Friends, After much thought and prayer, I have decided against running for the 8th Congressional seat to replace John Tanner. I am today announcing my intent to seek re-election to the 82nd House District in the Tennessee House of Representatives. I thank each of you who encouraged me to run for Congress. I feel I can continue to have the greatest impact serving you in the state house. Below is an article from the Commercial Appeal which I thought you might like.
Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to serve YOU.
Craig
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NASHVILLE — State Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, a Democrat from Ripley, announced today he won’t run for the 8th Congressional District seat that U.S. Rep. John Tanner is vacating in this year’s election.
Fitzhugh, 59, a banker and lawyer, had considered running for his party’s nomination for the congressional district comprising North Memphis and north Shelby County, all of Northwest Tennessee, through Jackson and to Clarksville. Instead, he will seek a ninth two-year term in state House District 82, which encompasses Crockett, Dyer and Lauderdale counties.
“When my friend John Tanner announced his retirement from Congress, an interest in the position was immediately kindled in me,” said Fitzhugh. “Since 1965, when I served as a page for our former Congressman Robert A. “Fats” Everett, I’ve always had a wish to follow in his footsteps. Encouraged by many, I pursued a look at the seat, even doing a bit of polling. With encouraging results, I became more interested.
“However, the more I considered running for Congress, the more I realized my passion for serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives. The Bible tells us that everything has its time. For me, this is not my time to run for the United States Congress. … Our state budget situation is once again dire and I believe I can best serve my constituents by doing what I can to keep our state financially on solid footing,” said Fitzhugh, who as chairman of the House Finance Committee plays a major role in passage of the state’s annual budget.
To Read More:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/feb/10/state-rep-craig-fitzhugh-wont-pursue-8th-district-/