MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Until now most political campaigns have been limited to small gatherings and a presence on social media. Charlotte Bergmann, Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional District, TN, announced that her campaign is going back to the more traditional methods of campaigning.
“Now that Labor Day is over,” Bergmann said, “I believe people are seriously considering their choice for Congress. It is not just the Presidential campaigns that have already been in full swing for some time, but it’s the down ballot contests for US Senate and House of Representatives, and State Senate and Representatives. My campaign is committed to informing my constituents on all the issues.
“My staff has been meeting weekly since last year. They have done their homework and now it’s time to implement our strategy. Volunteers wearing masks will soon be embarking on the precincts armed with campaign literature and to explain Why Charlotte is Better.
“We have a big job on our hands to flip the TN-9 seat from a Democrat stronghold that is occupied by Steve Cohen to a positive and productive district through Charlotte Bergmann.
“For thirteen years Cohen has been our Representative in Washington and has done little to help his constituents back home. I’ve asked him about improving Memphis and getting a handle on crime. His response has basically been, ‘I deal with Federal issues.’”
Bergmann went on to say, “You cannot represent a district adequately in Congress in a vacuum and ignore the conditions on the ground. I know there are things a Congressman can bring to the table to fix many of the problems we have.”
She maintains that Cohen has brought division by siding with the most extreme factions of his party. “He boycotted the Inauguration, he boycotted the State of the Union, and he embarrassed himself and the State of TN by bringing a bucket of fried chicken into the House Chamber to taunt the Attorney General when he appeared before a House Committee. Cohen is known as ‘Chicken Man’ now. We in Memphis deserve better than that!” Bergmann said.
Besides door-to-door campaigning, Bergmann will appear at small gatherings throughout the district in order to tell her story. “I have lived the Memphis experience. I know what its like to be a single mom, to lose my job, and to be homeless. I have been there, done that, but I found the strength through God who led me out of depression and to found a successful business. I have experienced the violence of gangs in Memphis when my grandson was shot in the back and killed. I am championing for Law and Order and will go to Washington to get help for Memphis.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Bergmann said. “We desperately need law and order and a strong police presence, but we also need justice. We hold police officers to a higher standard, put them in desperate situations, and then expect them to make appropriate and professional decisions at a moments notice. When police go over the line, yes, they must be held accountable. I stand for Law, Order, and Justice on all sides.”
When asked why she thinks she can win against an entrenched incumbent and why an overwhelmingly Democrat district would elect her, she replied, “This election is not like any other. President Trump’s campaign continues to move up in the polls day-by-day. I am expecting to receive the down ballot votes from his momentum. In the past, this district voted straight Democrat and look what we got in return for our loyalty—gangs, crime, poverty, and violence.
“Sometimes it’s smart to vote for someone other than the ‘entrenched incumbent’ who has brought no improvements to our communities. If you shopped at the same store who kept raising prices and giving bad service, wouldn’t you take your business elsewhere? Well, I am that Elsewhere!”
Her campaign manager, Carol Scott, confirmed the increased activity on Bergmann’s behalf. She said, “You will soon see more Bergmann people on the streets, more signs, and more advertising. We’re going to flip this seat!"
According to a campaign spokesman, Lee Buchschacher, “Volunteers, real people, will be calling voters to talk person-to-person, no robo calls. We will also be sending out mailings along with radio, television and billboard ads. Our campaign is on target for the next two months.”
