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HUNTSVILLE — U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp (R - Chattanooga), one of three front-runners for the Republican Party’s nomination for governor in 2010, was in Scott County Monday morning as part of a campaign trek through the Upper Cumberlands.
Wamp, who has represented Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District since 1995, was en route to Nashville on a day that included stopovers in Pickett and Clay counties as well as Scott County.
His visit to Scott County included breakfast at Fireside Restaurant in Huntsville and a meeting with County Mayor Rick Keeton and others at the Scott County Office Building.
Prior to departing, Wamp visited with former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard H. Baker, Jr., at Baker’s office in Huntsville. Baker has endorsed Wamp’s opponent in the primary race, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam.
When asked about his plan for creating new jobs in Tennessee, the eight-term Congressman said it was the state’s top priority, adding that he felt the governor’s office should take a bold, new approach to selling the state to prospective businessmen and industries.
Wamp touted his efforts to help recruit a Volkswagon plant to Chattanooga, and pointed out that Tennessee is a right-to-work state with just about every incentive new businesses could expect to find when planning to relocate.
He added that he wants to use the state’s agricultural base to grow the manufacturing sector, particularly with regards to developing new sources of energy and to use solar energy technology to help grow the agricultural base. He maintains that coal “is a good thing for Tennessee” due to the fact that it is a readily available source of energy.
Mayor Keeton mentioned several problems that Scott County is facing, among which were the loss of the local employment office at a time when Scott County’s unemployment rate is nearly twice that of the state’s rate, and a state budget cutting plan which would result in losing a THP officer in the months ahead.
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If ever he wins hope he will be true to his words of giving jobs to people and not just for making some political aspirations that is why he is saying those words. The fact that the Supreme Court campaign finance ruling has allowed more for their campaigning ads sure this will be a big help for his candidacy.