"Tenn. Sen . Thompson won't seek re-election"

dow jones news | 03/08/02 | dow jones

[ElRushbo]

"Tenn. Sen . Thompson won't seek re-election

[Kaslin]

The rumour has been that Congressman Ed Bryant would seek the Senate seat if Thompson did not run for re-election.

I hope he runs. He is in my district and he would get my vote

[Decentralize]

A Senator Sundquist would soon morph into a Senator McCain or Senator Jeffords. Not what we need.

Morph? What are you kidding me? He's already there, man.

[tndarlin]

The problem is that we are in the middle of a Gov race. So we do not know who will be the next Gov.

The race is down to two people, Bredesen (D) and Hillary (R).

[Dog Gone]

I would be willing to settle for a RINO if that's all we can get. It was the defection of a RINO that cost us the Senate. They are infinitely better than a Democrat alternative.

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't support a strong conservative alternative if it is available.

Any Tennessee Freepers willing to step up to the plate?

[Kaslin]

I didn't see my post in 52 go through

[The Mayor]

my last name is Thompson, maybe i could just slide in,
i'm a little more conservative than him though....

[Sci Fi Guy]

VP running mate in '04 if Cheney decides not to run?

What's his voting record? and What issues has he championed??

[RetiredArmy]

Sounds good to me.

[Rhetorical pi2]

Senate Race in Tennessee: Best potential candidate for the Republicans is Ed Bryant. He is from the Western part of Tennessee, helping him get votes in an area that frequently votes democrat. He is Conservative, and good campaigner, but not well known in the rest of the state.

Politically, Tennessee is divided into three distinct parts: East Tennessee is solid GOP for over 100 years. Central Tennessee is Liberal Democrat (tremendous influence by the Nashville Tennessean newspaper.)

West Tennessee is Conservative democrat in the rural areas,Republican in the suburbs of Memphis/Shelby County, and ultra-liberal democrat (Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.)in the urban, inner-city of Memphis.

Therefore, the candidate with the best chance of winning is a moderate Republican from West Tennessee. This was the base from which Gov. Sundquist (who has now lost practically ALL support from Conservatives due to his insisting on raising taxes each year), Senator Thompson, and former Governor Lamar Alexander.

Harold Ford,Jr. may decide to run. He would have near 100%support from the Black voters across the state. But he turns off white voters due to his family's incredible scandals and borderline criminal activites. But the Fords have a tremendous political machine - the likes of which Mayor Daly would have admired.

Best hope of those who read FR: Ed Bryant. Second choice: Lamar Alexander (just to keep the seat).

Honest assessment: This is gonna be a war with no clear winner 'til the very end. You can be certain that Algore will use this to "reconnect" with "his people".

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Egads, what if Gore decides to run?

I almost hope he does. Remember, Gore lost his own state.

[Decentralize]

I don't know. I didn't even know there was an age requirement. Someone posted that Ford couldn't win state-wide so it seems to be a moot point.

I'm pretty sure he is over thirty. The conventional wisdom is that Ford cannot win statewide but I would not underestimate him. He can energize the base and is moderate and charismatic enough to reach beyond it.

[Decentralize]

Why not press Thompson to run, get re-elected, then let the Republican governor (it is a Republican, right?) appoint another conservative?

Not a good idea.

[Digger]

I'm with ya. What ever was so great about this man -a (R) behind his name? That makes him OK?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Senator Harold Ford, Jr. -- Oh, Lord help us.

[babble-on]

Lamar Alexander is hardly a RINO. You people nauseate me with your labels. You don't have to be a brownshirt to be a Republican.

[GraniteStateConservative]

You're kidding right? Sen. Shelby and Nighthorse Campbell both switched without giving the voters a shot at voting them out.

Jeffords isn't a traitor for switching to Independent-- he's just a Senator we hate-- no diferent from Daschle.

[TN4Liberty]

Pat Summitt???? (Coach of the Lady Vols Basketball team)

[GraniteStateConservative]

I think Ford could pull it off because it's an open seat.

[Scholastic]

Amen to that. He did NOTHING regarding Chinagate.

[mwl1]

I agree. I am furious at Thompson's decision. I don't give a damn who died and or if he felt like he was half-dead himself. Run, win, and then resign. We need the seat and the majority back. It's exactly what a RAT would do for his party. Why are Republicans so damn high-minded and principled??? All it makes us is a bunch of damn losers.