FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2009

Gibbons Campaign Names Finance Leadership and Campaign Staff

MEMPHIS - Bill Gibbons, Republican candidate for Tennessee governor, today announced major additions to the campaign's finance, strategy and management team.

• Gary Shorb, president and chief executive officer of Methodist Healthcare Corp., will serve as West Tennessee finance chairman. Shorb serves as chairman of Memphis Tomorrow, and has served previously as chairman of the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce.
  
  
• Bill Rhodes, CEO, president and chairman of AutoZone, Inc., a Memphis-based Fortune 500 company, will serve as Shelby County finance chairman. He is the incoming chairman of Memphis Tomorrow.
  
  
• Josh Thomas, Memphis area field representative for U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, will serve as campaign manager.
  
  
• Dr. John Bakke, a professor emeritus of the University of Memphis, is senior consultant to the Gibbons campaign. Bakke has served as communications consultant to more than 100 political campaigns, and is recognized across Tennessee as a premier campaign consultant.
  
  
• Layne Provine will serve as a consultant to the campaign. Provine was a consultant to the Tennessee House GOP in 2008 and credited with playing a leading role in the effort that led to the Republican's historic victory to gain control of the House.
  
  
• Wendy Carter will serve as finance director. Carter worked with U.S. Sen. Bob Corker on the Victory field staff, and has congressional campaign experience.
  

"Gary Shorb and Bill Rhodes are friends who are highly respected for their achievements in business. I'm proud to be working alongside them in this campaign," said Gibbons, the Shelby County District Attorney General. "I am energized by the support this campaign is receiving, and by the exceptional talent that we are bringing on board to win this race.

"We are not finished building our team," Gibbons said. "It's still very early, and as this race moves forward we will add even more strong support across the state."

"I'm excited to get this campaign moving with such a strong and talented group of professionals," said campaign chairman David Kustoff. "This team is running a campaign that will be well funded, highly organized and very focused."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2009

Gibbons Polls Strong Among State's Largest GOP Base

MEMPHIS - In a county that contributes more votes to GOP candidates than any other in Tennessee, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Gibbons has overwhelming support and off-the-chart favorables, according to a poll released today.

Not surprisingly, Shelby County Republicans support Gibbons for governor with 60 percent support over U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp (3 percent) and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam (0 percent), with the rest undecided.

"People strongly believe that Bill Gibbons is 'committed to public service,' is 'honest and trustworthy,' and has the 'courage to do what is right.' He polled especially strong in the areas of competency and character," said pollster Dr. John Bakke, who consulted on the poll conducted by Memphis-based research firm Ethridge & Associates.

The survey was conducted for the Gibbons for Governor campaign in late January.

Gibbons, who has served as Shelby County District Attorney for the past 12 years, enjoys nearly 100 percent name recognition among Shelby County Republicans, and a whopping 65 percent said he would make a good governor for Tennessee. Of the 72 percent who registered an opinion about Gibbons, 91 percent were favorable.

Bakke said Gibbons' more than 25 years of public and private service and GOP leadership have made a deep and positive impression on Shelby Countians.

"This poll shows Gibbons simply does not have a negative," Bakke said. "The majority believe that as Shelby County's District Attorney General, Gibbons is 'tough on crime,' a 'strong leader,' and a 'good administrator and executive.'"

Gibbons said his campaign commissioned the poll to get a clear picture of his hometown support, which also happens to be a GOP stronghold in Tennessee.

"You can't expect to be successful in a campaign unless the people who know you and your record best think well of you and are behind you," said Gibbons. "This poll shows they do and they are, and I vow not take that support for granted as I embark on my campaign for the state's top job."

The strong, solid support for Gibbons in Shelby County is significant, Bakke says, because Shelby County contributes such a large bloc of GOP votes as a share of the overall votes in statewide races. In the 2006 primary race involving Bob Corker, Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary to determine the U.S. Senate nominee, 13 percent of the overall GOP vote was cast in Shelby County. The next largest contributing county was Knox, with 7 percent of the total votes. The addition of neighboring suburban Tipton and Fayette Counties increases Memphis-area GOP support to 15 percent of the overall state Republican primary votes.

