NASHVILLE, TN – Tennessee’s fourth congressional district is showing signs that it is ready to have a congressman who wants the job rather than wants to use the job as a paycheck and a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion.

Incumbent Congressman Lincoln Davis, D-Pall Mall, is having trouble raising money in Tennessee – indeed, Republican challenger Monty Lankford raised five times more money than Davis did in the first quarter of 2008, and more of Lankford’s contributors are Tennesseans rather than Washington DC-based special interest groups.

Lankford, who runs a medical equipment company headquartered in Franklin, received more than $224,500 in campaign donations in January through the end of March. Davis, a three-term incumbent, raised just $53,850 during the same period – most of it from special interest groups. Lankford also ended March with more cash on hand than Davis - $201,117 to $199,307.

“Congressman Davis’s lack of financial support from within Tennessee indicates voters aren’t keen to support a congressman who has already made it clear he doesn’t really want the job,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. “Davis’ announcements that he is running for governor in 2010 have warned the people of his district that if they reelect Davis he will almost immediately abandon the full-time job of representing them in Congress for the full-time job of campaigning for governor.”

Davis’ campaign finance disclosure indicates the congressman who likes to portray himself as a down-home Tennessean is now actually indebted to DC special interest groups. Only five of the paltry 40 campaign donations he received in the first quarter came from individuals rather than PACs.

“Lincoln Davis has his eye on the Governor’s Mansion its fancy new ballroom, not on the job of representing the people of his district,” said Bill Hobbs, communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party. “As a result, his fund-raising is lack-luster and his seat is not safe.”