Saturday, February 10, 2007
Talkin' 'bout Tennessee politics
A former co-worker who now lives in Arizona e-mailed me yesterday with questions 'bout Tennessee politics. I think my answers are well worth repeating. To wit:
Do you think Jim Cooper will run for governor in 2010?
Cooper's name has been bandied about as a possible candidate for gov'na. I, for one, just don't see him jumping into a statewide race. Cooper's turned decidedly leftward since he returned to Congress. It'd be hard for him to make inroads into East Tennessee with the voting record he's now toting around. Plus, I'll bet he still has nightmares about his 1994 campaign for U.S. Senate (Cooper got, what, 39 percent 'gainst Fred Thompson?)
What about [a] Harold Ford, Jr. [gubernatorial campaign]?
Junior ain't gonna run for governor. He likes to run his mouth about national issues too much to be content dealing with TennCare, state department budgets, etc., etc. Steve Gill seems to think that Ophelia Ford will be the consensus black candidate who'll take on U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in '08. I wouldn't be shocked if'n Junior tried to get his old job back. (I even said as much the day after the 2006 congressional election.)
Is Bill Frist running for governor? If so, what happens to Blackburn's campaign for gov.?
If and when Bill Frist jumps into the race (The Hill recently reported that a Frist for Governor campaign is a done deal), he'll be the GOP "establishment's" choice. It's just a hunch, but I reckon Party Elders will do everything they can to avoid another Corker-Bryant-Hilleary mud-fight. In addition, and you mighta heard about this, the Frists have a little bit of money. A million bucks is a starting point for statewide races these days; Frist can come up with a million bucks before he hits the head every morning.
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha Blackburn is just going to have to suck it up and stay in Washington, DC. If'n I were her, I'd be happy to stay in Washington. I mean, who wants to have to deal with the shipdits in the State House and State Senate on a daily basis? Not me ...
Do you think Jim Cooper will run for governor in 2010?
Cooper's name has been bandied about as a possible candidate for gov'na. I, for one, just don't see him jumping into a statewide race. Cooper's turned decidedly leftward since he returned to Congress. It'd be hard for him to make inroads into East Tennessee with the voting record he's now toting around. Plus, I'll bet he still has nightmares about his 1994 campaign for U.S. Senate (Cooper got, what, 39 percent 'gainst Fred Thompson?)
What about [a] Harold Ford, Jr. [gubernatorial campaign]?
Junior ain't gonna run for governor. He likes to run his mouth about national issues too much to be content dealing with TennCare, state department budgets, etc., etc. Steve Gill seems to think that Ophelia Ford will be the consensus black candidate who'll take on U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in '08. I wouldn't be shocked if'n Junior tried to get his old job back. (I even said as much the day after the 2006 congressional election.)
Is Bill Frist running for governor? If so, what happens to Blackburn's campaign for gov.?
If and when Bill Frist jumps into the race (The Hill recently reported that a Frist for Governor campaign is a done deal), he'll be the GOP "establishment's" choice. It's just a hunch, but I reckon Party Elders will do everything they can to avoid another Corker-Bryant-Hilleary mud-fight. In addition, and you mighta heard about this, the Frists have a little bit of money. A million bucks is a starting point for statewide races these days; Frist can come up with a million bucks before he hits the head every morning.
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha Blackburn is just going to have to suck it up and stay in Washington, DC. If'n I were her, I'd be happy to stay in Washington. I mean, who wants to have to deal with the shipdits in the State House and State Senate on a daily basis? Not me ...
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Saturday, February 10, 2007 
