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John Wolfe Jr.

(Redirected from John Wolfe (politician))
For other people named John Wolfe, see John Wolfe (disambiguation).

John McConnell Wolfe Jr. (April 21, 1954 – September 4, 2023) was an American attorney and perennial political candidate. He was the Democratic nominee for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District in 2002 and 2004. He was best known for having challenged President Barack Obama for the Democratic Party's 2012 presidential nomination. He ultimately emerged as the most successful challenger, receiving the second-highest number of delegates (23) and popular votes (116,639).[1][2]

John Wolfe Jr.
Personal details
Born
John McConnell Wolfe Jr.

(1954-04-21)April 21, 1954
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedSeptember 4, 2023(2023-09-04) (aged 69)
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceChattanooga, Tennessee
Alma materUniversity of Tennessee (B.A.)
Memphis State University (J.D.)

Political campaigns

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Wolfe made an unsuccessful bid in 1998 for the Democratic congressional nomination in Tennessee's 3rd district.[1] In 2001, he ran for Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and received 2.8% of the vote in that race, which was won by Bob Corker.[1] In 2002, he lost a second congressional bid in the 3rd District to then-U.S. Representative Zach Wamp, and garnered 34% of the vote as the Democratic nominee.[1] Wolfe faced Wamp again in a 2004 congressional rematch,[3] and was again defeated, this time acquiring 33% of the vote.[1] In 2007, he ran unsuccessfully in a special election for a Tennessee State Senate seat.[1][4]

Wolfe was fined $10,000 in 2008 after he failed to file a fourth-quarter campaign finance disclosure report for his 2007 State Senate campaign with the state as required by law.[1] In 2010, he ran for Congress in Tennessee's 3rd district,[5] and lost to Chuck Fleischmann 57%-28%.[6]

Wolfe also made two runs for the Democratic presidential primaries, in 2012 and in 2016.

Congressional campaigns

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1998 congressional campaign

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In 1998 Wolfe ran, unsuccessfully, in the Democratic primary for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district.

2002 congressional campaign

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John McConnel Wolfe Jr for Congress
Campaign2002 US congressional elections, Tennessee's 3rd district
CandidateJohn Wolfe Jr.

In the 2002 race for Tennessee's 3rd district, Wolfe was the Democratic challenger to incumbent Republican Zach Wamp. Wolfe ultimately lost to Wamp.

Below is the result of the general election

2002 election for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district[7]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Zach Wamp 112,254 64.54%
Democratic John Wolfe Jr 58,824 33.82%
Independent William C. Bolen 1,743 1.00%
Independent Timothy A. Sevier 947 0.54%
Independent Write-in 153

2004 congressional campaign

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John McConnel Wolfe Jr for Congress
Campaign2004 US congressional elections, Tennessee's 3rd district
CandidateJohn Wolfe Jr.
AffiliationDemocratic Party
Headquarters3815 Forest Highlands Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37415[8]
Key peopleAlbert F. Teague Jr. treasurer[8]
ReceiptsUS$180[8]

In 2004 Wolfe again was nominated to run against Wamp for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district.[3] Wolfe lost again. Wolfe, however, was able to garner a greater number of votes but a smaller percent of the vote in 2004 than he had in 2002.

Below is the result of the general election

2004 election for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district[9]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Zach Wamp 166,154 64.7%
Democratic John Wolfe Jr 84,295 32.8%
Independent June Griffin 3,018 1.2%
Independent Doug Vandagriff 1,696 0.7%
Independent Jean Howard-Hill 1,473 0.6%
Campaign finances
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Detailed below are the FEC-filed finances of his 2004 congressional campaign committee as of 12/31/2008[8]

