Rep. Fincher won’t run for fourth term
Several candidates to run for open seat
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Stephen Fin cher announced he won’t seek a fourth term in office, immediately touching off a mad dash among potential successors rushing to get in line for the seat.
Within just a few hours after Fincher’s announcement, six prominent Republicans — state Sen. Brian Kelsey, former U.S. Attorney David Kustoff, Memphis radiologist George Fl inn, Shelby County Register of Deeds Tom Leatherwood, Shelby County Commissioner Steve Basar and state Rep. Steve McManus — all announced they are jumping into the race.
“Yes, I’m i n,” Kelsey announced on Twitter, complete with a logo that declared “Kelsey for Congress.”
In an interview, Kelsey, who has served as state senator for the past nine years and was in the state House for five years before that, said he is running because he wants to shake up Washington.
Kustoff, who served for two years as U.S. attorney for West Tennessee before stepping down in 2008, said in a statement that the state “deserves a congressman who will continue the fight for Tennessee values and principles, and that is why I will be candidate for the 8th Congressional District.”
Flinn, who ran for the seat in 2010 but lost to Fincher, also announced his ca nd idac y on Twitter, saying “the people of our community deserve great leadership.”
Leather wood, who served in the state Senate and has been the Register of Deeds for 15 years, called himself “a tested conservative.”
Basar, who had considered a run in the 9th District, said he wants to work to bring better job oppor-
tunities to Shelby County and that with so much partisanship in Washington, he will be able to work with both sides of the aisle. “I do that now on the Shelby County Commission,” he said.
The Associated Press reported that McManus, an investment adviser who represents East Shelby County, was also interested in seeking the seat.
So far, no Democrats have jumped into the race. But Roy Herron, a former state senator and Democratic Party chairman who lost to Fincher in 2010, said he has gotten a lot of calls from people encouraging him to run and he will “make a decision in the near future.”