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Rep. Harold Ford Jr. will run for Bill Frist's seat
The Hill ^ | 2/16/05 | Bob Cusack and Hans Nichols

Posted on 02/16/2005 9:57:44 AM PST by dead

Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) is expected to announce next week that he will run for the Senate, seeking to replace Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) when he retires in 2006.

Ford’s office declined to comment on his senatorial plans, but three sources close to Ford said that he has decided to run and that an announcement will be made soon. One informed source said, “He will absolutely, 100 percent, run for the Senate. He wants that seat.”

Ford

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Ford will be traveling in the Middle East later this week, according to those sources, and is scheduled to be back in Tennessee, with some major appearances planned, on Feb. 25.

President Bush won Tennessee 57 to 43 percent, and Ford would face an uphill battle to win statewide. The fifth-term congressman, whose father held the same seat for 22 years, has recently seen his statewide prospects hindered by his family name. His uncle, state Sen. John Ford, is embroiled in a child payment scandal and recently testified in juvenile court that he keeps two homes and lives with two different women whose children he fathered. The scandal has received considerable attention in Tennessee and has dominated political conversation among Democrats speculating about Ford’s plans.

The source said business leaders in Memphis are lining up behind Ford and noted that the congressman is conservative on fiscal matters. Ford last year indicated support for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) Social Security reform bill.

While the odds are against Ford’s winning the seat, the source said Ford will raise a lot of money: “He will raise money from California to New York to Florida and everywhere in between.”

State Sen. Rosalind Kurita is the only other Democrat who has entered the race. Three Republicans have launched their campaigns, including former Rep. Ed Bryant, state Rep. Beth Harwell and Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker. Former Rep. Van Hilleary (R) is also considering jumping into the race.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: 2006; bethharwell; bobcorker; edbryant; electionushouse; electionussenate; frist; haroldford; punkasskid; vanhilleary
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To: oceanview

"he is a boring guy, but the only place he will be appearing on the campaign in on univision and telemundo - he may not even campaign outside of those western states."

yep. He doesn't strike me as strongly hispanic, either...so I'm not even sure that would work. He would though give the liberal elite heart spasms though what with his UN connection and all that.

I wonder if Richardson wishes that he had hired Monica as an "intern"? Remember that?


81 posted on 02/16/2005 10:56:13 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: notigar

ill take your word for it.

though someone ought to point out to him that he looks like a homo. even george michael could manage a little peach fuzz every now and then....


82 posted on 02/16/2005 10:58:01 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: oceanview
"Richardson is Hillary's running mate"

I used to think so too, and for Kerry as well. But Richardson's got a major zipper problem. Won't happen.
83 posted on 02/16/2005 10:58:41 AM PST by RightOnTheLeftCoast (You're it)
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To: RightOnTheLeftCoast

zipper problem?

i see now why he interviewed Monica. he must have been impressed by her credentials which Vernon Jordan no doubt relayed to him


84 posted on 02/16/2005 11:01:23 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: GailA

Jr has a "F" rating with the NRA!! That will sink him in the middle and east TN counties.


85 posted on 02/16/2005 11:03:21 AM PST by Sybeck1
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To: twigs

I dunno. I almost wonder if Ford will jump ship and become a Republican.


86 posted on 02/16/2005 11:03:44 AM PST by rintense
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To: goldstategop; All
Check out JUNIOR's voting record

Eagle Forum Click on the TN link and actually LOOK at his record his score for the last session was 27% for session before last 19%.

American Conservative Union Gives him a life time of 19 for voting YES on conservative bills.

87 posted on 02/16/2005 11:05:22 AM PST by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)
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To: dead

Warning from abroad: Harold Ford, out of all the Democrats, reminds me the most of a young Tony Blair. It is clear that he understands much of the Democrats problems in selling themselves to Red States, and that makes him dangerous.

Regards, Ivan


88 posted on 02/16/2005 11:05:27 AM PST by MadIvan (One blog to bring them all...and in the Darkness bind them: http://www.theringwraith.com/)
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To: dead

I don't see him winning Tennessee. Ford is a conservative democrat, but a demorat none the less. If elected, he'd toe the line with the rest of the party and Tennesseeans (sp) know it.


89 posted on 02/16/2005 11:07:24 AM PST by katieanna (Jesus, I love calling Your Name!)
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To: Sybeck1

I forgot about the NRA, I posted Eagle Forum and the ACU links. Heck even my rep john tanner votes about 40% of the time on conservative bills. TN US rep cooper has a worse record than JUNIOR with Eagle Forum only 21%.


90 posted on 02/16/2005 11:09:18 AM PST by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)
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To: katieanna

Ford is NOT a Conservative 'Rat. He has a voting record a few points to the right of Nancy Pelosi and THE most liberal in the TN delegation. Ford, Jr. is a PUPPET for his daddy, a corrupt leftist race-baiter.


91 posted on 02/16/2005 11:11:53 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj (*Gregoire is French for Stealing an Election*)
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To: newgeezer

Boy howdy! I'm sure more will come out if he runs. I can't wait.


92 posted on 02/16/2005 11:13:30 AM PST by dljordan
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To: katieanna
Zell Miller is a conservative Dem....JUNIOR is a LIBERAL Dem!

How many times must we Tennesseans repeat this fact? We've said it over and over again on other threads about JUNIOR. JUNIOR IS A LIBERAL I live 20 miles from Memphis in Millington, TN.

93 posted on 02/16/2005 11:15:58 AM PST by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)
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To: Tigerjam

"Middle and east tenneseeans generally don't like Memphians."

Hey! My cousin lives in Memphis! Come to think of it you're right, I don't like him very much.


94 posted on 02/16/2005 11:16:40 AM PST by dljordan
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To: dead

I've been warning everybody, this seat is NOT safe. Ford is the best candidate they could run too.

And from what I know, we don't have a Lamar Alexander stature candidate waiting in the wings.


95 posted on 02/16/2005 11:18:00 AM PST by zbigreddogz
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To: GailA

Do you have any numbers on his popularity there? I can't find any.


96 posted on 02/16/2005 11:19:12 AM PST by notigar
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To: twigs

I suspect that you're right.


97 posted on 02/16/2005 11:21:22 AM PST by mywholebodyisaweapon
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To: GailA

Thanks for the clarification. He's clearly doing a job making people outside his state (like me) think he's conservative!


98 posted on 02/16/2005 11:21:26 AM PST by katieanna (Jesus, I love calling Your Name!)
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To: USAFJeeper

His house seat, from what I understand, is the closest thing Tennessee has to a Jim McDermott/Charlie Rangle seat.

He doesn't have to be moderate to keep it. He's doing that because he's smart and wants to move up.


99 posted on 02/16/2005 11:21:34 AM PST by zbigreddogz
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To: dead

Frist better find his testicles...and SOON!


100 posted on 02/16/2005 11:25:06 AM PST by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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