Posted on 11/24/2002 6:18:56 AM PST by GailA
Wamp eyeing run for Senate in 2006
By Richard Powelson, News-Sentinel Washington bureau November 24, 2002
WASHINGTON - All three of Tennessee's U.S. House members who ran for statewide office this year lost, but U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp said he remains interested in campaigning to succeed U.S. Sen. Bill Frist in 2006.
"I'd like to run, and it's likely," said Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican. "But it's not certain."
Frist first ran and won in 1994, promising to serve in the Senate no more than 12 years (two terms), and he's told friends he'll keep his pledge. Wamp also ran and won that year, pledging a 12-year limit (six terms) on his House service.
Wamp already has more than $600,000 left in his campaign fund that he can use for other campaigns, he said, and he may raise more funds next year and begin speaking at functions across the state to become better known.
Three other House members lost their bids for higher office this year to better-funded and better-known opponents. Republican Rep. Ed Bryant of Henderson ran for the Senate to succeed retiring Sen. Fred Thompson and was defeated in the primary by former Gov. Lamar Alexander. Alexander went on to win the seat over Rep. Bob Clement, a Nashville Democrat.
In the governor's race, Rep. Van Hilleary, a Republican, lost to former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, a Democrat who had run for governor before and used part of his personal fortune to boost his candidacy.
Wamp, 45, said he skipped the Senate race this year in part because he has a son and daughter in their early teens and he wants to remain close to his family during these key years. He will not test the water often for the Senate this far out, he said.
Also considering the 2006 Senate race is U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., 32, a Memphis Democrat. Ford has been accepting and will continue to accept speaking engagements across the state to tout legislation he thinks is important for the state, the country and his political party, his staff said, while increasing Tennessee voters' knowledge of him.
In fact, Ford is scheduled to speak in Wamp's hometown of Chattanooga Dec. 5 at a meeting of the Urban League. Ford is not married and has no children.
Wamp's 3rd District was given several new counties in the recent redistricting by the General Assembly, so he said he would work to become better-known in those counties first. His new district cuts a long swath from Claiborne in the north to Hamilton in the south.
There has been speculation among Republicans that President Bush may offer Frist a high-level job in his administration as a reward for his successful work on a party committee to elect enough Republicans this year to take over Senate control.
But if that happens, it likely would be before the end of the year when Tennessee's Republican governor, Don Sundquist, leaves office and is replaced by Democrat Bredesen. Sundquist, while governor, could appoint another Republican to succeed Frist - perhaps U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. of Knoxville or Wamp.
Frist spokesman Nick Smith said Frist has not been offered any appointments by Bush, and Frist has said he intends to serve through 2006.
Richard Powelson may be contacted at 202-408-2727 or powelsonr@shns.com.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.