Receipts
Financial Source Amount (USD)
Itemized Individual Contributions 0
Unitemized Individual Contributions 90
Party Committees Contributions 0
Other Committees Contributions 20
Candidate Contributions 90
Total Contributions 200
Transfers from Authorized Committees 0
Candidate Loans 0
Other Loans 0
Offsets to Operating Expenditures 0
Other Receipts 0
Total Receipts 200
Disbursements
Disbursements Amount (USD)
Operating Expenditures 210
Transfers To Authorized Committees 0
Candidate Loan Repayments 0
Other Loan Repayments 0
Individual Contribution Refunds 0
party Contribution Refunds 0
Other Committee Contribution Refunds 0
Other Disbursements 0
Total Disbursements 210
Cash Summary
Category Amount (USD)
Beginning Cash On Hand 12,920
Current Cash On Hand 12,890
Net Contributions 180
Net Operating Expenditures 210
Debts/Loans Owed By Campaign 0
Debts/Loans Owed To Campaign 0

2010 congressional campaign

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John McConnel Wolfe Jr for Congress
 
Campaign2010 US congressional elections, Tennessee's 3rd district
CandidateJohn Wolfe Jr.

In 2010 Wolfe again ran for Congress in Tennessee's 3rd congressional district.[5] He ultimately lost to Chuck Fleischmann 57% to 28%.[6]

Wolfe faced three other candidates for the Democratic nomination. The three other candidates on the August 2010 Democratic primary ballots were Alicia Mitchel of Oak Ridge, Brenda Freeman Short of East Ridge, and Brent Staton of Chattanooga.[10] Several candidates had dropped-out ahead of the primary, including Tom Humphrey,[11][12] Paula Flowers of Oak Ridge (a former member of Governor Phil Bredesen's cabinet), and Brent Benedict (who was the 2006 Democratic nominee for the 3rd district).[13]

Below is the result of the general election:

2010 election for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district[14]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Chuck Fleischmann 92,032 56.79%
Democratic John Wolfe Jr 45,387 28.00%
Independent Savas T. Kyriakidis 17,077 10.54%
Independent Mark DeVol 5,773 3.56%
Independent Don Barkman 811 0.50%
Independent Gregory C. Goodwin 380 0.24%
Independent Robert Humphries 380 0.24%
Independent Mo Kiah 216 0.13%
Totals 162,056 100.00%

Presidential campaigns

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2012 presidential campaign

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Wolfe 2012
 
Campaign2012 United States presidential election
CandidateJohn Wolfe Jr.
AffiliationDemocratic Party
Headquarters3815 Forest Highlands Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37415[8]
 
Wikinews has related news:
 
Map representing the ballot access of Wolfe's 2012 campaign
Legend:
  On ballot
  Write-in
  Not on ballot
 
Map of second-place candidates in the 2012 Democratic presidential primaries
Legend:
  Keith Russell Judd
  Ron Paul
  Darcy Richardson
  John Wolfe Jr.
  Randall Terry
  Uncommitted/other
  No second-place finisher
  No primary held/ no info available
Platform
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Wolfe supported a return to the Glass-Steagall Act to separate speculative activity from commercial banking. He favored the use of Anti-Trust Laws to reduce the size of "megabanks," and proposed a tax on financial derivatives. He also proposed an "Alternate Federal Reserve" which would loan to community banks, small business, and individuals, as opposed to the Federal Reserve Bank, which, Wolfe contended, serves primarily the interests of the six largest banks. Wolfe was also a critic of the Affordable Care Act, saying that it is oriented primarily toward helping the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Instead, he supported Medicare for All.[15]

Reception
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Wolfe took part in the New Hampshire "lesser known candidates forum" in December 2011.[16] He qualified for the ballot in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, in which he received 246 votes, 0.4% of the vote total. In addition to New Hampshire,[1] he qualified for presidential primary ballots in the states of Missouri,[17] Louisiana[18] and Arkansas.[19]

In the Louisiana primary, Wolfe polled 11.83%[20] which qualified him to earn a minimum of three delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[18][21][22] Following the primary, officials of the Democratic Party of Louisiana announced that Wolfe was ineligible for the delegates he had apparently won because, according to the party officials, Wolfe had not properly complied with the party's qualification requirements.[23][24] In response, Wolfe filed a lawsuit against the party, disputing the claim that he did not qualify to receive the delegates.[23][24]

