Fred Thompson 2008 And Tennessee

Just a quick couple of points on what a Fred Thompson Presidential candidacy would mean for Tennessee politics.

1. It would continue to show the Volunteer State as on the forefront of politics on the national stage. Tennessee has a rich heritage of sending leaders to Washington who go on to be newsmakers and colorful figures in American politics. A Fred candidacy alone would enrich that heritage, and a Fred victory in the general election would enhance that heritage all the more.

2. If Fred were the GOP nominee, his coattails would likely be a boon to the Tennessee GOP. I think the GOP could pick up another seat or two in the state senate, the state house just might become Republican for the first time, and even a couple U.S. House seats might go into play. As it stands now, the GOP only needs to pick up four out of 99 seats to win control of the state house. I think it is probably not likely that any of the Democratic-held U.S. House seats will be in play, but if Fred is the nominee and is in the general election, it still could happen. The only two seats that I could see this happening in is the Sixth District, held by Bart Gordon; and the Fourth District, held by Lincoln Davis. The GOP would have to recruit very strong candidates for this to happen, however. The more likely of the two to switch would probably be the Fourth District.

3. If Fred wins, and becomes the next President, some Tennesseans might find themselves in his administration. The most interesting rumor involves former Tennessee Congressman and two-time U.S. Senate candidate Ed Bryant. According to the rumor, he could maybe find himself as nominated for Attorney General, or to the U.S. Supreme Court when a vacancy arises. This will be an interesting storyline to watch.

Thompson, a former Tennessee Senator, is expected to officially announce a run for President in the next couple of weeks, likely around July 4th.

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Welcome to a new place to keep abreast of the latest in Tennessee politics. I intend to cover Volunteer State politics, not just for 2008, but for the foreseeable future, including special election when they arise. I intend to cover Tennessee's influence on the federal politics, the General Assembly(state legislature), the Governor's office, and maybe even certain county and city politics. Be sure to add this blog to your favorites, and stop back often.