on meeting people from Goodlettsville to Shelbyville and Murfreesboro to Cookeville to hear the challenges they face everyday. The consensus is loud and clear: Congress needs to cut spending, reduce the debt, and support regular Americans.

I'm proud to be endorsed by American Solutions and the US Chamber of Commerce, who agree that I'm the candidate who can move our country "Back to Basics" to find solutions.

You deserve better than my opponents' dirty polling tactics and campaign tricks. You deserve a Congressman who has real world experience, and promises to work for common sense, conservative leadership in Washington. That's why I need your help over the next three days. Please sign up to volunteer, or make a last-minute contribution.

I appreciate the support you've given me throughout my campaign -- it's been overwhelming -- and would appreciate your vote on Thursday, August 5th.

Sincerely,

Senator Jim Tracy
Candidate for U.S. Congress

Tracy Garners Endorsement from American Solutions

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:47:00 GMT

Newt Gingrich Backs Tracy’s Back to Basics Plan

Conservative businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy announced today the endorsement of American Solutions.

“I’m honored to receive this endorsement from American Solutions and Newt Gingrich,” said Tracy. “American Solutions is a widely respected organization with the goal of addressing the real issues this country faces. I am truly humbled by their trust in me and I vow to be true to the American core values that they maintain.”

“Jim Tracy’s Back to Basics plan of cutting taxes, reducing spending, and stopping illegal immigration is exactly what America needs right now,” said Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and General Chairman of American Solutions. “We endorse Jim Tracy in his race for Congress and look forward to working with him in Washington.”

American Solutions is a tri-partisan citizen action network of over 1.5 million members. Their goal is to create the next generation of solutions that will ensure that the United States remains the safest, freest, and most prosperous country in the world.

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Life On The Trail With Dad - July 28

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:51:00 GMT

Tracy Once Again Tops Fundraising Charts

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:19:00 GMT

Raises More Than All Opponents Combined During Final Financial Period

Conservative small businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy led convincingly in fundraising for the fourth and final period in the race for the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District.

"I want to say thank you to the hundreds of donors who have stepped up to support my campaign,” said Tracy. "If it wasn’t for all these supporters, we would not have all this momentum and be in such a great position financially. I’m not able to loan my campaign money because I’m just an average small business owner trying to make it week to week, so I am so thankful to all the volunteers and supporters who have given their time and money to help us cross the finish line on August 5^th.”

Tracy totaled $53,000 raised from July 1 to July 16 to go over $768,000 for the campaign.

Meanwhile, his next closest competitor, Senator Diane Black, raised $17,000 in the same period and took out another $200,000 loan for her campaign. Lou Ann Zelenik came in third once again, totaling $5,705 raised during the 16-day period.

“It’s obvious who the people have chosen as the best candidate in this race by the overwhelming individual support we’ve received,” said Tracy Campaign Manager Mike McCrady. “Our opponents have tried to buy this election with extreme deficit spending and continual bank loans. People have chosen not to send them money due to their track records like Senator Black’s vote for the largest tax increase in Tennessee history and her very poor record on illegal immigration, and Ms. Zelenik’s record as an unsuccessful and desperate politician.”

The Tracy campaign has over 1,000 individual donations coming from all 15 counties in the district.

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Life On The Trail With Dad - July 21

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:39:00 GMT

Hey everyone, I’m Jim’s oldest son, Chad, and I really enjoy doing this blog each week about my experiences of day-to-day campaign life and traveling around the entire 6th Congressional District with my dad. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m happy to share some of my experiences during what is, by far, the busiest as well as the most enjoyable time of my life. Please visit our campaign Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress or follow my dad on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jimtracy. If you have donated to our campaign, we really appreciate you so much. Thank you. If you haven’t given yet, anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone for supporting my dad as we are all doing our part in helping turn this country around with the goal of getting “Back to Basics” in Washington, D.C.

And down the stretch we come! We’re down to just 15 days until the Republican Primary on August 5th. Early voting has been going strong since last Friday, July 16 and continues until next Saturday, July 31, so please get out there and cast a vote for TRACY and find 10 friends and family members to do the same. We need a big turnout! I got my vote in the bank last Friday when the polls opened, and I have to say it felt pretty good to vote for dad in the U.S. House race…kind of surreal I guess. Anyway, we feel great about the election and have been getting so much great feedback all over the district. We’ll give it all we've got the last two weeks and see what happens.

