I'm in Tennessee. I just can't see Harold winning here. I don't like Corker and much preferred Bryant, but the national RNC got behind Corker early. That's over and done. No one I know who supported Bryant or the other conservative Republican is going to sit this one out. They'll hold their nose and vote for Corker. Ford's prospects all assume that there will be a lot of no shows for folks who didn't support Corker in the primaries.
I have actually liked Harold as a Congressman (next district over). I disagree with his politics, but he has done the job of working for his constituents, particularly in dealing with the federal bureaucracy and even foreign governments.
I'm kind of hoping that he'll lose the Senate seat then come back home and run for the Mayor of Memphis next year against the lunatic we have now, crazy Willie Herenton. Then he and AC Wharton, the county mayor, can work to merge city and county government. It apparently worked out well in Nashville, getting rid of a lot of entrenched corrupt bureaucracy and no-show feather bed jobs. We have that here in Memphis to a fare the well (I was going to say "in spades" but that would be interpreted as racist).
That's what propelled Bredesen to being our governor. He's been a better Republican governor as a Democrat than our previous Republican governor. Let Harold get that done and a few more years of experience as an executive and then he can move on to governor. From there in 12 to 20 years he can make a run at the Presidency.
He might even make a decent first black president, given 20 or so years to grow up.
But he's gonna lose this senate election.
I think Harold Ford is one of the few likeable Democrats and JMHO could be his personality that is giving him the leg up????? I know he is one of the few I don't flip the station when he comes on, certainly no Obama (thank God).