Oscar Brock, longtime Republican stalwart and national committeeman, joined with a Nashville committeewoman to urge the party's State Executive Committee (SEC) to reject a recent election challenge from Sabrena Smedley.
He sent an email along with Beth Campbell asking the SEC to turn down the request to throw out the GOP primary election results in which Weston Wamp narrowly finished with more county mayor votes than Ms. Smedley.
Mr. Brock, son of the late U.S. Senator Bill Brock, is now a member of the Kelly administration at Chattanooga City Hall.
Ms. Campbell and Mr. Brock wrote, "Dear fellow Republicans, we have received a request to challenge the outcome of the Hamilton County mayor's race. It is our understanding that this is one of several primary challenges that will come before the SEC in the next week or so.
Over the last couple of decades, several challenges have come before the SEC, but the committee has turned down all of them.
"The challenger has alleged that a large number of Democrats 'crossed over' to vote in the Republican primary.
"As is always the case, it's impossible to know who the crossover Democrats voted far. Moreover, the challenger's assertion that 100 percent of the crossover votes supported the winner is absurd.
"None of us agree on all issues all of the time. However it is our belief that the party should avoid overturning elections based on suppositions and accusations. We hope that you will consider opposing this request to overturn the election."
The vote by the SEC was 34 to uphold the Wamp election, 10 opposed and one abstention.
Ms. Smedley said earlier she was not asserting that all the Democratic crossover votes went to Mr. Wamp, but she said there appeared to be a concerted attempt by some Democratic groups, including the Concerned Clergy, to help the Wamp campaign.