Gibbons for Governor Chairman David Kustoff, former state campaign chairman for U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, and manager of the Bush-Tennessee 2000 campaign, said, "Shelby Countians like and respect Bill Gibbons and hold him in very high regard. Once Tennesseans get to know Bill and understand his vision for better schools, safer communities and his plan to generate new jobs, they'll have the same kind of confidence that he is the right person to lead our state as governor."

Gibbons also scores well among independent voters and Democrats. Independents, by a margin of more than 2 to 1 (43-18), and Democrats by a margin of nearly 2 to1 (35-19), said Gibbons would make a good governor for Tennessee. Gibbons also enjoys high favorable opinions among Democrats (55 percent) and independents (65 percent).

Gibbons was re-elected District Attorney General in 2006, with 62 percent of the vote in Shelby County, which recently went 64 percent for Barack Obama for President.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2009

Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Gibbons Speaks to Carroll County GOP

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. - Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons, Republican candidate for governor, met with Carroll County Republican Party leaders Tuesday night and told the group his priorities for the state are safer communities, better schools and creating more good jobs for Tennesseans.

"By addressing these issues, Tennessee will be a state that is more attractive for companies to grow and expand their businesses, and in a better position to provide more and better job opportunities for Tennesseans," Gibbons said.

Gibbons said his plan as governor will be to strengthen Tennessee's laws to keep violent criminals in prison and off the streets, and to address the underlying problem of drug addiction that drives much of the crime problem by advancing the concept of cost effective judge-supervised treatment programs.

Tennessee, Gibbons says, has the second highest violent crime rate in the nation - a statistic that is unacceptable and prevents the state from reaching a better future.

"The very first sentence of the very first section of our state constitution notes that state government exists to provide for the peace and safety of the people," Gibbons said. "As our next governor, I will take the leading in making changes to fix Tennessee's criminal justice system because I believe we must not surrender a single street, neighborhood or community to crime."

On education, Gibbons promises to break up the status quo, encourage innovation in public education, and demand and reward better teacher performance.

To boost Tennessee's economy, Gibbons promises to invest in public infrastructure - roads, bridges and technology - that will play a big part in making the state more attractive for private economic investment and more high paying jobs.

Recruiting more business to Tennessee is important on a statewide basis, but particularly in rural areas like West Tennessee, Gibbons said.

Gibbons also shared his life story with the group, including enduring extreme poverty as a young person in rural Arkansas, attending the public Central High in Memphis and earning a scholarship to Vanderbilt University.

"Like every one, I am a product of my past. I know what it's like to worry about putting food on the table and providing the basic needs of life. In order to address the issues facing so many people today, I believe Tennesseans want a governor who can relate to their struggles," Gibbons said.

Gibbons has been the District Attorney of Shelby County since 1996, serving as the top law enforcement officer in the state's largest jurisdiction. He manages more than 200 employees and a $16 million budget.

Gibbons served on the Memphis City Council and Shelby County Board of Commissioners. Before that, he served as a special assistant to then-Governor Lamar Alexander. Gibbons has an undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University, where he earned a scholarship after leaving Memphis City Schools.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2009

David Kustoff Will Serve as Chairman of Gibbons for Governor Campaign

MEMPHIS - Attorney David Kustoff, former state campaign manager and chairman for two successful Bush-Tennessee presidential campaigns, and state chairman for Lamar Alexander's 2002 U.S. Senate campaign, will serve as chairman of Bill Gibbons' campaign for governor.

Kustoff, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, is joined on the team by Shelby County attorney John Bobango, a veteran of numerous statewide GOP races, who will serve as chairman of the campaign's advisory committee. Gibbons, the Shelby County District Attorney General, entered the 2010 governor's race on Jan. 4.

Other campaign appointments include attorney Justin N. Joy as legal counsel and Adam Nickas as state field director.

Kustoff said, "Bill is the most qualified candidate and will be an excellent governor for the people of Tennessee. Bill has a vision for safer communities, better schools and more good jobs. We are going to run a very strong campaign on those issues, and once Tennesseans get to know Bill like the folks here in Shelby County, they'll become confident he is the right person to lead our state."

"David Kustoff is a person known for his integrity. He is one of the most highly organized and successful campaign veterans in the state and is respected by GOP leadership across Tennessee," said Gibbons. "Together with John Bobango, our leadership team is very experienced and gives us a lot of strength."

