I have been a supporter of Lamar and have one of his original campaign posters on my wall from so far back I can’t remember. I now write him letters to change or resign. He is not the man for the time. He is old.
Having said that, I am not sure he can be defeated. Tennessee is not really a conservative state. State wide elections do not fair well for doctrinaire conservative candidates. What we think of as RINO’s fair better. That is voters prefer some one right of center but not extreme right
Here in East Tennessee, strongly conservative, the strong conservative was primaried in a large field and went on to be elected. Two years later, he was ousted by a less conservative but popular and well financed candidate. Dr Roe was seen to have broader and more acceptable views. He is not a RINO however.
The Senate candidate with the most appeal to Tennessee business will win the day
None of this analysis means we shouldn’t continue to work for a real conservative hoewver.
To this fossil, a "Red" state was the former USSR.
I hate the use of "Red" to describe a state that leans Republican.