John Jay Hooker to challenge governor in primary

Hooker cited instances where Bredesen’s staff shredded sexual harassment files and handed out honorary trooper-like badges to political insiders, campaign donors and celebrities.

Bredesen said Monday that he has told the Department of Public Safety to end the honorary badge program.

“I’m going to raise hell about this corruption and how he’s let down people who need TennCare, and I believe I’ll get a lot of votes,” Hooker said.

Will Pinkston, a spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party, said he’s not surprised Hooker is planning to run because “he is a perennial candidate for offices of all shapes and sizes.”

Hooker was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1970 and has since used several political campaigns as platforms to file lawsuits, most challenging the constitutionality of campaign financing.

He was again the Democratic nominee for governor in 1998, and later ran as an Independent in the 2002 governor’s race, which Bredesen won.

The primary is Aug. 3, 2006. Hooker said he also planned to run as an Independent in the November 2006 U.S. Senate race to fill the seat Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is giving up.