Kustoff was state campaign manager for Bush's pivotal and unexpected Tennessee win over Vice President Al Gore that is widely credited for making the difference in the 2000 election. That campaign was noted for its strong organization and grassroots performance. He was chairman for Bush-Tennessee in 2004. Kustoff was chairman for Alexander's 2002 U.S. Senate win, and he served as chairman of the Shelby County GOP from 1995-1999.

Bobango is a partner and CEO of the law firm Farris Bobango Branan, PLC. Bobango served as campaign advisor and a fundraiser for the Van Hilleary campaign for governor in 2002, and for Ed Bryant's 2006 U.S. Senate campaign. He served on fundraising leadership teams for President Bush and Alexander.

Joy has experience working with the Shelby County GOP and in federal and state races and has previously served as general counsel for the Tennessee Young Republicans. Joy was active in Gibbons' re-election campaign for D.A. in 2006. He is an attorney with the Memphis law firm of Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson & Mitchell, PLLC.

Nickas served as field representative in Iowa for Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the Iowa Caucus on grassroots strength. He has also worked as West Tennessee field representative for Alexander in 2008 and worked in Bob Corker's U.S. Senate win in 2006. Most recently, Nickas was campaign manager for State Rep. Barrett Rich in his win in District 94 in West Tennessee.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2009

Shelby County's Bill Gibbons Begins Tennessee Gubernatorial Campaign

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The following statement is issued today by Bill Gibbons, Shelby County District Attorney General:

"I am a candidate for governor and will seek the Republican nomination in the August 2010 primary.

"As governor, I will place priority on two issues - crime and schools - that pose big challenges to our state and that we must address if we are to achieve a better future for Tennessee.

"Through safer communities and better schools, Tennessee will be positioned as a state where people want to live, raise their families, work and retire. And we will be a state where existing businesses want to remain and expand and new businesses want to locate.

"The very first sentence of the very first section of our state constitution notes that state government exists to provide for the peace and safety of the people. As our next governor, I will take the leading in making changes to fix Tennessee's criminal justice system because I believe we must not surrender a single street, neighborhood or community to crime.

"Tennessee has the second highest violent crime rate in the nation, and it is a statewide problem. Over the past ten years, we have not shared in the national downward trend in violent crime. Law enforcement throughout Tennessee is doing a good job with the tools we have, but Tennessee's criminal justice system has deep flaws. As district attorney in our state's largest jurisdiction, I see those flaws up close, every day. We must change the system.

We must do a better job of holding serious offenders accountable by keeping them off our streets and in prison where they belong. At the same time we must address the underlying problem of drug addiction that drives so much of our crime. We must address behavior among juveniles such as truancy that too often results in even more serious consequences. And we must make sure that our state law enforcement agencies, such as the Highway Patrol, develop and maintain a level of professionalism their employees and the citizens of Tennessee deserve.

"The other major challenge facing our next governor is our schools. In 2010, we will move to more rigorous standardized testing of our public school students. It will be a wake-up call for our state. We must make sure our young people have the skills and values necessary to compete in a global economy. We cannot simply pour more money into doing the same thing and expect significantly different results.

"My wife Julia and I are products of public schools, as are our two children. I was blessed to go to an excellent public high school in my hometown of Memphis, and my children were fortunate to go to exceptional public schools from kindergarten through high school. But I know many of our public schools today simply aren't where they need to be in preparing our children for the future. As our next governor, I will change the status quo in our public schools and encourage innovation, instill high expectations of students, and demand and reward excellence in teaching.

"By making real progress on crime and public schools, Tennessee will be better positioned for the economic growth and employment opportunities so critical to the vibrancy of our communities. My administration will be focused on attracting high-quality jobs in every county, and our success in doing so relies very much on safety and better schools.

"I've spent my professional and personal life preparing to tackle these challenges, and I'm ready to do the job. I intend to make my campaign a conversation with Tennesseans about the real issues we're facing today. I will be specific - about the direction I think we need to take, and the changes we will make - to ensure we do have safer communities, better schools, and more and better jobs. I'm looking forward to having this conversation all across our state.

"That process begins today as I enter the race and form a campaign committee. Germantown CPA Bill Watkins, who has served as chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party, as a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, and as treasurer of dozens of campaigns for Republican candidates, has agreed to serve as treasurer of my campaign."

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