A Lincoln is once again in Washington
By: Woody Phillips
Sparta Expositor
February 27, 2007

One of the first things people may notice the first time they meet Tennessee’s 4th District Congressman, Lincoln Davis, is he always looks a person in the eye.

Very seldom will Davis look away when talking to someone unless, of course, one of his many aides is attempting to get his attention, trying to keep him on schedule.

Another thing a person may notice when attending one of Davis’ Town Hall meetings is it makes no difference how many citizens came out to see him, he gives every one of them as much attention as possible.

Davis is just beginning his third term in office and already displays the confidence and stature of someone who has been traversing the ‘ins and outs’ of the Washington way of life much longer. And at the same time he lets people know, in no uncertain terms, he is still ‘a Tennessee boy’ and proud to say it.

A few minutes before his most recent visit to White County the congressman took the time to sit with this reporter. It was during this interview some very proud, yet personal, comments were made so as to allow a much closer look at the man the people elected to send to Washington.

Davis said he was born in 1943, in Pall Mall, Tenn. In fact the night he was born, his father had to ride a horse to the home of noted Tennessee World War I veteran Sgt. Alvin York.

It seems York had the only telephone in the valley at the time. A call was made and help was secured so Davis could be born safely and so his mother would be taken care of, as well.

The future congressman attended Frogge Chapel Elementary School, before going on to York Institute to finish high school. Tennessee Tech in Cookeville was the next stop for Davis, and this is where the conversation really took a personal turn.

“The reason I went to college was the same as it was for many others,” said Davis. “I knew if I could obtain a college degree, it would give me a better opportunity to provide a better life for my family. And with a good education I could land a better job.

“Well, it was about my last year in college when I realized I could, and should, be doing a whole lot better, so I began to study a lot harder, and I graduated. But now I look back and realize instead of just getting an education, I should have been seeking a better education. I studied the course I was majoring in. I got good grades and obtained a degree. What I now wish I had done is expanded my education to include world history, for instance.

“Of course, I had no idea back then that I would become a congressman, but today I am going back and re-educating myself about certain things. The point I am trying to make is this. Those attending college now and those considering it in the near future need to spend some time learning about world history because we are in more of a global economy than ever before, and we are going to have to know more and more about those people and cultures we are already interacting with. If you don’t know a person’s customs or traditions, if you don’t even try to understand another’s faith or value system, it makes it that much more difficult to get them to understand ours.”

It is easy to see Davis is an advocate of education. It is also easy to see he believes it is up to each person to take advantage of the educational process.

For those who may not know, the three-term congressman didn’t just decide to run for Congress one day. He started his political education in Nashville with two terms as a state representative.

Davis also served two terms as the mayor of Byrdstown. Additionally, he served a term and a half as a state senator before running for the 4th district congressional seat.

He had this to say about his contemporaries in Washington.

“I think when you look at the Tennessee delegation, as a whole, you’ll find most of us have a general philosophy,” said Davis. “And there may be one or two a little further to the ‘right’ philosophically, but for the most part we work together. I don’t see a great difference in how we look at things. Of course, both parties are represented almost equally in Washington, but I think the Tennessee delegation has one of the best working relationships out of all the delegations represented in congress.”

Finally, the congressman was asked to provide some insight as to what he may have on his agenda during this term or any future term.

“When I first ran for Congress, I was asked what it was I wanted to change,” said Davis, “and then I thought I didn’t want to change anything about America. I ran to make things better, to improve things. I love America the way it is. When God chose that I should be born and brought up in America, it was a wonderful blessing. It makes me who I am.”

Well, that is the man the majority of the 4th congressional district voted to send and keep in Washington D.C. these past few years.

One quick way to ‘get the congressman’s ear is to call his district office in McMinnville at (931) 473-7251.

The congressman’s website is www.house.gov/lincolndavis.