The World According to Oatney

"This is the office at the bottom of the State Primary ballot that nobody thinks of," Oatney commented, "but as we've seen in recent months, members of the State Executive Committee have a lot of authority under Tennessee law, even the ability to determine who can and cannot be classified as a Republican on a State Primary ballot." Members of the Republican State Executive Committee also serve by law in Tennessee as the State Primary Board, and can question the validity of a Primary result under certain circumstances or even dismiss it. "It is vital to have someone who is not only a committed Republican serving the 4th Senate District on the SEC, but also someone committed to the integrity of the ballot who respects the will of the voters who cast it," Oatney stated. The 4th District is comprised of the counties of Jefferson, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Union, and Claiborne, and is represented in the Tennessee Senate by Senator Mike Faulk (R-Kingsport).

Oatney said that anyone who seeks a position on the GOP State Executive Committee as a way to promote themselves or advance their political standing has the wrong idea of what the position is about. "There is no glory in this position, we won't make the front pages at the State Executive Committee unless there is some kind of controversy. Most voters don't even know what the position is or what the responsibilities are, but that is one thing I do aim to change." Oatney said that if elected, he wants to meet regularly with the six Republican County Chairmen in the 4th District, as well as their party Executive Committees, but also stressed that he'd like the regular input from ordinary Republican voters. "Meetings of the State Executive Committee are open to the public, but most people don't know when those meetings are and others can't always go to Nashville, but they'd like to know what is happening, they'd like to be more involved-I'd like to give them a voice. That's my campaign slogan, 'Here to Serve.'"

"I know that I have adversity to overcome," said Oatney "but I really feel like that in this little race, I'm the Little Engine That Could."