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Article published Nov 4, 2008 Overbey relieved after win over Lapides
By Joel Davis of The Daily Times Staff
State Rep. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, looked tired.
At the end of the night, Overbey defeated Ira “Doc” Lapides, 61,227 to 13,682 in the state Senate 8th District race, which includes Blount and Sevier counties.
Facing the successful end of his campaign for the state Senate seat occupied by state Sen. Raymond Finney on Tuesday night, Overbey said he was relieved.
“I think the first sensation is relief,” Overbey said. “It’s been a long, hard campaign since we announced back in January. There has been a lot of hard work and effort put into the campaign by a lot of friends, supporters and family. Right now we’re happy that our message apparently resonated with the voters of Sevier and Blount Counties.”
Overbey’s successor in the 20th District House of Representatives seat is County Commissioner Robert Ramsey.
“I’m really happy for Bob Ramsey,” he said. “There is some irony in that in 1990 when I didn’t seek re-election to the County Commission he took my seat and now as I’m apparently leaving the House for the state Senate, he is taking my seat. I look forward to working with Bob along with Joe McCord and Richard Montgomery as a team for Blount Count and Sevier County.”
Overbey’s first priority is to reform the state Basic Education Program funding.
“The priority is the same one we’ve talked about during the campaign to bring some equity and balance to the state’s school funding formula. Our two counties were disadvantaged when BEP 2.0 was adopted.”
Overbey beat independent candidate Ira Lapides in the state's 8th State Senate District race after winning a heated primary campaign against incumbent state Sen. Raymond Finney.
First elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, Overbey is a member of the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee, Health and Human Resources Committee, the Select Committee on Ethics and the Joint Select Committee on Children and Youth. He is chairman of the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee and a member of the Budget Subcommittee. He defeated Finney in the August primary.
At the end of the night, Overbey had one simple goal.