THURSDAY, JULY 15
Dad visited Reeves-Sain Drugstore Thursday morning to visit the employees during their monthly meeting. I returned to the office to work on a couple press releases, and then focused most of the day on our schedule for the upcoming Campaign Blitz over the weekend.

FRIDAY, JULY 16
Our 36-Hour Campaign Blitz was off and running! We began at 6:00 a.m. (which meant I was up at 4:15…tough!) at the Shelbyville Fire Department, where my middle brother, Craig, was on call. We made several stops in Bedford County, including a breakfast stop at a local restaurant in Shelbyville, where we enjoyed our time with several old friends. We also had a great response from the locals at the main intersection in town where we waved and flashed our big signs for over an hour. We got many, many honks and several people stopped to say hi. It was great to see so many familiar faces. Next, we made several stops in Rutherford County at all the polling places as early voting was finally underway. We then headed to Lafayette later in the afternoon for a Meet & Greet in Macon County. It went very well. Thanks to Mike and Debby Prock and Ron and JoAnn Birdwell for setting everything up. The sweets were in full bloom, including a huge cake they had made for my dad. We had a great time seeing everyone there. Later, it was off to Cookeville to continue the two-day tour. We took a bit of a break at our Upper Cumberland Headquarters, while Dad headed over to the hospital for a visit with many of the doctors and nurses until the early hours of Saturday morning.

SATURDAY, JULY 17
As we winded up our time in Cookeville, we got a brief (and I mean brief) nap before heading down I-40 to our next stop in Baxter. We stopped by a truck stop and spoke with some local law enforcement officials before Dad stopped in the Huddle House for a visit with some voters there. It was then off to Lebanon to the local truck stop before heading back to Headquarters in Murfreesboro for a small break about 3:45 in the morning. We quickly were up and going again, as we stopped by the local Fire Department and Police Department. We followed that with a trip over to Woodbury, where we visited the Farmer’s Market and a local restaurant on the square. We next headed to a Meet & Greet in rural Cannon County at the farm of Bruce Daniel. We really enjoyed a fun hour there with some great country ham and biscuits. Next, we stopped in at the Farmer’s Market in Murfreesboro before Dad did an interview on the Steve Gill Radio Show. Then, it was down to Bedford County for Shelbyville’s 200th Year Birthday Celebration on the square. We had a great time there seeing many, many friends and Dad spoke to the group assembled about how much he’s enjoyed representing the city and county in the State Senate. Later, it was back north to Rutherford County for the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) Picnic at Siegel Park and stop at the Murfreesboro Gun Show at the National Guard Armory. Next, we attended the Rutherford County “Let Freedom Ring” Picnic at Barfield Crescent Park. Hundreds of people in attendance and Dad did a great job addressing the crowd right out of the gates. It was great catching up with so many people during the two hours we spent there. Then, while my grandparents attended the Ice Cream Supper in Wartrace at Mt. Olive Church, Dad and I concluded the long, two-day trip by heading to the 41st Annual Threshing Show in Robertson County. The mini-festival in the small town of Adams (home of the Bell Witch) is filled with small events like Tractor Pulls, Arts & Crafts, Live Music, Petting Zoo, Antique Tractor Show, etc. We really had a great time there, and had some of the best BBQ as well! We made it back to Murfreesboro at about 10:00 p.m. to round out what turned into a 40-Hour Tour of the entire district. What an exhausting, but very fun two-day experience for us all.

SUNDAY, JULY 18
Well, as you can imagine, I hit a major wall late Sunday afternoon and sleep was the only thing that crossed my mind. I felt like a zombie, trying to catch up on sleep. It was almost like an out-of-body experience, but I did enjoy just taking it easy for a day….finally!

MONDAY, JULY 19
Although not fully recovered from the long weekend, I was back at it Monday and feeling a bit exhausted. It was just one of those days I guess, but I managed to make it through. It was a busy and time-consuming day with a whole bunch to take care of.

TUESDAY, JULY 20
We began early Tuesday morning at a busy intersection here in Murfreesboro waving and holding our signs to try and get people out to vote. It was pretty much a nonstop day from then on with many, many things to do. I’ll be honest…I’m counting the days until the end, but we’ll be there before we know it and all the hard work will pay off.

P.S. Don’t forget to join our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress. And don’t forget to invite all your friends to do the same. Thanks everyone for your prayers and for your support. - Chad

Tracy Out Raises Opponents for 3rd Consecutive Financial Quarter

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:08:00 GMT

Murfreesboro, TN – Conservative small businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy was the top fundraiser once again in the race for the Republican nomination for the 6th Congressional District.

