Changes

During his first term, Dunn had vetoed a bill calling for the establishment of a medical school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. In his veto explanation, Dunn said that the state's three existing medical schools were adequate. The legislature overrode his veto, but Republican U.S. Representative James Henry "Jimmy" Quillen (1916-2003), in whose district the medical school was established, withheld his endorsement of Dunn in 1986.  Without Quillen's backing, Dunn struggled in East Tennessee, a Republican stronghold, and was defeated in the general election by the Democrat Ned McWherter, 656,602 votes to 553,448.<ref name=langsdon/>

During his first term, Dunn had vetoed a bill calling for the establishment of a medical school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. In his veto explanation, Dunn said that the state's three existing medical schools were adequate. The legislature overrode his veto, but Republican U.S. Representative James Henry "Jimmy" Quillen (1916-2003), in whose district the medical school was established, withheld his endorsement of Dunn in 1986.  Without Quillen's backing, Dunn struggled in East Tennessee, a Republican stronghold, and was defeated in the general election by the Democrat Ned McWherter, 656,602 votes to 553,448.<ref name=langsdon/>

After the 1986 campaign, Dunn worked as chairman of Medshares in Memphis and was active in the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority,. The waterway operates in four states.<ref name=langsdon /> as well as with the [[American Cancer Society]] and the [[United Way]] of America.<ref name=tehc />

After the 1986 campaign, Dunn worked as chairman of Medshares in Memphis and was active in the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority,. The waterway operates in four states.<ref name=langsdon /> as well as with the American Cancer Society and the [[United Way]] of America.<ref name=tehc />

In 1988, Dunn, still active in his party's moderate wing, chaired the state steering committee of the successful presidential campaign of [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] in 1988,<ref name=tehc /> and was an elector for [[George W. Bush]] in 2004 and [[John McCain|John Sidney McCain, III]], in 2008. As early as December 2011, Dunn endorsed the eventual 2012 Republican presidential nominee, former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]], now a U.S. Senator from [[Utah]] who was defeated by [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s bid for a second term.  Romney praised Dunn: "No one is more highly regarded for his love of country and his public service."<ref>Crossroads puts $1.2 million behind 4 new ads—Sununu will be Romney's top Gingrich attack dog— Paul fires back at RJC—First look at Huntsman's Restoring Trust speech - POLITICO, accessed September 20, 2021.</ref>

In 1988, Dunn, still active in his party's moderate wing, chaired the state steering committee of the successful presidential campaign of [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] in 1988,<ref name=tehc /> and was an elector for [[George W. Bush]] in 2004 and [[John McCain|John Sidney McCain, III]], in 2008. As early as December 2011, Dunn endorsed the eventual 2012 Republican presidential nominee, former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]], now a U.S. Senator from [[Utah]] who was defeated by [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s bid for a second term.  Romney praised Dunn: "No one is more highly regarded for his love of country and his public service."<ref>Crossroads puts $1.2 million behind 4 new ads—Sununu will be Romney's top Gingrich attack dog— Paul fires back at RJC—First look at Huntsman's Restoring Trust speech - POLITICO, accessed September 20, 2021.</ref>