Rambo, Nidifer, Ward tapped for Hilleary campaign

From Staff Reports

   Republican Gubernatorial candidate Van Hilleary announced Friday that he has appointed Jay Nidifer and Shelby Ward to lead his grassroots organization in Carter County. John Rambo will serve as his regional chairman for Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties.
   "I am honored to have leaders like Jay and Shelby coordinating my grassroots campaign in Carter County," Hilleary said. "There is tremendous respect for them in the community, as well as the Republican Party. They understand that grassroots campaigning is really the key to winning elections.
   "The more I sit down with Tennesseans in their homes and at their offices, the more I can talk about what matters most to them: Education, security, and jobs. I look forward to working with Jay and Shelby to really get the message out that it's time Tennessee had a fresh start," Hilleary said.
   Ward is a member of the Carter County Women's Republican Club and first vice president of the Tri-Cities Marine Auxiliary League. She is a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a volunteer for the Hospice program. Ward is also an active member of Sinking Creek Baptist Church.
   Nidifer retired to Carter County after an impressive career as a basketball coach at Georgia Tech and East Tennessee State University. Active in the local community, Nidifer is also a distant cousin of State Sen. Rusty Crowe. He and his wife Katie reside in Elizabethton.
   Nidifer said he has signed on with Van Hilleary, because he believes trust is the most important issue in this election.
   "Tennesseans deserve leadership in state government that they can trust -- a leader who will stand up for Tennessee values and keep our state government in order," Nidifer said. "Van Hilleary is an honest leader who tells it like it is and keeps his word. That's why I am excited to be working with Van in Carter County."
   Rambo will work with Nidifer and Ward as the regional chairman. He has served as the Washington County Republican Party Chair and as the Washington County Chair for the Bush/Cheney campaign. He sits on the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth and is Chair of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers, Division Law Week Committee. He resides in Jonesborough, where he works as a partner in the law firm of Herrin, Booze, Rambo, Jenkins and Wheeler.
   Rambo said he believes that Van will be an excellent governor. "Van Hilleary is just the man Tennessee needs right now -- he's honest, hardworking, and easy to relate to. He can bring people together to get things done without compromising his conservative principles ...," he said.
   "Van has a vision for education and economic development in this state, and as governor, he will work hard to make sure that vision becomes a reality. That's the kind of honest leadership we need in Nashville."