Battle looms large for Bredesen's GOP challenger

Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | 7/21/6 | Tom Humphrey

[SmithL]

Gov. Phil Bredesen has an overwhelming lead in his race for re-election, with a probable Republican opponent, Jim Bryson, remaining largely unknown among members of his own party, according to the latest University of Tennessee poll.

The UT poll found Bredesen backed by 49 percent of the registered voters surveyed in a mock matchup against Bryson, a state senator from Franklin supported by just 8 percent. Thirty percent said they were "not sure" which of the two to support while 13 percent said they would favor another candidate.

"It would be foolhardy to declare a contest over three and one-half months before voters go to the polls. Having said that, the data presented here, coupled with Bredesen's current financial advantage, suggests that Bryson has an extremely steep hill to climb," wrote Michael M. Gant in summarizing the results. "His task is not unlike that of Sisyphus."

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a man sentenced by gods to push a huge rock uphill throughout eternity.

Gant, who designed and analyzed the poll of 501 registered voters, is professor of political science at UT and director of the UT Social Sciences Research Institute. The poll, sponsored in part by the News Sentinel and conducted July 5-16, has a margin of error of 4.1 percent.

Bryson and Lance Frizzell, spokesman for the senator's gubernatorial campaign, acknowledged that the Republican candidate has low name recognition at this point, but insisted that will dramatically change as the race progresses.

Frizzell said Bredesen spent $11 million in his 2002 campaign and "just spent $2 million of taxpayer money on TV in July" - a reference to television commercials on traffic safety sponsored by the Governor's Highway Safety Task Force. Given that, Frizzell said, "What is surprising is that he still can't get to 50 percent in a poll.

"Anytime you get an indumbent with that kind of money under 50 percent, people are searching for alternatives," he said. "Those numbers will look decidedly different in September and October."

Both men are favored in the party primary elections on Aug. 3. Gant said he felt there was no question that Bryson, with the most active campaign and better financing than any of his GOP primary opponents, would win the nomination even though the poll showed him with only 9 percent support among surveyed Republicans at this point.

On the other hand, Will Pinkston, spokesman for the Bredesen campaign, said Bryson is "by no means assured of a primary victory" because of single-digit name recognition.

Bredesen has three opponents in the Democratic primary - perennial candidates John Jay Hooker and Walt "Combat" Ward of Chattanooga and political novice Tim Sevier of Smyrna. Bryson has six opponents and at least two of them, Chattanooga businessman Mark Albertini and David M. Farmer of Kingston, have been somewhat active - making speeches, putting up Web sites and - in Albertini's case - yard signs.

Pinkston said the UT poll results "jibe with other numbers we've seen," including internal polling that shows Bredesen's support somewhat higher - in the 60 percent range.

Registered voters responding to the UT poll, when asked about Bredesen's overall job performance as governor, voiced approval 65 percent of the time while 21 percent said they disapproved and 12 percent were not sure.

"The governor is extremely popular and people have a lot of confidence in the direction he is taking the state," said Pinkston. "Bryson's message isn't resonating with anyone."

He said, however, that Bredesen is taking nothing for granted and plans a full-fledged campaign.

Gant said Bredesen's strength, if it remains at current levels, could help Democratic state legislative candidates. U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., the presumptive Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, may not be helped as much, Gant said, because voters tend to differentiate between state and national offices.

[oyez]

INHO, Gov. Phil Bredesen had not been a bad governator even for a Democrat. Don Sunquist as a Republican sold us down the river.

As a former member of the Tennessee State Guard, I felt as if Gov Phil had little knowledge of our training or experience and failed to utilize us in several emergencies.

[Patrick1]

Bredesen has pretty much been a coast governor. Because of the Sundquist debacle he hasn't been able to push a state income tax and the Bush economy has allowed him to get over the TennCare hump. Alot of ethical lapses but that is the usual liberal corruption we see every time a Dem is in office.

I would expect the next four years to be more do nothing, which is a good thing.

[Space Wrangler]

Bredesen will push a state income tax with all his might in a second term. You can count on that.

[oyez]

Anytime the government does nothing, especially in the legislatures, it is indeed, "A good thing."