The real goal of the Republican primary in August for the U.S. Senate seat is to answer the question, who can beat Harold Ford, Jr.? Not who will run against him, but who can truly beat him. So it would be beneficial if we looked at the qualifications of someone who can beat Ford.

Harold Ford, Jr. is an articulate and experienced congressman from western Tennessee. He is known throughout the state. He is a moderate to liberal Democrat.

So what are our choices? We need to put someone up against Ford who is different, well-known, conservative, articulate, and, most importantly, experienced as well.

When you look at the two front-running Republican candidates, only Ed Bryant has all the qualifications. Only Ed is different enough in ideology from Ford. Only Ed is well-known across the state in west, middle and east Tennessee. Only Ed is a true conservative in all the issues. Ed is articulate and, most importantly, he can balance out in the experienced column against Harold Ford, Jr.

Ed has served in the U.S. military so he outperforms Ford in that category. Ed has served in the U.S. Congress so that level of experience is so incredibly valuable. Ed is the only candidate in the race with the total support of the Tennessee Right to Life organization that shows his commitment to the issue of preserving all life.

So, fellow Republicans, if you really and, I mean really, want to beat Harold Ford, Jr. in November there is only one clear choice between the candidates and that means a vote for Ed Bryant in the August primary.

Johnny Franks
seechatt@yahoo.com

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Ed’s greatest qualification for the U.S. Senate is the fact he is a career politician. He spent eight years as a U.S. Representative in Washington, D.C. However, he has worked for various law firms.

Additionally, his Army experience was as an attorney in the Judge Adocate General’s Corp (JAG). After leaving the Congress, he took his place as a Washington insider, earning a large salary as a lobbyist.

While in Congress, he wasn’t required to take accountability for the votes and decisions he made. He boasts of tax cuts while he ignored wasteful spending and our federal budget deficit ballooned. He has never had the responsibility of balancing a budget. His most remarkable experience while serving in Congress? Serving as a prosecutor in the Clinton impeachment and interviewing Monica Lewinsky.

Is this the type of leadership we need in Washington today? A career lawyer, lobbyist and politician. Do we need more career politicians whose main record of economic accomplishment is hiring more staffers with our tax dollars, wasteful spending, with virtually no practical experience in business, with no experience in creating and being accountable for budgets, with no accountability for results, and no experience in executive leadership? I think not.

Bob Linehart
blinehart@comcast.net