2nd Edition:The Crucifixion of Senator Rosalind Kurita

It's a crying shame, the way we do politics down here in Tennessee. Clarksville attorney Tim Barnes opposed incumbent Senator Rosalind Kurita in August's Democratic Primary race for the 22nd State Senate District. He had the support of several prominent and powerful Democrats throughout Tennessee, largely because of Kurita's vote against fellow Democrat John Wilder.

Wilder was Tennessee's Lieutenant Governor for more than 30 years. He ran the State Senate with an iron fist. His stranglehold on pending legislation was such that much needed action was being subverted. You either played by his rules, or you paid the price.

Kurita outpolled Barnes by 19 votes in the primary election. Unhappy with his lack of success at the polls, Barnes appealed the decision to the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee. Inexplicably and inexcusably, the Executive Committee voted 33-11 that Kurita's primary win over Barnes was "incurably uncertain" and sent the contested election result back to party officials in the 22nd District's three counties to jointly decide the winner at a special convention.

Incurably uncertain, you say? Senator Kurita won by 19 votes. The votes were counted, then re-counted, examined, then re-examined in the three counties affected by this race. County and state election officials failed to find irregularities that would nullify the ballot.

But it gets worse. Senator Kurita sued in Federal Court to have the Executive Committee's action set aside so that she could be properly ratified as the primary election winner, rightfully placing her name on the November ballot. Alas, she got no love from some lily-livered Federal Judge, who said, "Her rights were not violated".
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Update: I had a brief chat with a source close to the Senator this morning (10/31/08), and I was informed that the newspapers had it wrong. Her petition for an 'emergency hearing and injunction' to address her grievances pertinent to the August primary election was denied. However, there is still litigation pending that has the potential to overturn the TDP Executive Committee's action, restore her ratified election in the August primary, and set a date for a special election for her seat in the State Senate.
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Never mind Senator Kurita's rights - what about the rights of the voters of the 22nd State Senate District? As of this writing, Senator Kurita is running a write-in campaign. She's adamant that her long-shot write-in campaign will work. "Against all odds, we're winning this race," she said.

Fie upon the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee! A pox on your house! You didn't like what happened to Al Gore in Florida in 2000. Why is this case different? When you back a losing horse, you are not automatically entitled to have a do-over in a different venue. It is criminal to invalidate the votes cast in good faith by the people of the 22nd State Senate District. This corrupts and perverts the process of government that good American men and women are fighting and dying to defend. Shame on you!