The thought of a Republican billionaire running for a school board seat in Cleveland, Tn., was entertaining enough. Mr. Allan Jones is a product of Bradley County schools and turned his daddy’s debt collection business into a billion dollar advance payday lender, Check Into Cash. He had fresh ideas for the Cleveland school system and ran on a six-year plan for just a four-year term. He is the wealthiest man in our neck of the woods. Google “Allan Jones house” and it’s the Bradley County version of Trump’s Mar-A-La-Go.
His campaign website implied that he had Trump’s backing for a seat on the Cleveland School Board.
So when Mr. Jones got beat by a Democrat for the school board seat, I was expecting at least a claim of election fraud or a bunch of conspiracy theories to justify his loss.
Instead, I received a measure of Mr. Allan Jones’ true character.
In response to his embarrassing defeat, he stated, “I got beat in Bradley County by the only Democrat on the ballot. That doesn’t speak well for me.” Instead of embracing blame, he chose humility.
Mr. Jones also said that, although door to door campaigning was not for him, he admitted that it was a very effective way to campaign. Mr. Jones credited his opponent’s hard work and her network of campaign workers. In defeat, Mr. Jones gives credit to his opponent, not excuses for his loss.
Finally, looking on the bright side, Mr. Jones stated that he made money in the stock market on Election Day, so it wasn’t a complete loss. Mr. Jones’ glass is half-full, not half-empty.
His reaction to such an embarrassing defeat reminded me about the importance of one’s attitude and perspective in life. This attitude and perspective has made Mr. Jones a billionaire. (Along with charging usurious interest on pay day loans, but that’s not my point here).
This is my point: A billionaire Republican can lose a campaign with dignity and grace after all.
Thanks, Mr. Jones for your “object lesson” on the importance of humility. In the future, I look forward to answering the door when you knock the next time you run for office.
C. Mark Warren
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Mark, some good points about Mr. Jones. I would add it would be refreshing too if the 2016 Democrat nominee for president and the 2018 Democrat candidate for governor of Georgia could have been as graceful in utter defeat as was Mr. Jones.
Not having a biologist on retainer to whisper advice in my ear, I won’t carry this any further.
Ralph Miller
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Ah yes C. Mark, let's heap all your glorious praise and accolades on your hero, Allan Jones.....just so you can come in the back door to get your dig on Trump. Give us a break, C. Mark.
But, I would like to point out, you seem to have forgotten the lack of humility and graciousness from those on your side of the aisle in losing the 2016 election. I know it stung, but remember all the crying and whining? Russian meddling. Voter suppression. Electoral College voter objections. Clinton filing suits for recounts. Etc., etc., etc.
I don't think anyone back then could qualify as your "hero", could they?
Sadly, the word "sedition" wasn't in the vernacular in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 or 2020.
Phil Snider
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I wish C. Mark Warren could have just stayed on task in complimenting Allan Jones and not taken the opportunity to disrespect President Trump.
I’ve never met Allan Jones, but I can see the difference he has made for his beloved Cleveland, Tn. Maybe I took a special interest because I wrestled in college and he has done more than anyone I know to promote the sport. It’s not just how he has promoted wrestling, more so how he has promoted Cleveland.
Cleveland is the now the state’s hotbed of wrestling. It’s no longer just Chattanooga and Nashville. Mr. Jones made it an attractive place for both coaches and athletes, with some of the finest facilities in the nation, all on his dime. He made connections with the right people, such as Dan Gable, the best-ever wrestler.
Allan Jones has purchased businesses to keep families in Cleveland employed, even at the risk of losing large sums of money. He purchased and saved the Village Mall, Cleveland’s first mall. I haven’t even scraped the surface for the difference he has made for Cleveland.
When a man is so successful and giving, there is a target on his back. People either don’t understand him or they are jealous of him. Allan didn’t lose, the Cleveland City School System lost. He will go on making his millions of dollars, changing people’s lives for the better, all while focusing on the positive.
You blew it, Cleveland. You could have had who I would consider a world class person on your board. I wish the best to the Democrat who got the votes. But rest assured, Allan Jones is not finished with Cleveland and maybe, just maybe, he can continue to do more on the outside than he could have on the inside. I don’t really know, but I do believe.
Thank you, Allan Jones, from one of your admirers,
J. Pat Williams