Posted on 03/13/2002 2:35:33 AM PST by Devereaux
Gov. Don Sundquist on Tuesday endorsed Lamar Alexander over Rep. Ed Bryant in the Republican Senate primary to succeed Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.
"I think he'd be a great senator," Gov. Sundquist said of Mr. Alexander, 61, who served as governor from 1979 to 1987 and twice ran unsuccessfully for president. "There is a short time between now and the filing deadline. He can raise the money. He's a proven leader, and I think he'd be elected."
Rep. Bryant, 53, said he had spoken with the governor about the matter last weekend.
"I'm not surprised by his statement today," Rep. Bryant said. "I'm not sure what the impact of that will be. I'm certainly going to be in the race running and have no plans to back out. With people talking hypotheticals and things like that, we're in the race.
"If somebody is going to drop out, it's going to have to be someone other than me," added Rep. Bryant, who said a flood of telephone calls, e-mails and faxes backing his candidacy have come to his office. "We think our chances are good across the state."
The governor's surprise public endorsement was one of several twists Tuesday in a race that began only Friday when Sen. Thompson announced he would not seek re-election.
In other Tuesday developments:
Rep. Bart Gordon, a Murfreesboro Democrat, said he will not be a Senate candidate and instead will run for re-election to his 6th Congressional District House seat. "There may come a day when I seek another office, but timing is everything," he said. "And now isn't the time for me to launch an intense statewide campaign and national fund-raising effort."
Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn., continued to prepare for Thursday when he begins a 10- to 14-day tour of the state to assess a bid. The 31-year-old lawmaker, meanwhile, issued a statement intended to counter a Memphis alternative newspaper's article.
The article stated that the politically powerful Ford family would field the congressman's uncle, state Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis, for the 9th Congressional District seat that Rep. Ford would vacate if he ran for the Senate.
"I have no intention of designating or supporting any member of my family, especially Sen. John Ford, for the 9th Congressional seat should I decide to run for the U.S. Senate," Rep. Ford said.
Rep. Bryant held his first campaign fund-raising event since he announced Saturday he was running for the Senate. The event, held in Washington, was scheduled before the announcement. It was hosted by Rep. Richard Burr, R-N.C. Rep. Bryant described the event as "small" and said it was unclear how much money was raised.
Rumors continued to swirl about the Senate contests, with much speculation on Capitol Hill focused on possible efforts by the White House to dissuade Rep. Bryant from running and leaving the way open for Mr. Alexander, who announced his candidacy Monday.
The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he won't try to convince or pressure anyone to get out of the GOP primary and continued to maintain his neutrality.
"No, no, no," Sen. Frist said. "I came out of a contested primary, and there is no evidence in my mind that contested primaries do any harm to a party."
Rep. Bryant said, "there's been no effort to try to get me out" of the contest.
Earlier on Tuesday, Gov. Sundquist stopped short of saying Rep. Bryant should leave the race. He called the 53-year-old West Tennessee lawmaker "a great congressman" and "my friend."
Gov. Sundquist said Rep. Bryant called him Saturday to seek support.
"I said, 'Look, a lot of people are going to play games with you and tell both people they're for them. I don't like to do that.' I tell people where I am and he ought to know that. I felt like I owed it to him. That doesn't mean that I don't like or respect him, but it also means that I believe Lamar can win the election."
Alexander spokesman Kevin Phillips said that "if it's true, we're delighted to have the governor's endorsement this early in the campaign process."
Mr. Alexander visited Knox and Blount counties on Tuesday. Today, he will swing through Chattanooga.
Mr. Alexander does have his detractors, particularly among some staunch conservatives.
"We have to beat Lamar, whether it be in the Republican primary or the general election," Tennessee Conservative Union President Lloyd Daugherty said. "This is a serious thing."
On the Democratic side, Rep. Bob Clement, D-Tenn., and Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., continued to weigh bids. Jim Hall of Chattanooga, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, has said he is considering a race if none of the Democratic congressmen run.
Others considering a bid if the congressmen don't run include former U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, who ran for the Senate seat in 1994 before losing to then-candidate Thompson. Also considering a race is state Sen. Roy Herron, D-Dresden.
I simply mistrust any 'brain' coming out of the education industry. Their mindset is usually liberal.
The Republican Party in Tennessee is very lucky to have 2 candidates who inspire as much loyalty and excitement as Lamar! and Bryant. Just looking at the passion over the last few days on FR threads demonstrates that both can energize voters. The thing that I think our out-of-state participants - both the GOP establishment and the former residents - don't fully appreciate is just how successful the income tax issue has been in connecting active conservatives. Folks who were chanting "No More Gore" at Legislative Plaza learned their trade with "Hear our Horns - No New Taxes." The slightest whiff that we would have the annointing of Lamar! as the established candidate lit up the phones to talk radio, flooded the e-mail boxes and I gather overwhelmed the usual suspects in party manuvering.
A good, spirited primary will springboard either candidate into a race that we can and must win.
It is obvious that there are 2 Republican parties in Tennessee.
1. The old line moderates, godfather is Howard Baker, anointed prince is Lamar Alexander, and includes Don Sundquist, Jim Henry, Victor Ashe, Ted Welch, Lou Connor, Daniel Casse, Tom Ingram, etc. They don't oppose a State income tax, don't care much about social issues, actually like big government as long as it does what they want, are supported by the big money bankers and corporate types, and are basically Democrats except in their views about easing limits on big business. These folks tend to live in isolation in their Belle Meade mansions, gated communities, and government enclaves.
2. The Reagan hard-core conservative believers. They stand for smaller government, against a State income tax, care about family oriented and societal issues, tend to come from a religious background, and see the good of the common man and woman and our society as a whole as paramount. They live in the small towns and suburbs and mingle with the regular people. Van Hilleary, Ed Bryant, Marsha Blackburn, Donna Rowland, David Fowler, Tommy Hopper, Steve Gill, Phil Valentine are members.
There was talk on the radio this morning of the likelihood that people will vote for Alexander & Henry as a team or Hilleary & Bryant as a team. As you might well guess, I am a Hilleary & Bryant supporter.
I can't imagine Lamar! being as happy about being endorsed by Sundquist as Byant's supporters are that Lamar! was endorsed by Sundquist.
But you know how I feel.
8^)
Thanks for your participation!
Here are the current results.
Please note: The results are not scientific. Who do you think should run for Sen. Thompsons seat?
Lamar Alexander 14.68 % (2425 out of 16519 voted)
Ed Bryant 48.54 % (8018 out of 16519 voted)
Bob Clement 27.12 % (4480 out of 16519 voted)
Bart Gordon 2.69 % (444 out of 16519 voted)
Harold Ford, Jr. 6.97 % (1152 out of 16519 voted)
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