Man, that race to replace Andy Berke sure is a wacky one.

The latest:

Republican state Senate candidate Todd Gardenhire accused his primary opponent, Greg Vital, of anonymously mailing to voters a 15-year-old request from Gardenhire's ex-wife, asking for a protective order against him, but not telling "the rest of the story" -- that a judge dismissed the entire matter nine days later.

"The other thing missing from this [letter] was a disclaimer," Gardenhire said Tuesday. "The disclaimer should have read, 'This letter was authorized by the Pinocchio for State Senate Campaign, Greg Vital, chairman.'"

Both men are running in Senate District 10's Republican primary to replace Sen. Andy Berke, a Democrat who's declined a re-election bid in order to run for mayor of Chattanooga.

Gardenhire launched the accusations at Vital during a dramatic lunchtime meeting of the Hamilton County Republican Women's Club at county GOP headquarters in Chattanooga. While both candidates verbally sparred, Vital never addressed whether his campaign mailed the petition.

Pressed about the mailer after the meeting, Vital initially refused to answer questions.

"You're badgering," he told a reporter. "I got one in the mail, too. That's all I'm saying."