The interesting thing about this race is to see where some of the more liberal/progressive critics of Dean would line up? Would they go with Craddock because he's the only game in town, sit it out, or reluctantly back Dean?

“I never close any doors,” Crafton said. “I just have to evaluate and see who else throws their hat into the ring. I want the mayor to have some competition and to have to discuss some issues. I don’t think he’s earned the right to run unopposed with some of the decisions he’s made. So, I think at the very least, he needs to be challenged.” Craddock and Crafton both ran unsuccessful local campaigns last year for Davidson County Criminal Court clerk and Juvenile Court clerk, respectively. The two council members, who were outspoken opponents of Dean’s Music City Center push, seem to believe Dean has turned more vulnerable following his recent retreat on his desire to redevelop the Metro-owned fairgrounds. “In the last two or three months, I’ve had a lot of people who have come up to me and encouraged me to do that,” Craddock said of running for mayor. “Quite frankly, I’ve not decided to do it. I don’t know.

“It sends the wrong signal to the community in a time when we’re desperately seeking new development and new projects in this county,” Tygard said. “It has the potential to move some of those projects across county lines.”

"I'm sick to my stomach – I'm just absolutely sick," said Craddock. "It's different for a man to show himself than a woman. It's another step in the wrong direction." "It's time to let the market decide whether a show bar featuring male dancers will be successful," said Herbison.

Craddock said he sees an unfortunate order of events unfolding where Council is potentially taking more money out of the pockets of Nashville residents. Pointing to the recent water rate increase, combined with the potential for property taxes to go up, and now perhaps tax payer-backed bonds for the Convention Center, Craddock said the “perfect storm was brewing.” “There is word that [the administration is] going to bring the Convention Center to the Council in either April or May,” Craddock said. “They’re going to bring the Convention Center with almost a $1 billion bill. We just voted for a water rate increase, times are tough and my God more people are out of work today than they’ve been in 40 years. “How on earth can we justify a property tax increase? How on earth can we justify using tax payer money to build a Convention Center. I’d crawl under the table before I’d tell these people that I’m going to up and raise their taxes.”

What needs to be underscored is the fact that many of the members on this list, Craddock, Gotto, Tygard, Hodge, Duvall claim to be conservatives on budget issues and they have railed and will rail against raising revenues through taxes or fees. This vote should come back to haunt them in the future whenever they grandstand and posture "for the taxpayers" against raising other fees. And on the subject of opposing raising government fees, how come the Tennessee Tax Revolt didn't aggressively oppose Eric Crafton's attempt to raise interpreter's fees? Is the Revolt more anti-immigrant than anti-fee?