A group of TN Republicans are trying to convince Lamar Alexander to enter the race. They've showed him polls indicating he has name recognition in the state at 93%, and has a high favorability rating. My source is predicting Alexander will enter the race, and quickly. I'm not so sure. But our own political biases are probably affecting our judgment.
Even though he's a good man with solid conservative credentials, I don't think he's the right man for the job. Between him and Ed Bryant, I believe Bryant is a much stronger candidate. He's a current representative popular in his district and it's long been anticipated he would move up politically. Alexander has been out of TN politics for 14 years and has two failed presidential bids behind him. He also does not have the toughness Republicans are looking for currently. He's seen as fairly meek and soft-spoken. Subjective and arbitrary as it is, those things matter politically, especially when control of the U.S. Senate is on the line.
Democrats are hoping Bart Gordon, John Tanner, or Bob Clement will enter the race. Of the three Clement is the only one likely to even consider it, as Gordon and Tanner are nearly guaranteed re-election as long as they want it. Clement and Bryant would be a close race, maybe a photo-finish.
If all three of those decline, the Democrats are looking at 2nd and 3rd tier longshots - mostly state legislators and career bureacrats.
Gore is staying away from it... period. He knows a loss in a Senate race pretty much dooms his political career forever.
That's the buzz.
WHAT ABOUT BLACKBURN?
Joyce - yes, guilty as charged.
Remember "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore?" Nixon said that after losing the CA governorship back in '62. Six years later he was accepting Hubert Humphrey's concession.