Tim Burchett has taken plenty of shots in his career, and he can take more. What he will not accept is a campaign going after his family. In a video posted Sunday, the East Tennessee congressman said a handwritten postcard showed up at his house, addressed to his wife and daughter, “that really says some unkind things about me.”
“Campaigns are man to man combat. Leave my family out of it,” Burchett said. He called the postcard “horribly offensive and bush league.” If anyone on his own team pulled something like that, he said, “I would publicly call them out,” and they would be fired on the spot.
Burchett said the people behind it are willing to use their official capacity to do it, and that voters have had enough. “People are tired of this garbage in Washington,” he said. His answer is to work harder: “I’m going to start pouring on the dadgum steam.”
He saved his last words for the people who sent it. “Leave families out of it,” Burchett said. “Kelly Burchett is way out of your league.” Then he turned to East Tennessee voters: “Please, I respectfully ask for your vote.”
Burchett has built his name on plain talk and fighting for working Tennesseans. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