Following incumbent President Barack Obama's narrower-than-expected primary win in West Virginia, where convicted felon Keith Russell Judd finished a strong second as a protest vote, press began to speculate on the possibility of Wolfe, who lacks Judd's criminal record, possibly contending and even winning the state of Arkansas.[25] A poll conducted by Hendrix College of Democrats in Arkansas's 4th congressional district showed Wolfe within seven points of Obama there.[26] Wolfe finished second in that primary, garnering 41.6% of the vote.[27] He filed a legal action to have delegates seated at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[28]

Wolfe contested the Texas Democratic primary, garnering 5.05 percent of the vote, winning one county (Borden County) and tying in another (Sherman County). No delegates were at stake in the contest.[29]

Wolfe lost his court case one week before the convention, and as a result, neither he nor any other candidates other than Obama had their delegates seated.[30][31]

After Wolfe lost the primary, his name appeared on the ballot in Idaho[32] without his knowledge.[33] Despite this, he did not attain any votes.

Below is a table of the results of primary competitions he competed in during the Democratic primaries.

Primaries and Caucus Results
Date Contest Votes Place Percent Delegates
(hard count) 		Delegates
(floor count) 		Source(s)
Jan 10 New Hampshire primary
245
15th of 27
0.40%
0
0
 The Green Papers
Feb 7 Missouri primary
1,000
3rd of 4
1.37%
0
0
 The Green Papers
March 24 Louisiana primary
17,804
2nd of 4
11.82%
4 (5.56%)
0
 The Green Papers
May 22 Arkansas primary
67,711
2nd of 2
41.63%
19 (34.55%)
0
 The Green Papers
May 29 Texas primary
29,879
2nd of 4
5.06%
0
0
 The Green Papers
Total
116,639
2nd
1.43%
23
0
 
Map of the Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012 by county.
Legend:
  Counties won by Obama (includes uncontested primaries)
  Counties won by Terry
  Counties won by John Wolfe Jr.
  Counties won by Rogers
  Counties won by Judd
  Counties won by Uncommitted
  Counties in which no votes were cast in a contested primary

2016 presidential campaign

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Wolfe 2016
Campaign2016 United States presidential election
CandidateJohn Wolfe Jr.
AffiliationDemocratic Party
StatusActive
 
Map representing the ballot access of Wolfe's 2016 campaign
Legend:
  On ballot
  Not on ballot

In November 2015, Wolfe filed for the Arkansas presidential primary.[34]

Below is a table of the results of primary competitions he competed in during the Democratic primaries.

Primaries and Caucus Results
Date Contest Votes Place Percent Delegates Source(s)
Feb 9 New Hampshire primary
54
9th of 28
0.02%
0
 The Green Papers
March 1 Arkansas primary
2,539
4th of 6
1.16%
0
 The Green Papers
March 5 Louisiana primary
4,507
4th of 10
1.45%
0
 The Green Papers
March 15 Missouri primary
245
9th of 9
0.04%
0
 The Green Papers
June 7 California primary
7,201
4th of 8
0.10%
0
 California Secretary of State
Total
20,305
7th
0.07%
0
 The Green Papers

Senate campaign

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John Wolfe also announced a run for the United States Senate representing Tennessee on a platform of universal healthcare, increasing the minimum wage, the protection and expansion of social security and withdrawing from Syria.[35] He was interviewed on two E Pluribus Unum's Fireside Chats, a Political podcast run by the YouTube Channel E Pluribus Unum[36][37]

Results

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Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phil Bredesen 349,093 91.51
Democratic Gary Davis 20,146 5.28
Democratic John Wolfe Jr. 12,251 3.21
Total votes 381,490 100.0

Personal life and death

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Wolfe Jr..

