Roy Exum
As early voting begins across Tennessee today for the Aug. 6 primary election, a determined orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Manny Sethi is surging in the polls in his role as an outsider. Bill Hagerty, whose roots run deep in the Washington “swamp” and is the hand-picked choice of the Republican Party and most especially President Donald Trump, had a double digit lead in the polls several months ago but according to a new poll by the Trafalgar Group, Sethi has steadily closed the gap to a narrow 3.5-point margin. The reason is two-fold, as Tennesseans have gotten to know Sethi and learn his values, they like him. And as they realize Hagerty is much more about Washington politics than he is about what is best for Tennessee, more and more within the state are realizing Tennessee needs strong Senate presence much more than Trump needs a lap dog.
In Hagerty’s latest television ad, the former Ambassador to Japan claims “Massachusetts Manny” is a liberal elitist who doesn’t share Tennessee values.” That is a preposterous lie. Because Sethi once served on the Massachusetts Medical Society’s board, Hagerty tries to insinuate Sethi’s position nurtured the Society’s support of the Affordable Care Act which you’ll find is no more than sleazy desperation when you read “Seven Good Reasons To Vote For Dr. Manny Sethi” at the close of this story.
More to the fact, some years ago Sethi founded a non-profit foundation called “Healthy Tennessee,” designed to promote preventative health care across the state. This organization has cared for thousands of patients in literally every county in Tennessee while Hagerty was actively working in Mitt Romney’s failed presidential campaign. Hagerty, long established as a Washingtonian, has served on the selection committee of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now Trump.
“Hagerty is losing and retorting to misleading attacks,” explained Chris Devaney, a Lookout Mountain native and Sethi’s campaign manager. “Dr. Manny has always opposed socialized medicine, and his time as a Harvard medical student, as part of a medical society, doesn’t change that. Manny applied for a non-partisan position with The White House and, unlike Bill Hagerty, who actually worked for President Bill Clinton and former President Obama.”
Please allow me to share seven reasons why I believe Manny Sethi’s influence will be of great importance to Tennessee in the six years yet to come …
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SEVEN GOOD REASONS TO VOTE FOR DR. MANNY SETHI
ON FAITH: JESUS CHRIST “IS WHY I BECAME A DOCTOR.” -- Matthew 9:13 tells us, “The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.” My faith is everything to me. It’s what guides me; it’s who I am. It’s why I became a doctor. It’s why I do what I do. After my father passed away, it led me to a closer relationship with Christ. My faith is what shapes my views, and will guide every decision I make in Washington, as I work to fight for our Christian values.”
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ON PRO-LIFE: “I KNOW LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION” -- “I am pro-life. Period. As a doctor, I know that life begins at conception, and for too long politicians have failed to stand up for the sanctity of life. That is why I am a such a strong supporter of ‘the heartbeat bill’ here in Tennessee and will do the same when I’m in D.C. We need to confirm judges who will protect life, and the most vulnerable - the unborn.”
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ON OPIOID CRISIS: “OUR MAYORS AND SHERIFFS KNOW MORE … THAN D.C. BUREAUCRATS” – “I’ve seen the opioid epidemic firsthand; it is the public health crisis of our generation. I’ve been part of roundtables all across our state, and it’s clear that we need to put more power into local officials, because they know what is best for the people in their community. I also believe we need to punish pill-pushers who are pushing fentanyl. These drug dealers are directly responsible for this crisis and must be punished. We need the federal government to give more decision-making authority to local communities. Our local mayors and sheriffs know more in their little fingers than D.C. bureaucrats do in their whole bodies. There is no one size fits all solution here and we need to empower the leaders who know their communities the best.”
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ON IMMIGRATION: “BENEFITS FOR ILLEGALS ISN’T PROTECTING THE RULE OF LAW” -- “I’m the son of two LEGAL immigrants. They stood in line, waited their turn, and came here the right way, becoming doctors in rural Tennessee. I support President Trump’s effort to build the wall, and support ICE. It simply isn’t right for people to illegally cross our borders unchecked or overstay their visas with no consequences. Giving benefits to those who come here illegally isn’t protecting the rule of law. We’re giving away our nation.”
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ON HEALTHCARE: “WE NEED LESS GOVERNMENT IN OUR HEALTHCARE” -- “As a doctor, I know firsthand the huge problems with Obamacare. I’m the only candidate in this race who has read the entire bill and understands it. We need less government involvement in our healthcare, not more. Working with President Trump, I’ll fight to repeal and replace it, without backing down. I oppose government in our healthcare, I oppose single-payer, and I oppose universal healthcare. Period. The fundamentals of a health-care system must be based on a free-market solution that allows competition across state lines. We must focus on access, quality, and transparency.”
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ON GUNS: “OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE” -- “I am a staunch supporter of our 2nd Amendment Rights. As a concealed carry permit holder, I know that our Constitutional Rights are not up for debate. These days you are hearing career politicians on both sides of the aisle talking about red flag laws. These are unconstitutional and will lead to many problems and bad faith actors. I will fight to ensure our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
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ON VETERANS: “OUR HEROES … SHOULD CHOOSE THE DOCTOR THEY WANT” -- “We can never neglect the brave men and women who have served our country. Our veterans are heroes, and we must do more to take care of these incredible people who have given so much for us. Our VA hospitals must improve, and I will commit to making that happen, but we have to allow our veterans the option to choose the doctor they want to go to. For too long we have neglected the mental health needs of our veterans. We must work to make sure that there is access to quality mental health care for every veteran who has served our country.”
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Vote wisely. Do you want a Senator who embraces Tennessee, or a Washington “swamp rat”? Starting today we make our voices heard. Let’s make this vote count.
royexum@aol.com