Does Tim even want this job?

As I’ve been traveling the district, talking to voters, holding events, sending out volunteers, putting up billboards, and so much more, I’ve had the feeling that something doesn’t quite add up.

Where’s Tim?

I’m not talking about him refusing to hold town halls, debate, or show up at forums or joint interviews. Those failures of basic representation I expected, unfortunately.

But what I didn’t expect was for his campaign to be so . . . invisible. We know that Rep. Burchett has raised and spent more money on this campaign than he ever has before. But, on what exactly?

I’ve seen a few yard signs crop up in the last two weeks. And sure, he’s sent some emails trying to portray me as a radical to raise money for his campaign. But Tim has the budget for multiple glossy mailers, both for him and against me. TV ads. Text messages. Paid canvassers. Radio and podcast spots. Billboards.

I’ve had dozens of people ask me over the past few weeks:

Is Tim even campaigning?

Maybe it’s coming. But just one day before early voting and exactly three weeks before Election Day, I would have expected something of substance by now.

One explanation is that he doesn’t think he’ll lose, so he’s decided he doesn’t have to try to earn people’s votes or get out his message. That might be part of it.

But I’ve actually started wondering if Tim just doesn’t want this anymore. That it’s no longer fun for him. That more people are seeing through the alien talk and the Carhartt jacket and the dadgums – and asking why he hasn’t done more to improve the lives of the people of East Tennessee.

He’s tied his wagon to an unpopular President he can’t break from. He’s lost the respect of many people in his community who used to think he was a good man. And he’s hoping that if he hangs around Marsha, he’ll be handed her Senate seat.

That’s why I sent out a press release earlier this month asking Rep. Burchett to just hold a public town hall for his constituents, even if he didn’t want to debate me.

I’ve known how steep this climb was since launching this campaign over a year ago. I did it, knowing the odds, because I believe that things can be better for East Tennessee.

I know I have to earn every single vote. That I will have to work harder than feels humanly possible. That I will have to show up everywhere.

So, why can’t Representative Burchett be bothered to show up anywhere?

Early Voting: October 14 - October 29

Early voting starts tomorrow. It helps me more than you can know to show up early, because then I can use all of our resources to get other voters to the polls!

And if you want to help us show up everywhere, we have volunteer opportunities just about every single day from here through November 3rd!

Upcoming events:

October 13th: East Knoxville Town Hall. 6 - 7:30, Austin East. 2800 Martin Luther King Jr Ave.

October 15th: Get Out The Vote Rally.* 6 PM. Mount Olive Baptist Church. 1601 Dandridge Avenue. *This is a community event not affiliated with the MB4TN campaign, but all are encouraged to attend!

October 17: Get Out The Vote Rally. 11 - 2 PM. West Hills Park. 400 N Winston Road. Come prepared to get fired up and go out and talk to voters!

October 17: Joint Tailgate with Jerri Green. 2 PM. 1115 Volunteer Boulevard.

October 18th: Brunch Fundraiser at Kaizen. 11 AM. 127 S Central Street. Get your tickets here.

October 22nd: Campbell County Town Hall. 6 - 7:30. 102 S 8th St, LaFollete.

November 3rd: Election Night Watch Party. 7 - 11 PM. Printshop Beer Co, 1532 Island Home Ave.