Story Archive

Campaigning Dos and Don’ts

“Wouldn’t you be sad if you were a state representative and nobody would come bail your ass out of jail?” asks Mark Lovell, who’s running for state representative in the 95th district of Tennessee. The man whose bail he paid is Curry Todd — the incumbent he’s challenging in the Republican primary. Todd is accused of stealing signs promoting Lovell’s campaign. He admits taking the signs (there’s video of him doing it, shot by a Lovell campaign volunteer) but says he had the landowner’s permission. Does Lovell expect the bail money back? “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s like lending money to your nephews. You don’t expect to get it back.” (AC/Memphis Commercial Appeal) ...But your nephews usually can’t pay you back by losing a state House seat to you.