Businessman Weston Wamp announced on Monday that his campaign for Congress has raised $300,000 in just nine weeks thanks to the overwhelming support of voters and business leaders in the Third District. The total is likely the most that any primary challenger in America has raised in the first quarter.
“I am grateful to the hundreds of people in the Third District who have invested their hard earned money in sending me to Washington to have impact on their behalf,” said Mr. Wamp. “From farmers to CEOs, disappointment with our do-nothing congressman is widespread. We have no doubt that we will fully fund our campaign to bring Congress back home.”
On the same day as Mr. Wamp’s kickoff fundraising event hosted by more than 80 Tennessee families at the home of Allison and Dr. Marc Cromie, former congressional candidate Scottie Mayfield endorsed incumbent Congressman Chuck Fleischmann.
“Clearly Congressman Fleischmann’s campaign would only call this endorsement a ‘gamechanger’ if they were seriously concerned by the momentum of our campaign in the first place,” said Mr. Wamp. “We have always known that changing the status quo isn’t easy, but I believe the people will prevail and get a new congressman.”
“Yet again Congressman Fleischmann’s focus is all about politics and not about fixing Washington and fixing the country.”
“In a respectful face-to-face conversation with Mr. Mayfield on Saturday, I was disappointed to hear that a grudge he holds against my younger sister from our last campaign influenced his endorsement decision more than his actual support for Congressman Fleischmann,” said Mr. Wamp. “We will stay focused on our positive campaign because voters know you can’t change Washington by re-electing the same people.”
Weston Wamp is a founding director at Lamp Post Group, a business incubator in Chattanooga supporting small businesses and creating jobs. He and his wife, Shelby, reside in Lookout Valley.