TN-SEN: Return of the Bredi

[Holmes]

Endorsed.

Really? Please tell why you'd vote for Bredesen as a Republican, I'm curious.

Probably because with Haslam out, all Republican candidates are horrible and Bredesen is non-offensive.

[Alabama_Indy10]

Endorsed.

Really? Please tell why you'd vote for Bredesen as a Republican, I'm curious.

Because I believe he is the best candidate. I'm not a GOP hack. I support Democrats quite often.

[Jeppe]

Cook changed the rating for this rate to Toss-Up, from Likely Republican. I think that's a bit too generous..

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Has Bredesen ever stated his abortion position?  I didn't know it, so I Googled it and still couldn't figure it out.  The only thing I found was that, in 2010, he allowed a pro-life law to go into effect without his signature, but didn't veto it either.  He can't really play that middle ground as a senator.

[user12345]

His video is really calming, a stark contrast to every other political video in this age.

[Holmes]

Blackburn will bring up abortion all the time in the race. In fact she'll probably try to make it issue #1.

[MT Treasurer]

Cook changed the rating for this rate to Toss-Up, from Likely Republican. I think that's a bit too generous..

Cook's ratings are almost always terrible. This year is no exception.

[Orser67]

I put the race at Likely R, but I like that Tennessee Democrats are showing signs of life. There are too many states that Democrats simply haven't been competitive in.

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

Blackburn will bring up abortion all the time in the race. In fact she'll probably try to make it issue #1.

Bredesen can easily just claim to be pro-life, because he really has no stated position on the issue.
This would make it easier for him to win, certainly.

[Cactus Jack]

Blackburn will bring up abortion all the time in the race. In fact she'll probably try to make it issue #1.

She runs the risk of saying something Todd Akin-level dumb on it (or worse), that's for sure. And Bredesen has the credibility to take advantage of that. Possibly even better than McCaskill, given his nominal pro-life stance.

Bredesen might do well to take up Richard Ojeda's populist tactic on the issue: "I'm pro-life. Y'all are just pro-birth."

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

He's in now WOOHOO!!!

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

HELL YES!!!!!!!!

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

He is probably going to be the Democratic Mike Castle honestly.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

He is probably going to be the Democratic Mike Castle honestly.

He might be a Strickland or a Bayh or a Lingle, but he will NOT lose the primary.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Bredesen will easily win the primary.

[Pandaguineapig]

Bredesen will easily win the primary.

Yeah but it could be closer than expected if he calls it in and the resistance losers turn out for Macker

[mcmikk]

Bredesen's introductory video

Freedom Video. It's so calm and warm. I love the guy already.

[Cactus Jack]

Bredesen's introductory video

What a perfect contrast to a raging, firebreathing nutcracker like Blackburn.

Also, I'm with PNM. Something major had to have convinced Bredesen to pull the trigger.

[IceSpear]

Cook changed the rating for this rate to Toss-Up, from Likely Republican. I think that's a bit too generous..

Cook's ratings are almost always terrible. This year is no exception.

Yeah, this is what I meant when I said that Sabato being better than Cook isn't saying very much, lol.

[BuckeyeNut]

Cook changed the rating for this rate to Toss-Up, from Likely Republican. I think that's a bit too generous..

Cook's ratings are almost always terrible. This year is no exception.

Yeah, this is what I meant when I said that Sabato being better than Cook isn't saying very much, lol.

Cook and Sabato are both fine, since they use the metric of the election being held TODAY, IIRC.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Lol, thread merge.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Bredesen's introductory video

Freedom Video. It's so calm and warm. I love the guy already.

This, I have been waiting for this days for YEARS!!! Great Christmas present!

110% endorsement!!!

[Rookie Yinzer]

Likely R.

How much of a raging lunatic Blackburn chooses to be will decide the race.

[NewYorkExpress]

Likely R.

How much of a raging lunatic Blackburn chooses to be will decide the race.

Isn't Stephen Fincher also running on the GOP side? There's a non-zero chance he wins the primary as well...

[TomC]

Likely R.

How much of a raging lunatic Blackburn chooses to be will decide the race.

Isn't Stephen Fincher also running on the GOP side? There's a non-zero chance he wins the primary as well...

There's a zero percent chance. Always bet on the nuttiest person winning a Republican primary, and you'll seldom go wrong.

No, patrician (arguably moderate) millionaires Haslam, Corker, and Alexander all faced nutty candidates in their primaries and easily won. Hard right wing nuts winning a statewide primary or general hasn't happened yet in Tennessee. I don't think Fincher is going to beat Blackburn, her name recognition is too high, but she's different from previous statewide nominees, so the winning formula the three men's above used to win the state is one she can't perfectly replicate. Plus she's far from able to be an "outsider". I'm not saying Bredesen will beat her, but to look at past statewide GOP successes and assume this will be viewed in the same way is short sighted.

Edited to add: and Blackburn doesn't really have Obama to run against, and from his ad, Bredesen is clearly running against the dysfunction in DC (as Trump did) and not against Trump himself.