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Tennessee GOP fundraisers surrender to the inevitable
Tennessee’s top GOP fundraisers are beginning to rally around McCain:
Top Republican fundraiser Ted Welch and Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey have joined John McCain’s Tennessee presidential fundraising team.
Welch, one of the top GOP fundraisers in the nation, led Mitt Romney’s national finance team. Ramsey put his name on the ballot as a Thompson delegate to the GOP national convention and once pledged to cast his vote at the convention for Thompson, even though he was no longer in the race.
Scooter Clippard, McCain’s national finance co-chairman, announced the latest additions to the campaign’s Tennessee finance team. Clippard, who previously served as Thompson’s national fundraising chairman, said the growing list of Tennessee supporters shows that Tennessee Republicans are beginning to unite behind the party’s frontrunner.
“Republicans are coming together,” he said. “I think everybody realizes this is going to be a very tough battle.”
Other members of McCain’s Tennessee finance committee are listed below. Former members of the Thompson finance team are indicated with an asterisk.
Tennessee Honorary Finance Chairmen
* Mike Curb, chairman Curb Records, Nashville
* Jim Haslam II, founder of Pilot Corp, Knoxville
* Former U.S. Ambassador Joe M. Rodgers, NashvilleTennessee Finance Chairs
* Scooter Clippard, vice chairman Community South Bank, Nashville
Fred W. Smith, founder and CEO of FedEx, MemphisTennessee Finance Co-Chairs
* Johnnie Amonette, UT board of trustees, Memphis
* Jim Ayers, businessman, Parsons
* Sam Bartholomew, attorney, Nashville
* Sid Blalock, CEO Blalock Co., Sevierville
Bob Davis, former chairman of the Tennessee GOP, Nashville
Former Gov. Winfield Dunn
Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons, Memphis
Danny Graves, owner Graves & Graves Construction, Parsons
* Arles Greene, CEO ABG Caulking & Waterproofing, Goodlettsville
State Rep. Beth Harwell, Nashville
Jimmy Haslam III, chairman and president of Pilot Corp, Knoxville
* Former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary
Brenda Lawson, CEO Brenda Lawson & Assoc., Cleveland, Tenn.
Former Mayor Blake Lay, Lawrenceburg
Fred Marcum, attorney Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, Huntsville
Albert McCall, owner D.T. McCall & Sons, Carthage
* Jim Powell, owner Powell Construction Co., Johnson City
Former Memphis Mayor Jim Rout
Steve Smith, chairman VolPAC, Franklin
Former Gov. Don Sundquist, Townsend
* John “Thunder” Thornton, developer, Chattanooga
Bucky Wellford, attorney Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis
*Steve West, president West Chevrolet, Alcoa
Susan Richardson Williams, owner Susan Williams Public Affairs Consulting, member TVA board, Knoxville

