Minutes after reports surfaced on Wednesday that former Gov. Phil Bredesen will soon announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the front runner for the GOP nomination, blasted the 74-year-old Bredesen as a supporter of “President Obama’s liberal policies” who is “out-of-touch with Tennessee values.”
“Tennessee families want change and that is not what 74-year-old Democrat politician Phil Bredesen will bring to the United States Senate. Bredesen’s views are out-of-touch with Tennessee values, he supported President Obama’s liberal policies, is against second amendment rights and even authored a plan to give illegal immigrants driving certificates. Marsha is the only true conservative in this race who will ensure liberal Bredesen doesn’t block President Trump’s agenda in Washington.” Blackburn’s spokesperson said in a statement release by the campaign.
Conservative commentator Steve Gill added his perspective.
“Tennesseans in 92 of our 95 counties overwhelmingly rejected Hillary Clinton as President; but Phil Bredesen and his wife Andrea Conte voted for her. Federal Election Commission records show they also donated more than $69,000 to Hillary’s election through her campaign, SuperPAC and the Democratic National Committee operation on her behalf, not to mention thousands more to the most extremist liberal candidates in the country,” Gill said.
“How can they be in step with Tennessee if they are that out of step with how we vote? A Governor is mainly a management and operational position, and he did a fairly good job. But a Senator votes on policies. Will Phil Bredesen seek to promote policies that reflect Tennessee values or liberal Democratic Party values? If you follow the money, based on his contributions, the answer is clear and shows that he is way out of line with Tennessee,” he added.
“One of Phil Bredesen’s closest friends and political advisors, Byron Traugher, recently noted that the issue for Bredesen is ‘can i make a difference,’ ” Gill noted.
“But the real issue should be whether or not Bredesen can make a difference that reflects the values and opinions of Tennesseans versus the values and agenda of the liberal Democrats who he would seek to put in power in the U.S. Senate. Does his first vote as a Senator to put New York liberal Senator Chuck Shumer in power promote what matters to Tennesseans? Would voting in lock-step with the Senate Democrats to block conservative Supreme Court nominees like Neil Gorsuch from confirmation make a ‘difference’ that reflects the views of Tennessee voters?” the conservative commentator asked.
“The last time Phil Bredesen was in a competitive race in Tennessee it was nearly 16 years ago, and he won by less than 50,000 votes statewide. That was before Twitter, Facebook,or iPhones, and the first episode of Donald Trump’s ‘Apprentice’ had never aired. It was certainly before Trump carried Tennessee by a 61-35 margin and won 92 out of 95 counties. Phil Bredesen’s money will make him a formidable candidate, but his liberal agenda makes him extremely vulnerable at the ballot box,” Gill concluded.
[…] the country today. During the 2016 Presidential election campaign, he and his wife, Andrea Conte, donated $69,000 to help elect Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, either directly to her campaign, her Super PAC, or the Democratic National […]
[…] on the other hand, is just another messenger for the Obama agenda in a state that has embraced President Trump. He has consistently opposed Second Amendment […]
[…] on the other hand, is just another messenger for the Obama agenda in a state that has embraced President Trump. He has consistently opposed Second Amendment […]
[…] on the other hand, is just another messenger for the Obama agenda in a state that has embraced President Trump. He has consistently opposed Second Amendment […]
[…] as The Tennessee Star reported, the 74-year-old Bredesen has not been in a contested race since he won the race for his first term […]
[…] Bredesen didn’t carve much of a national profile during his tenure, though he did endorse Obama in 2008 and was later rumored as a possible Obama appointee. Yet that hasn’t stopped Republicans — whose candidates include Rep. Marsha Blackburn and former congressman Stephen Lee Fincher — from quickly labeling him an out-of-touch liberal and Hillary Clinton supporter. […]
Marsha should run against Chuck Schumer as well as Bredesen because a vote for Bredesen is inevitably a vote for Schumer gaining control of the Senate and the end of Trump’s ability to get anything done in the last two years of his administration. Put the dashing Chuck Schumer on Tennessee TV, describe the far left policies that Schumer advocates. Handled correctly it will be business as usual; Marsha’s winning the Republican Primary will be tantamount to election to the Senate.