August 12th, 2008
Dear Friend,
Last Thursday was a great night for our campaign. This was a tough and spirited primary, and I am convinced that the difference for us was the support I received from people like you. Let me thank you for all the phone calls, letters, emails and other means you used to spread our message to your friends and neighbors. Kay and I could not have done it without you.
Please know that I will continue to listen to your thoughts and concerns and work to see results produced. That’s why I ran in the first place — to bring effective leadership to the State Senate. I can’t promise to be perfect – I’m not — but I can promise to stand up for you, speak out for you, and make my vote count for you at the Capitol.
Once again, Kay and I are grateful for all you have done for our campaign. When we started this journey, no one gave me much of a chance. However, you believed in me and worked to ensure that in the end — the choice was clear. All I promise is to produce results — not just make statements. Thank you again for your support and may God bless you.
Sincerely,
Doug
p.s. If you have a yard sign, please take it up for now and put it back out on October 1st for the November 4th general election. Thanks!
Posted in Featured News, In The News |
August 12th, 2008
November 4, 2008
Tennessee State General Election
United States Federal Election
Last Day to Register: Monday, October 6, 2008
Early Voting: October 15 - 30, 2008
If you have anymore questions, please email us at joinDoug@charter.net. Thanks and please go vote!
Posted in In The News |
August 12th, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
By Robert Wilson
Originally published by the Knoxville News Sentinel
MARYVILLE – If the total vote in the state Senate, 8th District race Thursday were the length of Shields-Watkins Field, the margin of challenger Doug Overbey’s win would be only about 2 feet from the orange and white checkerboard end zone.
How close? The difference was 139 votes out of a total of 21,188 cast.
And just as in 2004 when Sen. Raymond Finney, R-Maryville, unseated an incumbent of his own party, Finney carried Blount County and lost Sevier County. This time, however, the Sevier victory by Rep. Overbey, R-Maryville, was enough to overcome Finney’s lead in Blount.
Published reports immediately after the voting indicated Finney might ask for a recount. But by Friday he was saying he is “not ready to issue a statement.”
His opponent and others say that his election loss after only one term in the Senate is probably attributable to his vote in favor of a change in the funding formula of the governor’s Basic Education Program, which resulted in school systems in both counties seeing their state revenue reduced.
It was an issue that Overbey kept before the voters during the campaign.
Ashley Johnson, chairman of the Republican Party in Sevier County, is among those who say Finney’s vote damaged his re-election prospects.
“Finney voted for it,” Johnson said, “to our detriment.” It was, he said, the action “most people had an issue with” and it “dissatisfied people in Sevier.”
Overbey, in a post-election interview, said the BEP formula may have been felt more deeply in Sevier County because there is only one school system there. The funding loss in Blount County, he said, was spread among the Blount, Maryville and Alcoa systems. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in In The News |
August 6th, 2008
By Doug Overbey, Candidate for State Senate
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Originally published by the Daily Times
EDITOR’S NOTE: State Rep. Doug Overbey spoke Tuesday with about 30 supporters on the steps of the Blount County Courthouse about his motivation for running for the 8th Senatorial District seat.
“Number one is to continue to stand up for Blount and Sevier counties’ share for our state education funding dollars.
“We cannot afford any longer to have someone at the state Senate who sits quietly at his desk and decides to vote with the majority of the Senate when that’s against the interest of the taxpayers from Sevier and Blount counties. It’s important to stand up and let your voice be heard and make your vote count.
“Secondly, we need to continue to stand up to make sure that we can afford to heat our homes and fuel our cars. We don’t need to support legislation in this day and time that would automatically raise the cost of your gas 34 cents a gallon or $10 a tankful.
“Now maybe that’s not important to somebody that can put a quarter of a million dollars of his own funds into a campaign, but, as I’ve knocked on door after door after door, that’s not where everybody else in Blount and Sevier counties are. They’re hurting right now with high gas prices, and adding 34 cents a gallon or $10 a tankful will continue to hurt, and we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“Finally, and this is near and dear to mine and Kay’s heart, as the father of three daughters, the parents of three daughters, we need to stand firm for family values.
“And to me protecting family values means to fight for the unborn, newborn and those born with disabilities. We have to look out for those who cannot look out for themselves, who cannot speak out for themselves and stand firm for our families in this day and time.
“Now, Kay wanted me to tell you all this. We believe everyone — everyone here, everyone in these counties — have gifts from God. God bestows all of us gifts. And I think public service is a gift. And I think through background, education and training, the good Lord has shown his favor to allow me to be in public service. And I want to takes those gifts to the state Senate.”
Posted in Featured News, In The News |
August 6th, 2008
In close, tough race, Overbey has edge
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Originally published by the News-Sentinel
There are several interesting primary races for legislative seats but none more contentious than in the 8th District that involves voters in Blount and Sevier counties. In that spirited Republican contest, incumbent Sen. Raymond Finney is being challenged by state Rep. Doug Overbey.
