NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam has proven to be enormously popular with Tennessee voters, but fellow Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly have been a tougher crowd to win over.

They have turned up their noses at initiatives the governor has put muscle behind, including an expansion of Medicaid and a hefty boost in road funding. But don't expect Haslam, one of the country's richest politicians, to drop a few million dollars of his own money into trying to reshape the Legislature in this year's elections.

Haslam said in an interview with The Associated Press earlier this week that he wouldn't see such a move "as the governor's appropriate role." Instead, the governor said he plans to make targeted contributions and personal appearances for key legislative allies.