Race To Succeed Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) Close, Says Rasmussen Poll

Rasmussen Reports ^ | December 20, 2005

[Clintonfatigued]

Latest poll shows conservative ex-Congressman Ed Bryant leading Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. by a 41% to 38% margin and conservative ex-Congressman Van Hilleary leading Ford by a 41% to 39% margin, but shows Ford leading RINO Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker by a 42% to 36% margin.

[Clintonfatigued]

It's interesting that RINO Corker, who is hyped as the most electable candidate, is polling weaker than his conservative rivals.

[msnimje]

Tennessee can do better than this.

[EricT.]

I guess I'm still too new to TN politics to know any of those guys.

I wish Zach Wamp would run for that seat.

[tomahawk]

This Knoxville guy is voting for Ed Bryant in the primary.

[AZRepublican]

Is this the same Ford was involved in some kickback/corruption scam or whatever it was some time ago?

[lawnguy]

I assume you mean Ford won't win?(I hope)

[CheyennePress]

I remember Zach Wamp speaking to us at a leadership seminar back in 11th grade about how he supported term limits and about how he was going to bow out of politics when after his term had expired. I'm now 25+ years old. ;) I think that answer may have been more of a Q&A-type scenario than the focus of his speech.

I don't at all hold it against him for hanging on, but it still kind of amazes me to see the guy still around.

[Patrick1]

Ok a short course on the current state of politics in the Volunteer state.

Harold Ford, Jr. of the infamous Ford family in Memphis is probably about as weak a candidate as the Democrats can run. He is a liberal who is currently in process of changing his stripes at least to purple. The vote on the Iraq war resolution last week as an example. He has huge baggage with both his politics (representing a 75% black district) and his families well known corruption. His uncle was recently indicted and his aunt is currently accused of stealing the election to replace him.

For a Democrat to win in Tennessee he must at least make some kind of showing in heavily Republican East Tennessee and the heavily Republican Nashville burbs. This is what allowed our current Democrat governor to squeak by in 2002. Ford has none of these abilities in these areas because of his liberalism. The Democrat governor also will not be much help next year when he runs for reelection with scandal problems and goof ups of his own.

The GOP also has a weak lineup but Van Hillary or Ed Bryant should be able to beat Ford by about six to seven percent. Corker is not well known outside of Chattanooga and will have to spend big bucks. Unlikely against the congressmen.

Polls this far out are meaningless given that only Ford has campaigned to date mostly on trying to change his stripes.
Not even Chris Matthews and Don Imus can salvage the Ford campaign.
Put Tennessee in the GOP camp next fall.

[CheyennePress]

Ford is very charismatic, but I don't see him taking this one. Some call him a rising star, but I just don't know.

He's from Memphis, which almost carries the smell of corruption with it all the way to the east of state. You tack on his last name, and well, I doubt he can overcome that.

Tennessee is generally red in the central and very red in the east. West Tennesseee is blue, particularly Memphis. I'm hoping the Memphis black turnout is dampened a bit by the Ford family's recent scandals. Then again, who knows with this city.

Anyone heard anything new on Ford's sister, Ophelia and her dead voters and the contested election? If Terry Rowland ends up taking that seat, it could really hurt Jr.'s chances.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The only worry I have is making sure Ed Bryant wins the nomination. I don't want another Lamar !/Scumquist RINO in the form of Corker. Ford would lose to ANY Republican.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The 'Rat/Ford theft of the State Senate seat is currently one of the biggest stories in TN. It is already under investigation. Terry Roland, the one most consider the LEGITIMATE winner, is calling for the election to be overturned entirely. I think the GOP State Senate should merely seat him over Auntie "No Dead Voters Voted For Me !" Ophelia.

[lawnguy]

Thank You. I someday want to visit Tenessee.

Ever since Gore failed to win his home state, I've had a soft spot for you folks ;)

[The Old Hoosier]

I think this is a clear sign that Ford is way overrated as a candidate. I mean, Ed Bryant, I love the guy, but he didn't even do so well in that 2002 primary.

[The Old Hoosier]

Um, no he isn't.

[zbigreddogz]

I've seen no evidence, beyond broad generalizations, that Corker is a RINO.

That said, I'm pretty sure I support Bryant in this race.

VanHilerty should be running for Governor again. He shouldn't be making the primary more difficult.

[Republican Wildcat]

Too close for comfort with any of those candidates.

[cva66snipe]

Tennessee can do better than this.

Tell it to the White House. Had the White House not coronated Lamar Alexander as the chosen canidate almost before the words "I will not seek re-election" were uttered by Fred Thompson, then Ed Bryant likely would be a U.S. Senator today. The man would have also ran against a person who was a weaker candidate Frank Clement. Hopefully the White House will not spoil it this time with a friend of Poppy again. Ed Bryant would have been far better qualified person for the senate than Lamar Alexander ever will be.

Ed Bryant I will vote for gladly but Lamar Alexander I did not. Truth was Lamar Alexander wasn't that great a governor. He only looked good because the man he replaced was called Pardon Me Ray Blanton {a prison Pardon selling governor} that was so pathetic anyone looked good after that.

Many of us in the Knoxville area remember such deals he helped along like the Whittle Communications building, the 1982 Worlds Fair {that went bust} and two at that time of the biggest banking failures since the Great Depression that clean out a lot of persons life savings. Most of this the city got stuck with and a few more things to boot. Oh yea and his very short tenure as University of Tennessee President.

Now if we can only get Van Hilleary sitting in Alexander's senate seat then after that things might get better.

[cva66snipe]

The only worry I have is making sure Ed Bryant wins the nomination. I don't want another Lamar !/Scumquist RINO in the form of Corker. Ford would lose to ANY Republican.

You got that one right. I hope Bush doesn't decide Sundquist would be a good man for the job like he did with Lamar Alexander. Hopefully he will never have the opertunity to serve in elected office again in this state.