A Prominent Democratic Fundraiser Passes

Johnny Hayes, a prominent Democratic fundraiser and longtime confidant of former Vice President Al Gore, has died. He was 67. His family issued a statement through Deputy Gov. Stuart Brunson that that Hayes died of cancer on Saturday. Hayes first managed Gore's campaign finances when he was elected to the U.S. House in 1976. He was finance director for each of Gore's subsequent congressional campaigns and for his presidential bids in 1988 and 2000. Hayes was also in charge of fundraising for Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen's campaign in 2002 and for his landslide re-election in 2006. After being sworn in as vice president in 1993, Gore nominated Hayes to become a director of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Hayes left the country's largest public utility in 1999 to become chief fundraiser for Gore's 2000 presidential campaign.