Brock Hill exits GOP’s 4th Congressional District race

Hill’s decision to withdraw leaves Janice Bowling of Tullahoma as the only announced GOP candidate.

Hill is in his third term as Cumberland County mayor and entered the race in early December.

“The time required of me to run for Congress would necessitate my being away from the county mayor’s office too much,” Hill said.

He said Wednesday that contributors would have the option of getting a refund or transferring their contribution to the Tennessee Republican Party’s Victory 2004 Fund.

Hill said he plans to “work hard in my community” on behalf of the Republican nominee.

The chairman of the Republican committee in charge of recruiting House candidates, New York Rep. Tom Reynolds, has already promoted Bowling to his colleagues as a candidate to watch.

In 2002, Bowling received more than 45 percent of the vote in losing to Davis. Davis received 52 percent of the vote to return control of the redrawn, rural district to Democrats.

Republican Van Hilleary held the congressional seat before giving it up to launch an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid in 2002. The district covers 24 counties stretching from southern Middle Tennessee to northern East Tennessee.