Tennessee GOP calls for Gordon Ball to withdraw from Senate race

Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog
photo Democratic Senate candidate Gordon Ball, center, criticizes incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander for refusing to participate in debates, during a news conference on the steps of the state Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014. Looking on are former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, right, and state Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron.

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Republican Party is calling on Democratic Senate nominee Gordon Ball to drop out of the race over content lifted from other politicians on his campaign website.

Party Chairman Chris Devaney cited a Buzzfeed article Monday that listed several passages on Ball's website that contained identical language from prominent Democrats like Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

A Ball campaign spokeswoman said information on the website had been collected from a former volunteer. She said Ball had not been aware that the information was cut and pasted from elsewhere.

Ball said he has no plans to drop out in his race against Republican incumbent Lamar Alexander, who is seeking a third term. Early voting begins Oct. 15.

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