I am really humbled by the amount of support that we have received throughout the district," said Tracy. "For the third consecutive quarter, the people of the 6th district have placed their time, money and trust in me and I feel that we have the momentum to be successful on Election Day."

The Tracy campaign has raised $715,897 and has $325,044 cash on hand. Diane Black and Lou Ann Zelenik have both spent every dollar that was donated to their campaigns and are now relying on personal loans to stay afloat.

The Tracy campaign now has over 1,000 donations coming from all 15 counties in the district.

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Tracy to Open Early Voting With 36-Hour Campaign Blitz

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:43:00 GMT

Stops Cover Congressional District

Conservative businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy announced today that he will travel and campaign around the 6^th Congressional District for 36 consecutive hours to mark the beginning of early voting for the Republican primary.

“We look forward to a fun two-day stretch of nonstop traveling and campaigning to kick off the early voting period,” said Tracy.

Tracy will begin the two-day schedule with stops at the Shelbyville Fire Department and local restaurants in the area. He’ll then visit with early voters on the square in Shelbyville before stops at early voting sites in Rutherford County. Following the visit to the polls, Tracy will head next to Macon County for a Meet & Greet in Lafayette before traveling to Cookeville for several stops in the Upper Cumberland until the early hours of Saturday morning, including visits in Smith and Wilson Counties.

He’ll return to Rutherford County for stops in Smyrna before traveling to Cannon County for a meeting in Woodbury. Next, Tracy will return to the Farmer’s Market on the square in Murfreesboro before heading to Shelbyville for its 200^th Birthday Party Celebration, where he’ll be a guest speaker. Tracy will follow with stops at the FOP Picnic, Bumpus Harley Davidson, and the Gun Show all in Murfreesboro. He’ll round out the campaign blitz by attending the Rutherford County “Let Freedom Ring” Republican Party Picnic and the Ice Cream Supper in Wartrace.

“Not only does Jim Tracy have the energy to campaign for 36 hours straight, he’s got the energy to go to Washington and do what’s right,” said State Senator Bill Ketron.

36-Hour Campaign Blitz Schedule

FRIDAY, JULY 16

6:00 AM – 6:30 AM Shelbyville Fire Department

6:30 AM – 7:20 AM Breakfast Stops in Shelbyville

7:30 AM – 8:15 AM Shelbyville Courthouse – Early Voting

8:45 AM – 3:00 PM Rutherford County Early Voting Sites

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Visit Macon County Sheriff’s Office

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Meet & Greet in Lafayette

8:15 PM – 9:15 PM Meet & Greet in Cookeville

9:30 PM – 11:45 PM Stops at Police Dept., Fire Dept., and Sheriff’s Office in Cookeville

SATURDAY, JULY 17

12:00 AM – 1:00 AM Stops in the Upper Cumberland

1:30 AM – 3:45AM Stops in Smith and Wilson Counties

5:00 AM – 6:30 AM Smyrna Stops

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Meeting in Cannon County

8:50 AM – 9:30 AM Murfreesboro Farmers Market

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM 200^th Year Celebration in Shelbyville

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM FOP Picnic in Murfreesboro

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM Bumpus Harley Davidson – Murfreesboro

2:45 PM – 3:20 PM Murfreesboro Gun Show

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Rutherford County “Let Freedom Ring” Picnic

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Ice Cream Supper in Wartrace

Jim Tracy is small business owner, former teacher and coach, and former TSSAA & NCAA basketball referee. He has been married to his wife, Trena, for 33 years, and they have three sons. Jim and Trena live in Shelbyville and attend Fairlane Church of Christ, where Jim is an active member and Deacon. Jim is a 1978 graduate of The University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Agriculture Education.

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Life On The Trail With Dad - July 14

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:11:00 GMT

Hey everyone, I’m Jim’s oldest son, Chad, and I really enjoy doing this blog each week about my experiences of day-to-day campaign life and traveling around the entire 6th Congressional District with my dad. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m happy to share some of my experiences during what is, by far, the busiest as well as the most enjoyable time of my life. Please visit our campaign Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress or follow my dad on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jimtracy. If you have donated to our campaign, we really appreciate you so much. Thank you. If you haven’t given yet, anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone for supporting my dad as we are all doing our part in helping turn this country around with the goal of getting “Back to Basics” in Washington, D.C.

