Daily Times

Former Tennessee Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen and Republican US Rep. Marsha Blackburn have been running their campaigns for a critical US Senate seat like their matchup was assured. Voters made it official Thursday.

Bredesen and Blackburn disposed of minimal opposition in their primary elections, kicking off what’s expected to a bruising, expensive fight that could determine Democrats’ chances of overturning the 51-49 Republican Senate majority.

Polls have indicated a close contest to replace retiring Republican Sen. Bob Corker. A general election win would be historic for Blackburn, who would become the first female US senator ever elected in Tennessee. Voters faced a more competitive field in the race for the nomination to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.

Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean won the Democratic primary, defeating state House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh after outspending him $4.4 million to $984,800.

Taking a page from Bredesen’s playbook, Dean has touted himself as a leader who can break down partisan barriers and make divided government work during divisive political times. He told his supporters Thursday he intended to run a positive race focused on jobs, affordable health care and good education.

Businessman Bill Lee won a bruising GOP primary. He mostly stayed out of the fray while other opponents savaged each other in attack ads. Lee billed himself as the race’s only conservative outsider and emphasized his Christian faith. “I am someone who is not a politician, but I do have a vision for Tennessee to lead the nation,” Lee told supporters during his victory speech.

The field also included US Rep. Diane Black, who began the campaign as the favorite and got the endorsement of Vice President Mike Pence but stumbled to a third-place finish.

No Democrat has won statewide here since Bredesen was re-elected governor in 2006, when he clinched all 95 counties. It’s been an even longer drought in the Senate, with the last Democratic victor former Vice President Al Gore in 1990.

Bredesen, who remains popular, would again need to peel off support from moderate Republicans and independents. He is pledging to work across party lines, saying he will support Trump on policies that are good for the state, and oppose him when they aren’t. He thanked his supporters Thursday night and vowed to be “the best damn senator you ever sent up to Washington.”

Blackburn is a strong Trump backer in a state that voted for the president by 26 percentage points in 2016. She has run in support of Trump’s agenda, including his wall-building immigration crackdown and his US Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.