Wife of Harold Ford Jr. gives money to Tinker campaign Wednesday, July 16, 2008 NASHVILLE — Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr.’s new bride is lending her financial support to the primary challenger of the Democrat who succeeded her husband in Congress. Federal campaign finance reports show Emily Threlkeld Ford has given Nikki Tinker $3,300 to support her effort to unseat Rep. Steve Cohen in the 9th Congressional District. Early voting for the Aug. 7 primary begins on Friday. Cohen, who is white, won election to the Memphis seat that represents the majority black district in 2006 after it was vacated by Ford when he ran for the Senate. Ford narrowly lost his bid to become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction. Cohen received more than triple Tinker’s campaign contributions in the quarter ending June 30 and still had more than $750,000 remaining on hand. Tinker reported a cash balance of about $247,000. There is no Republican running.