. >> brett carter is an unknown. he was a military man, he was be at issue and to win. all the seventh quarter, as anti edges and for the nomination. people were at attracted to his down-home appeal. he has been a very plain spoken. he does not to be seen -- he does not seem to be a politician. he is just your average joe, talking to everybody. >> i think the people of this district are tired of career politicians. they want some new faces in washington. i have an accounting degree. i am a veteran who will stand up to the special interest to are doing things that are making our economy -- stopping our economy from being turned around. >> the district itself is several counties. cookeville is the hub. 14.5 counties are included in the district. when he decided that he was going to retire, it was pretty much a given that a republican was just going to take over a seat in house. i think you take somebody like carter, who was not a politician, and u.s. not been involved in politics, but says, i am a democrat. i think i will go ahead and at least try to keep this seat a demo

brett carter edges his competition. he is connecting with the rural folks and has been very plain- spoken, does not seem to be a politician, kind of your average joe out there talking to everybody and trying to get the vote. >> the people of this district are tired of career politicians. they want new faces in washington. that is what i offer. i have the accounting degree to make sure the money we have in washington is being spent wisely. i'm a veteran who will stand up to the special interests were doing things that are making -- stopping our economy from turning around. i have the backbone to do what we need to do. >> the district and several countiesc. ookeville -- counties. cookeville is the hub. it has always been a democrat. -- been democrat. it was a given that a republican would take over the previously-left seat in the house. brett carter is not a politician and has not been involved in politics. you know what? i am a democrat and i think i will try to keep the seat a democratic seat in congress. carter and bla

i think you take somebody like a brett carter, who is not a politician and has not been involved in politics who says, you know what, i am not a democrat, but i think i will elisse try to keep the seed a democratic seat in congress. carter and black were both trying to distance themselves from politics. they're both running on the platform that when they go to washington they will try to go up there and make a difference for our area. they're both very similar in a lot of things. as a matter of fact, carter has a press conference asking for nancy's's resignation. in doing that -- nancy pelosi's resignation. in doing that, he is trying to distance himself as a democrat from the democratic party. i think dianne black wants to go up there and go through the whole reform of health care thing holagain. you do not hear carter saying much on that. they both say they want to cut taxes and increase spending. by then they agree on a lot of things and you do not hear a lot of back-and-forth between them so far. we're not privy to a lot of polls in this area, but i would say that i am black, just by loo

the primaries and by way of name recognition momentum, has to have at least a 10-point lead over brett carteright now. he is definitely the underdog. i think he knows that. he relishes that role because, like i said, he came out of nowhere. there are not a lot of people who know him as well as they do her. she was in a very nasty primary race with some other republicans. you have to wonder if they have come together now. it will be interesting to see who wins this. >> c-span's local content vehicles are traveling the country as we look at some of the most closely contested races leading into the midterm elections. for more information on what the local content vehicles are up to this election season, visit our website, c-span.org/ltv. >> here is a look at political news. after four days on the campaign trail, president obama has no events scheduled for today. he is scheduled to be in rhode island to mark, helping to raise money for democrats. -- rhode island tomorrow, helping to raise money for democrats. he plans to travel again the weekend before the election, making it finally get out the