Well, I’ll have to say it…we may have had the best week yet in the campaign and it’s very exciting to be a part of it as things wind down in this primary race. It seems like everything is falling into place rather well and momentum is on our side big time. Everywhere we go, people are fired up about our latest TV commercial and a chance to meet my dad. You certainly get the feeling that we’re heading into crunch time in this campaign. I couldn’t be prouder of our camp for sticking to its message and staying away from all the negativity that some candidates decide to embark on late in a race. Despite some baseless attacks and lies directed towards our family, we’ll hold strong and maintain our deep faith that things will work out just fine. As a result, we could not be more excited about the final three weeks of this campaign. Dad is working his tail off and everyone is pitching in to give us a great chance to pull it off down the stretch.

THURSDAY, JULY 8
After helping with a mail-out and typing up a release in the morning, my dad and six of us headed to Stones River Country Club for the Murfreesboro Noon Exchange Club’s weekly meeting where dad was the guest speaker. We had a terrific meal with some of the best mashed potatoes and chocolate cake you could ever put in your mouth! Dad gave a great speech and handled himself very nicely with the questions directed his way. Special thanks to Pam Little, Don Wright, and all the folks at the Exchange Club for having us for a great luncheon. Later that day, my mom, my dad and I headed to Carthage and Cookeville for two separate Meet & Greet events. They both went very well. Thanks to Marvin Baker and Ann Gillis for having us to their “New York City-style” apartment in downtown Carthage for a very neat event. The food was awesome as well and it was great meeting several folks from Smith County. Then, John and Renee Mayher hosted us and several friends to a gathe ring in Cookeville. Dad gave a great speech there and we enjoyed a fun two hours before finally heading back home late that night.

FRIDAY, JULY 9
Not a bad day to say the least. We put up some signs and I worked on a press release before some of us headed to the opening night of Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro following a late afternoon thunderstorm. Then, that night, I ate sushi for the very first time and absolutely loved it! Looking forward to more sometime soon.

SATURDAY, JULY 10
We started the always jammed Saturday schedule with a walk in the Uncle Dave Macon Days annual parade through downtown Murfreesboro. We had a great time and dad got a bunch of great feedback on the commercial and shook a lot of hands as always. Then, I had some of the afternoon off and did some prep work for the week to follow. That evening, dad and I headed to Bedford County for the Wartrace Hamburger Supper and a cookout at the home of Bryant Morton in Flat Creek. We enjoyed some outstanding country cookin’ and had fun catching up with many old friends. Later, it was back to Uncle Dave Macon Days where the finals were taking place in Banjo, Bluegrass, and Buckdancing….must have been well over 2,000 in attendance. Good way to finish off the day.

SUNDAY, JULY 11
I enjoyed a fairly laid back Sunday for once. Blair Haskins (one of our interns) and I put up the final batch of our big signs and then we enjoyed the annual Gospel Day for a while at Uncle Dave Macon Days. I got a workout in at the gym and went to bed EARLY for a change. Felt good, too!

MONDAY, JULY 12
Got a jumpstart on some press release work and had some errands to run around town. For the most part, it was a very productive start to the week with a good workout to finish off the day.

TUESDAY, JULY 13
Worked on a mail-out for most of the day along with a substantial press release. Then, we all headed to the Livestock Center at MTSU for a Meet & Greet with my dad prior to the Sixth Congressional District Candidate Forum. We had a terrific turnout and even ran out of BBQ sandwiches! Dad did a great job at the forum as well and we had many, many supporters there, which is always a good sign. You can really feel the momentum in our campaign and we’re fired up about the home stretch. We’ll work as hard as we can one day at a time and see what happens, but it is very humbling and exhilarating to be apart of something like this.

P.S. Don’t forget to join our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress and please invite all your friends to do the same. Also, early voting begins this Friday, July 16 and continues through Saturday, July 31. Election Day is August 5th, so please get out and cast a vote for TRACY. Thanks everyone for your prayers and for your support. - Chad

Tracy Tops $713,000 Raised in Race for Congress

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:27:00 GMT

Murfreesboro, TN – Conservative businessman and congressional candidate Jim Tracy announced today that he has raised $713,789 from over 1,000 individual donations in his race for Congress.

“I’m honored that Tennesseans are giving their time, money, and support to our campaign,” Tracy said. “This strong support allows us to spread our message of getting back to basics - eliminating wasteful government spending, cutting the national debt, and lowering taxes so that hard-working Tennesseans and their children will continue to have the quality of life they deserve.”

The Tracy campaign has continued to reach its financial goals for fundraising, while gaining much momentum throughout the 6th Congressional District.