The race is being watched for its money and its rhetoric. Records through July 28 show Overbey has spent $208,186, with $114,363 on hand. Finney’s total is $136,763, with $165,344 cash on hand, courtesy of the senator’s personal loans to his campaign.
Both men have accused each other of misrepresenting – in fact, that might be a kind word for it – the other’s records. Finney has pointed to Overbey’s vote for House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Democrat, to retain his leadership position, while Overbey has pointed to Finney’s vote in favor of a revised Basic Education Program (BEP 2.0) that restored needed school funding to Knox, Hamilton and other populous counties but left Blount and Sevier without funding increases.
Overbey, a lawyer who was first elected to the House in 2000, said his vote for Naifeh illustrated realities in the House, which has a Democratic majority. “In order to be effective and pass legislation,” he said, “you have to reach across the aisle.”
Finney, a retired physician seeking a second term, said his vote for BEP 2.0 also reflected the reality of the situation; it passed in the Senate 32-1. He said there were other parts of the bill that were good for local schools and that funding-formula alterations that addressed complaints in his district could be made in the 2008 session. However, that did not occur because of the state’s tight budget.
Both men sponsored a number of bills that became law during the two-year session: Finney 25 and Overbey 38. In fact, Overbey’s total was more than any other House Republican and ran the gamut from revising medical malpractice laws to funding hospital trauma centers. Chairing a House subcommittee that dealt with health care issues put him in a good position to shepherd those measures, but it is important to note the bills passed with a Democratic majority.
And, beyond the rhetoric and spending, Overbey’s effectiveness in working both sides of the aisle and his energetic approach to issues give him the edge in this race and our endorsement.
His bill on limiting medical malpractice lawsuits is an effort to keep frivolous lawsuits from being filed but at the same time to allow people who have been injured to proceed with their cases. Likewise, he is proud of pushing through legislation to provide sprinkler systems at all long-term care facilities following a disastrous fire at a center in his home county.
And we like Overbey’s enthusiasm for the job. He says he enjoys being a legislator and enjoys the legislative process. “At the end of the day,” he said, “it seems to work.”
We think Overbey deserves a chance to make the process work in the state Senate.
Posted in In The News |
August 4th, 2008
August 1, 2008
Following an interview with local teacher representatives, the Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (TEA-FCPE), the political action arm of the Tennessee Education Association, has announced its endorsement of Doug Overbey for the Tennessee Senate in District 8. Senate District 8 includes all of Blount and Sevier Counties.
In making the announcement, TEA’s Vice President, Gera Summerford, stated that Mr. Overbey won the organization’s support based on his past support of education issues. Ms Summerford stated that “Doug clearly understands the problems facing public schools and has a proven record in support of issues facing education and public school employees. He recognizes that Tennessee’s future depends on strong public schools, and merits the support of the education community, parents, and all others interested in the future of public education. Public schools have a friend in Doug Overbey. We look forward to working with him as a state senator in the 2009 legislative session.”
The Tennessee Education Association is the state’s largest professional organization representing over 55,000 elementary and secondary teachers, school administrators, education support personnel, higher education faculty, and students preparing to become teachers.
One of the defining issues of the campaign for Senate District 8 has been education, in particular the BEP 2.0 plan passed last year which cut funding for schools in Blount and Sevier counties.
That underscores the importance of the endorsement Doug Overbey has just received from the Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (TEA-FCPE).
Overbey was honored at the endorsement and issued the following statement:
“Elections are about the future, and nothing is more important to our future than the education our children receive. I am the only candidate for Senate who voted to protect our school funding, and I am gratified that the TEA-FCPA has chosen to stand with me even though I am taking on the tough task of running against an incumbent. If elected, I will continue working to change the funding formula and help Sevier and Blount counties get the funding they need to educate our children,” said Overbey.
Posted in In The News |
August 4th, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Originally published by The Daily Times
Dear Editor:
I’m writing to express my support for Doug Overbey for the state senate in the upcoming Aug. 7 primary. As a long-standing member of this community, I have seen Representative Overbey’s hard work for our county, including supporting veterans and protecting our children.
He has helped elect strong Republican conservative leaders such as Jimmy Duncan, Howard Baker, Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker and Fred Thompson. He helped restart the Blount County Young Republicans and was parliamentarian for the State Republican Executive Committee.
Furthermore, Doug has always working vigorously to promote conservative ideals such as the sanctity of life, low taxes, economic growth and less government waste in Blount County and in Nashville.
I truly believe we can trust Doug to continue to carry the conservative message for our county to the state senate just as he has in the house of representatives. His history, character and actions will serve Blount County well in Nashville.
Sincerely,
Mike Lewis
1627 St. Ives Blvd.
Alcoa, TN 37701SClB
Posted in In The News |
