Ford poll shows lead over Corker

Chatanooga Times Free Press ^ | August 23, 2006 | Michael Davis

[youthgonewild]

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. is virtually tied with Republican opponent Bob Corker, according to internal poll results released by the Ford campaign.

Rep. Ford, a U.S. congressman from Memphis, leads the former Chattanooga mayor 44 percent to 42 percent in the poll of 1,118 likely Tennessee voters. Thirteen percent of respondents were undecided in the head-to-head matchup.

The poll was taken Aug. 10-15 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.93 percent.

Ford campaign senior adviser Michael Powell said during a Tuesday morning conference call that Mr. Corker was hurt during the fierce Republican primary, noting Tennessee Right to Life is not backing the former mayor and that some conservative groups have yet to say whether they will endorse him in the Nov. 7 general election.

[fieldmarshaldj]

As far as I'm concerned, I have no candidate in this race. Chattanooga Chafee, who is a slimy little creep with no core values and a bold-faced opportunist, bought this primary, and now that he has, he stopped advertising completely, while Junior keeps airing commercials. I may sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I wouldn't be surprised if Corker's entire candidacy was about running interference for Junior. It makes me ill.

And to those that think we have this race in the bag, think again. Even a lot of 'Rats I talked to in Tennessee believe that Corker was the weakest candidate we could put up against Junior, and the vibes I'm getting lately are proving that to be the case.

[Clintonfatigued]

Corker's primary victory was very unfortunate. In fact, it sucked. But there's something to remember. If Corker does win the general election, he'll spend his entire term looking over his right shoulder and trying to win over conservative voters' trust.

In any event, when a campaign releases an internal poll, it's usually for self-serving reasons, not a desire to inform.

[mcg2000]

[Blood of Tyrants]

I would not doubt your theory. I REALLY don't like Corker who basically lied and bought his way into the candidacy, but I absolutely DESPISE the Fords.

[AuH2ORepublican]

I agree that Bob Corker was by far the weakest general election candidate among the three Republicans, and I know we don't have the election in the bag, which is why I think conservatives need to suck it up and work to elect "One-Term Bob" (we'll get him in 2012) to the Senate. We cannot allow Harold Ford, Jr. to enter the U.S. Senate.

[cashmere]

Agree-people will be voting AGAINST Ford. I was disappointed that "mama's boy" won the primary but ther is no way I will sit it out because my guy (Bryant) did not win. I believe that because Ford is the Dem candidate, turnout will be VERY high IF common sense prevails and people expend enough energy to find out who Ford really is. I suspect that Ford gets crushed but there will be no great enthusiasm for Corker until he proves his mettle.

[Aetius]

I hope you can hold you nose and vote for Corker despite your feelings towards him. Any chance that for a sure-fire conservative candidate was lost when two of them decided to stay in the race, thus splitting the vote.

Even if Corker is as bad as you say, once elected he would at least be a vote to confirm Alito-type justices to the Sup Court, whereas Ford Jr would not. If push came to shove, Corker would probably vote to invoke the nuclear/constitutional option to end filibusters of judicial nominees...if he wants to be reelected in 2012 that is.

Surely you'd concede that even if Corker is a total RINO, he'd still cast the occasional good vote, whereas Ford Jr would not. All of Ford Jr's 'conservative' votes (for the Federal Marriage Amendment, for the House immigration bill) were purely political votes to help him in the Senate race. Once safely in office for six years, or on the fast-track for the Dem VP slot in 2008, all signs of moderation from Ford Jr would disappear and his true leftwing colors would shine through.