Spotlight on the TN 8th Congressional District

Republican Winner, Stephen Fincher
The 8th Congressional District of Tennessee is sited in the northwestern part of the state. Towns include Jackson, Clarksville, Dickson, Charlotte, Union City, Dyersburg, Brownsville and Millington. With the exception of some fringes of Memphis and Nashville and a part of Clarksburg, most of the district is composed of small towns and farming communities. Historically, the 8th has leaned strongly toward Democrats in local races, so much so that Republicans have often not bothered to mount serious challenges. Presidential politics paints a different picture. Al Gore, a native Tennessean, did capture the district in 2000, but in 2004 George W. Bush prevailed by 7 points and in 2008, McCain by 13. This promised be the year when the 8th breaks the Democratic stronghold and joined many of its conservative trending southern districts in sending a Republican to Congress. Rep. John Tanner (D), first elected in 1988, had enjoyed substantial popularity here and never won a contest by less than 62% of the vote. He announced his retirement last year. Republican Stephen Fincher, a farmer with name recognition as a member of a widely known gospel group, won the spirited GOP primary by a two to one margin over well funded rivals, County Commissioner George Flinn and Physician Ron Kirkland and two others. Fincher surprised many with his outstanding vote count in typically Democratic areas. In fact, Fincher received 8,000 more votes than did the Democratic primary winner, state Sen. Roy Herron, despite the fact that Herron faced only a token challenge in his race while Fincher held off four challengers. Herron was the consummate "liberal". He went on record as supporting state run health care schemes, higher taxes, card check, and taxpayer funding of abortions. In this closely watched race, Fincher held the upper hand in this socially conservative and economically populist district and notched the win 59% to 39%
Stephen Fincher
  • Native of Crockett County, Tennessee
  • Managing Partner, Fincher Farms 
  • Member of the singing ministry group, "The Fincher Family"
  • President, Alamo Dixie Youth Baseball and Crockett County Dixie Youth Baseball
  • Chairman of the Board, PPR Committee, Archer's Chapel United Methodist Church
  • President, United Methodist Men
  • Volunteer and fund raiser for the Methodist Church, Dixie Youth Baseball, NOAH, Relay for Life, The Carl Perkins Child Abuse Center, as well as many events for individuals or families in need
  • Life Member, NRA

ISSUES

  • I will fight to restore constitutional government - a limited federal government, to return power and money to state governments, and remember the constitutional republic left to us by our founders. 
  • We're in a hole, and we need to stop spending. We should use repaid TARP funds and unspent stimulus funds to pay down the national debt. We need to cut tax rates, make permanent the Republican tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, work toward abolishing the capital gains tax and business tax. Third, we need earmark reform. We need transparency. We need to change the culture in Washington.
  • We need a consumer oriented and patient friendly health care system. Reform should include better choice among health plans and more competition among providers. We need tort reform to bring down costs and reduce frivolous lawsuits. We can use free market principles to bring about portability and treat pre-existing conditions fairly. We need to help small businesses and individuals afford health care through tax credits and cuts.
  • We have a terrific geographic location, a strong right to work law, and some of the best workers in the world. I want my children and your children to be able to stay here, work here and raise their families here. No one will work harder to sell our district to industry so we have the jobs we need. 
  • My position on military matters, as all others, will be based on the basic principle of a strong America being the best hope for peace. And that listening to our military officers and generals on the ground is the surest path to victory and bringing our troops home. 
  • Homeland Security - securing our American homeland - remains a top national priority and I will work to protect our country through every means available. I oppose giving terrorists civilian trials, and closing Guantanamo Bay.
  • We need to drill, drill, drill here at home. We have new finds and promising reserves that could supply our energy needs for decades or more. We should already be drilling in ANWR. We should be making the most of the oil discoveries of the last few years. 
  • We need a comprehensive approach as well. One that includes nuclear energy, wind and solar, and conservation. But this should be a market-based process, not one based on caps and taxes. Energy taxes and more regulation are not the answer to providing for our energy needs. I strongly oppose the cap and trade bill (cap and tax). 
  • We must secure our borders and insist that our immigration laws be enforced.
  • I will support judges who are strict constructionists and who respect and revere the constitution.
  • Social Security and Medicare are contracts made with our seniors - we must keep our promises and commitments to older Americans. 
  • Free and fair trade is essential to continued economic growth.
  • We need to get the government out of the financial services industry and return control of the financial markets to free enterprise.
  • Instead of the Big Labor supported system of caps, "time-served" payments and the flawed Davis Bacon Act, we should promote merit and performance-based pay, remove federal caps on the wages of our workers, and allow the free market to naturally raise the wages of Americans and Tennesseans as our small businesses and companies benefit from pro-growth policies. 
"One of the first things I did when considering running for Congress was to read the constitution. It's the owner's manual for governing our country. The decisions I make will be based on it. But beyond that, we are a unique and revolutionary nation. Here, we do not bow or swear allegiance to king or crown, but to our constitution. Article VI, Clause 3 has a simple requirement for Members of Congress as well as other elected officials: "to support this Constitution." Many of our elected officials have forgotten this crucial element of governing and I believe this is the fundamental cause of the significant losses of our freedoms and self-governance."
Stephen Fincher Sets the Record Straight
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