Wolfe lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[1] He never married and had no children. He died September 4, 2023, at the age of 69.[38]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Carroll, Chris (December 20, 2011). "Chattanooga man John Wolfe running for president in New Hampshire". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  2. ^ Tupper, Leean (March 4, 2012). "John Wolfe running for President". OakRidger.com. Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Wolfe Says Wamp Should Abide By Term Limit, PAC Pledges". The Chattanoogan. July 14, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  4. ^ Frank, Judy (September 11, 2007). "Wolfe, Whittaker Take Campaigns To JFK Club". The Chattanoogan. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Huotari, John (September 10, 2010). "Wolfe: Conservative, Fleischmann 'radical'?". OakRidger.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Results Summary of Tennessee Races". MyFox Memphis. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  7. ^ "STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2004". clerk.house.gov. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e "FEC Viewer". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  9. ^ "STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2004". clerk.house.gov. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  10. ^ "2010 U.S. House Democratic Primary by County" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State – Election Results. August 5, 2010. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  11. ^ Humphrey, Tom (15 October 2009). "Congressional Candidate Money Notes". Humphrey on the Hill. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-06 – via Knoxville News Sentinel.
  12. ^ Lance, Joe (28 September 2009). "What Kind of Democrat Will Win the Third District Primary?". chattarati.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  13. ^ 3rd District hopefuls tout finances, AllBusiness.com website, attributed to Chattanooga Times Free Press, October 17, 2009
  14. ^ "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2010" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  15. ^ John Wolfe on the Issues Archived 2012-05-03 at the Wayback Machine, campaign website
  16. ^ Ríos, Simón (December 20, 2011). "Lesser-known candidates bring colorful campaigns to St. Anselm". New Hampshire Union Leader. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  17. ^ "Missouri Democrat: Presidential nominating process". The Green Papers. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  18. ^ a b Tilove, Jonathan (March 26, 2012). "Louisiana primary makes its mark". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  19. ^ "Democrat files in Arkansas to run against Obama". WDEF-TV. Associated Press. March 1, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  20. ^ Winger, Richard (March 27, 2012). "Little-Known Democratic Presidential Candidate May Have Polled Enough Votes in Louisiana for a Delegate". Ballot Access News. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  21. ^ Tilove, Jonathan (March 27, 2012). "Democratic challenger to Barack Obama picks off delegates in Louisiana". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  22. ^ Tilove, Jonathan (March 28, 2012). "John Wolfe faces challenge to place on Texas ballot". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  23. ^ a b Pare, Mike (April 18, 2012). "John Wolfe cries foul in Louisiana primary". Chattanooga Times Free Press. WRCB. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  24. ^ a b Tilove, Jonathan (April 23, 2012). "President Obama will clinch renomination Tuesday, but it may not be unanimous". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  25. ^ Kristol, William (May 9, 2012). Arkansas's moment: John Wolfe for president? The Weekly Standard. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  26. ^ Brock, Roby (May 15, 2012). Obama In For A Battle In The Fourth, Romney On Cruise Control. TalkBusiness. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  27. ^ Parker, Suzi (May 23, 2012). Obama struggles in Kentucky, Arkansas primaries. Reuters. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  28. ^ Candidate who won 42 percent in Arkansas Democratic primary sues for his delegates . Fox News. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  29. ^ Wolfe fails to repeat Arkansas success as Obama easily wins Texas primary. KDFW. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  30. ^ Tau, Byron (September 3, 2012). Convention vote expected to be unanimous for Obama. Politico. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  31. ^ DeMillo, Andrew (2012-08-30). "Judge dismisses Wolfe's lawsuit against Ark. Dems". SFGate. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  32. ^ "Idaho 2012 General Election". The Green Papers. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  33. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "E Pluribus Unum's Fireside Chats Episode 8: Interview With John Wolfe Jr". YouTube.
  34. ^ "The Latest: Late congressman's son running for state House". Times Union. Associated Press. November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  35. ^ https://www.facebook.com/JohnWolfeSenate/ [user-generated source]
  36. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "E Pluribus Unum's Fireside Chats Episode 8: Interview With John Wolfe Jr". YouTube.
  37. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "E Pluribus Unum's Fireside Chats Episode 12: Interview With John Wolfe Jr. (Bredesen & Volkswagen)". YouTube.
  38. ^ John Wolfe Obituary, Chattanooga Times Free Press, September 9, 2023.
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