Election polls open Nov. 7 to choose the successor for U.S. Senate majority leader Bill Frist (R). Ballot headliners are Bob Corker (R) and Harold Ford Jr. (D).
Harold Ford, Jr.
Born: May 11, 1970, Memphis, Tenn.
Party: Democratic
Status: Single
Education: Bachelor’s from University of Pennsylvania, law degree from University of Michigan
Political Career: Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1996-present
Voting history?
For: tightening border control; universal healthcare coverage; a three-state solution in Iraq and bringing troops home; illegal drug policy reform; funding embryonic stem cell research; the Bankruptcy Bill.
Against: same sex marriage; partial birth abortion; Federal Marriage Amendment; ANWR oil drilling.
Large campaign contributors include: Credit Suisse Group; Morgan Stanley; Merrill Lynch; First Tennessee Bank; FedEx Corp; Time Warner.
Ford comes from a long line of political figures in Memphis, and has served in Congress for the 9th district since 1996 with a steady tendency towards moderate democratic trends. If Ford wins he will be the first popularly elected African American Senator since Reconstruction, and the first Democrat elected to the Senate in Tennessee since 1990.
Bob Corker
Born: Aug 24, 1952, Orangeburg, S.C.
Party: Republican
Status: Married to Elizabeth, with two children, Julia and Emily
Education: Bachelor’s from the University of Tennessee
Political Career: Mayor of Chattanooga, 2001 to 2005
Voting history?
For: legalizing hand guns in the District of Columbia; removal of illegal immigrants; increasing border security; abortion in cases of incest, rape, or threat to the mother’s life; continued involvement in Iraq; making 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent.
Against: environmental reform
Large campaign contributors include: Eastman Chemicals; Clayton Homes; Gaylord Entertainment; Memphis City Schools; AutoZone, Inc.; Okies Pharmacy; Miller & Martin
Corker, current resident and former Mayor of Chattanooga, is a local entrepreneur and land owner with a lot of home town clout, popularly conservative political leanings, and the support of the current administration.
A statewide survey of Tennessee residents by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research of Washington identified the number one issue for voters electing a national representative was the war in Iraq, followed by the economy, homeland security and immigration.
In a year of rocky politics and unrest Tennessee’s Senate election may be the deciding vote for Senate majority.
It’s a neck-to-neck race. In two polls were released Oct. 10, SurveyUSA put Corker ahead of Ford by two points, while Hamilton, Beattie & Staff had Ford ahead seven points, at 51 percent. An Oct. 5 Reuters/Zogby poll showed Ford and Corker tied at 40 percent, and an MTSU poll concurred, with Ford at 42 percent and Corker at 43.
Corker’s conservative positions on gay marriage, abortion and gun control appeal to his fellow East Tennesseans. But well-spoken and moderate Ford’s long history of success in West Tennessee isn’t going to fail him now. The real area of contention is Middle Tennessee, and that makes our educated votes all the more important.
Inevitably, election time means scandal time, and Tennessee’s 2006 Senate campaigns have not disappointed. The mud-slinging that began in the Republican primaries and had Corker reaching into his own pockets to fund advertising is back in full force.
Not that either of our candidates have squeaky clean records. Ford has had to battle the political scandals and histories of his aunt and father and Corker’s constant jibes. Corker is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 18th on charges of violating protected wetlands at one of his building projects.
Early voting starts Oct. 18 and ends Nov. 2. Regular voting will be on Nov. 7. For more information on the election and voting locations please see rutherfordcounty.org/election.