“It’s a great testament to our extensive grassroots support that we’ve been able to run a campaign based on the volunteer and monetary support of voters and not from writing a personal check,” added Tracy. “I want to thank all those who have helped us reach this point and establish the momentum we have.”

Jim Tracy is a small business owner, former teacher and coach, and former TSSAA & NCAA basketball referee. He has been married to his wife, Trena, for 33 years, and they have three sons. Jim and Trena live in Shelbyville and attend Fairlane Church of Christ, where Jim is an active member and Deacon. Jim is a 1978 graduate of The University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Agriculture Education.

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Life On The Trail With Dad - July 7

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:34:00 GMT

Hey everyone, I’m Jim’s oldest son, Chad, and I really enjoy doing this blog each week about my experiences of day-to-day campaign life and traveling around the entire 6th Congressional District with my dad. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m happy to share some of my experiences during what is, by far, the busiest as well as the most enjoyable time of my life. Please visit our campaign Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress or follow my dad on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jimtracy. If you have donated to our campaign, we really appreciate you so much. Thank you. If you haven’t given yet, anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone for supporting my dad as we are all doing our part in helping turn this country around with the goal of getting “Back to Basics” in Washington, D.C.

One thing is for sure: the phrase “survive and advance” does NOT apply exclusively to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It goes hand in hand with campaigning as well, and the entire Tracy camp can certainly attest to that. Somehow and some way we all survived to live another day after a three-day gauntlet of traveling, campaigning, eating, and event-hopping over the holiday weekend. After walking in two parades, attending two festivals, and going to a big cookout all in one day, “survive” is about the only word that comes to mind…and that was just one of three days. I’ve never been a part of anything like this, but we’re all going to make it to the finish line very soon.

THURSDAY, JULY 1
I guess you could say it was the calm before the storm…sort of. We had plenty to do, including putting up more signs and catching up on office work, but Thursday was nothing compared to the days to follow. We did hold our Sumner County Headquarters Grand Opening Thursday evening, and it was a great success. Thanks to all those in Hendersonville and the surrounding area for stopping by to meet my dad. We enjoyed it a lot. Following that event, we went across Indian Lake Road to the Streets Shopping Center for a concert and met many good people. After a late dinner, we made it back before midnight and prepared for a crazy upcoming three days.

FRIDAY, JULY 2
It was mostly office work to open the day before several of us headed to Smithville for the Fiddler’s Jamboree. Dad actually went over a little earlier and went around town before meeting us at the event. And let me tell you, this is an event. Not only was the fiddle-playing and dancing really good, but it’s basically a massive arts & crafts fair with just about anything you would ever want. In addition, food, snack, ice cream, popcorn booths were everywhere. It’s smaller version of a county fair to say the least. We next headed to Lafayette for the annual cookout and firework show. It was a fun time meeting many great folks from Macon County and enjoying some outstanding hamburgers and hot dogs. Again, we made it back before midnight to get a little sleep.

SATURDAY, JULY 3
As I had known for a while, this was probably the busiest and craziest day of the entire campaign. Just about every city and county had their Fourth of July celebration events scheduled on the 3rd, therefore we hit as many of them as possible in a 15-hour window. We began the day in Lewisburg at the annual Independence Day parade. Normally, we all walk and throw candy to the kids. This time, however, we pretty much ran the entire route. Our truck was in the early portion of the parade and everyone in front of us was riding, so we had to jog just to keep up with them. We did have a very good time, though, (although we had blisters to show for it) and got some great exercise, but the day was just getting started. Then, we all headed to Rockvale for its annual Fourth of July picnic. Good crowd, very good food, activities for the kids, softball tournament, etc. Just a fun time to enjoy the holiday and visit with others. Next, it was off to Smithville once again for Round 2 at the Jamboree. The crowd was about four times as big on Saturday as it was on Friday despite the very hot weather. Really enjoyed the clogging by the kids and the music being played all around the Smithville town square. Oh yeah, more food as well! Then, it was off to Watertown for the Fourth of July parade there. A packed crowd lined the streets the entire route and kids were everywhere, so we got rid of most all our candy and had a fun time doing it. Thanks to all the Watertown folks for showing up in huge numbers…it was a very fun parade. Next, it was off to Smyrna for the Fireworks Show. We parked about a mile away and made the long walk up to Lee Victory Park. More exercise for us! There were people everywhere from the park to parking lots all over town. It was reminiscent of tailgating at a Blue Raider football game! Finally, dad headed to the Walking Horse Show in Woodbury that concluded around midnight, capping off just another laid-back day on the campaign trail.

