Candidate Wamp visits Loudon County

Greg Wilkerson News Herald

 

Congressman Zach Wamp made a stop in Loudon County Tuesday to encourage members of the local Republican party to support him in his bid to be Tennessee's next governor.


Wamp outlined the three main areas of focus in his "20/20 Vision" plan for the state, which included progress in health care, education and the economy.
"I think we really need to implement plans and programs to make Tennessee a better state," Wamp said.


Statistics show Tennessee 47th in the nation in terms of health, Wamp said, specifically mentioning the high infant mortality rate and the occurrence of 13-year-olds on blood pressure medication. Wamp said the reforms to TennCare need to continue and legislation may not be the best option in dealing with health care issues.


The Congressman quoted Os Guinness several times by saying "The power to convene is greater than the power to legislate," and is using the phrase as one of his main campaign points.


In education matters, Wamp said his focus will be on reaching children early and said education begins at conception and ends at the grave. "Education is the key to everything else," he said. "My vision for our state is children reading much better, early."


In terms of the economy, Wamp said the state needs to diversify and become more resilient. He also said there is increased potential for Tennesseeans to provide more for the defense industry.


Wamp, a Chattanooga resident, has served in Washington D.C. for 15 years. His grass roots campaign has already visited 61 counties utilizing what he called a "listen, learn and lead model." The general election is more than a year away.

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10/8/09