SUNDAY, JULY 4
We were at it once again Sunday. Mom and Dad headed to Gallatin for two different Fourth of July services. Then, we met up and went to Cookeville and met several people at the annual celebration at Trinity Church in Algood, where the mini-carnival atmosphere and musical concert led up to the firework show. Finally, we made our way back to Murfreesboro for the annual Celebration Under the Stars at Sports Com. Dad worked his way through the crowd and we enjoyed the orchestra’s music before finally getting home for some much-needed rest.

MONDAY, JULY 5
….And man did I rest! Slept for 11 hours after getting to bed a decent hour and sleeping in Monday morning. It was a legit laid-back day, which was technically a holiday. But, as usual, there was still work to be done. I put some yard signs together and worked on a mail-out, but did manage to finish at a decent hour to get in a workout at the gym and go relax at home for a change. Dad made it out to the 4-H Expo Show in Murfreesboro before going door-knocking late Monday afternoon.

TUESDAY, JULY 6
We worked on mail-outs and got some more big signs put up in the area. Meanwhile, I got a head start on some press releases before taking off with my parents to Hendersonville for a Meet & Greet Fundraiser at the home of Randee Jackson and Tom Denham. We had a great time, meeting a bunch of super people and eating some of the best catered food I’ve had at one of the most beautiful houses I’ve ever seen. It was a very successful night and the enthusiasm was outstanding. I’m thinking that enthusiasm for my dad’s campaign will continue all the way to Election Day in just four weeks.

P.S. Don’t forget to join our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress and please invite all your friends to do the same. Thanks everyone. - Chad

Life on the Trail with Dad - June 30

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:29:00 GMT

THURSDAY, JUNE 24

Opened the day with a staff meeting at our new Sumner County Headquarters to discuss many things, including the Grand Opening event coming up and other events in the area. Our interns also put out some signs in the Hendersonville area during the day. I came back and got to work on some releases and also helped out with a mail-out that we all pitched in on.

FRIDAY, JUNE 25
It was a fairly straight forward Friday with another wild weekend to look forward to. I worked on some things in the office before heading out to the annual Blackman Community BBQ that night here in Murfreesboro. We had a great time there and met many, many great folks as always plus the food and entertainment was terrific as usual.

SATURDAY, JUNE 26

Can you say “On The Go”? We began a Saturday and Sunday of strictly travel and events by taking a visit to the Farmer’s Market on the square in Murfreesboro. Dad actually ran into one of his old college buddies there and was able to visit for a little while. Then, we stopped by the local AAU boys basketball tournament at Siegel before making the drive to Lewisburg for the Marshall County Republican Party Headquarters Grand Opening. After a short visit there, we hit the road for Robertson County and the annual Martin’s Chapel BBQ. Hundreds and hundreds were in attendance there and we really had a great time. It’s always fun to go visit places I’ve never been to, and this was a very neat event. After that, my intern, Blair Haskins, and I put up several signs in the Springfield area just before dark. Then, we headed back through a gigantic thunderstorm to close out the long day on the trail.

SUNDAY, JUNE 27

It was the busiest Sunday yet for me. After two church services, including the outstanding annual Patriotic Sunday at Franklin Road Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, my dad spoke to the Rolling Thunder organization at the VFW in Smyrna. He gave a good speech, but then they followed with some great questions as well. Had a good time there before dad went over to Lancaster Christian School for a 6^th Congressional District Candidate Forum for the remainder of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Blair and I made the trip to Cookeville to help put together big signs. We worked for about six hours up there and came back with 50 or so. It was a productive day to say the least.

MONDAY, JUNE 28

Signs, signs, and more signs! I’ll be honest….I’ll be glad when we finish getting all of these signs up. It’s a long and somewhat frustrating process, but it has to be done. Blair and I spent most of the day traveling through Cannon and Dekalb County putting up signs all over. After we receive approval, we have to find the actual location, so it can get crazy at times out there. At least we’ve seen pretty much all areas of all counties in middle Tennessee now.

TUESDAY, JUNE 29

Finally, a day to take a breath. After working on some administrative things, I was able to get done at a decent hour and enjoy a semi-night off. And it came at just the right time, too. Just enough time to gear up for the stretch run.

P.S. Don’t forget to join our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/jimtracyforcongress. And don’t forget to invite all your friends to do the same. Thanks everyone. CHAD