Tennessee United States Senate election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The 2006 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 7, 2006. The election winner, Bob Corker
, will serve between January 3, 2007 and January 3, 2013. Corker replaced Republican
Bill Frist
in the Senate
, who retired upon the end of his second term in 2007. Corker was the Republican nominee, and the Democratic
nominee was Harold Ford, Jr.
. The race between Ford and Corker was one of the most competitive Senate races of 2006, with Corker winning the race by less than three percent of the vote. Corker was the only non-incumbent Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2006. Since 1994, the Republican Party has held both of Tennessee
's Senate seats.
in Los Angeles, California
, and for a challenge to Nancy Pelosi
for leadership of the House Democrats. Kurita, a six-term state Senator from Clarksville, Tennessee
dropped out of the race in early April 2006. No official reason was given, but Ford enjoyed substantial support from Democratic leaders in Washington and Nashville
and held a substantial lead in fundraising.
Only 11 percent of Tennesseans knew who Corker was when he began running for the Senate race. All three have run statewide campaigns in the past, albeit unsuccessful ones: Bryant for the 2002 Republican Senate nomination, losing to Lamar Alexander
; Corker for the U.S. Senate in 1994, losing to Frist in the Republican primary; and Hilleary for Tennessee Governor in 2002, losing to Democrat Phil Bredesen
.
campus in Knoxville
on June 29, 2006. All three candidates expressed skepticism regarding global warming
and recent publication of scientific consensus on the issue, supported continued American involvement in Iraq, opposed income tax
increases, and "showed varying degrees of interest in replacing the federal income tax with a national sales tax," prompting Corker to state in his closing statement "[t]here's not any difference, that I can tell, on the issues."
Not long after Corker's primary victory was assured, Ford, at a rally of his supporters attended by Bill Clinton
, challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he will debate Ford but did not agree to Ford's request of seven debates. Both of Corker's primary opponents endorsed Corker immediately after they conceded the race.
On August 8, 2006, the Tennessee Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission
against Corker for allegedly violating campaign financial disclosure rules.
On August 25, the Chattanooga Times Free Press
reported that Corker had received a subpoena regarding an environmental law
suit filed three years ago. The lawsuit centers on the actions Corker took as mayor to allegedly demolish a conservation site to build a road that leads to a Wal-Mart
SuperCenter. Corker was scheduled to testify on October 18, but the case was settled on October 13.
On October 1, Corker replaced his campaign manager.
Before a Corker press conference in Memphis on October 20, Ford approached Corker in a parking lot and confronted his opponent about Iraq in front of local news cameras, pointing out that some of Corker's fellow Republicans are changing their minds on the war and wanting to debate him about the issue. In response, Corker said, "I came to talk about ethics and I have a press conference. And I think it's a true sign of desperation that you would pull your bus up when I'm having a press conference." Ford replied that he could never find Corker. Corker then walked away to his press conference.
On November 2, Nielsen Monitor Plus
indicated that the Corker campaign had purchased more television advertising than any other Senate candidate in the country through October 15.
on October 7, in Chattanooga on October 10, and in Nashville on October 28.
In the October 7, 2006 debate in Memphis, the candidates covered a wide range of issues, including immigration, Iraq, cutting health care costs, abortion, and Social Security. Commenting on Ford's political family, Corker said, "I think it's evident there's been a Ford in this (9th District congressional district) seat for 32 years, and if you look at the number of Fords that are on the ballot—especially I think the most recent one, I know it concerns a lot of people right here in Memphis." Ford responded, "I don't know why Mr. Corker keeps bringing up my family. . . . It's you and I running for the Senate. It's our ideas, our plans to make the future better for everybody. Let's stick to you and I. And if you come up with a recipe to pick family, say it. Otherwise be quiet and let's run for the Senate."
The October 10 Chattanooga debate covered many of the same issues, with Corker again attempting to make Ford's family an issue and Ford claiming that Corker would be merely a "rubber stamp" for the Bush administration and Republican Party in the Senate.
A particularly negative ad titled "Who Hasn't?" sponsored by the Republican National Committee
("RNC") that aired during the third and fourth weeks of October gained national attention and condemnation from both Ford and Corker. The ad portrayed a scantily clad white woman (Johanna Goldsmith
) acting as a Playboy bunny who "met Harold at the Playboy party" and invites Ford to "call me".
Responding to questions about the ad, a Ford spokesperson said that Ford went to a 2005 Playboy-sponsored Super Bowl
party that was attended by more than 3,000 people, and Ford himself said that he likes "football and girls" and makes no apology for either.
The NAACP described the ad as "a powerful innuendo that plays to pre-existing prejudices about African-American men and white women" and a former Republican Senator
called it "a very serious appeal to a racist sentiment. Corker condemned the RNC ad, calling it "tacky" and stating that his campaign has asked to have it pulled. The RNC, however, continued to endorse the ad, said it had no plans to stop airing it, and dismissed charges of racism, saying it "wouldn't even entertain the premise" that the ad was racist. In an October 24 interview with Tim Russert
, RNC chairman Ken Mehlman
said that he thought the ad was "fair" and that he did not have the authority to pull it.
The ad was also denounced by Canada
's ambassador to the United States, Michael Wilson
, and in the Parliament of Canada
by MP Omar Alghabra
. The ad became an issue in Canada because of an actor's statement in the advertisement, "Canada can take care of North Korea
. They’re not busy." Alghabra, in the House of Commons
, responded, "Is this what Canadians should be expecting as the outcome of cozying up to Mr. Bush by the prime minister
and his Conservatives?"
On October 25, Mehlman announced that the ad was "down now" during an interview with Wolf Blitzer
on CNN
. In its place, Tennessee television stations ran a different RNC ad.
(Nashville's predominant daily newspaper), the The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis's predominant daily newspaper), the Jackson Sun (Jackson's predominant daily newspaper), the Bristol Herald Courier, Metro Pulse (Knoxville), the Professional Firefighters Association of Tennessee, and the Tennessee State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Corker was endorsed by, among others, the National Rifle Association
, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the United States Chamber of Commerce
, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, Lebanon Democrat, Kingsport Times News, Nashville City Paper, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and the National Right to Life Committee
, though the Tennessee Right to Life Committee has refused to endorse Corker, claiming he is a "pro-abortion" politician.
Both Corker and Ford were endorsed by the Chattanooga Times Free Press
(Chattanooga's predominant daily newspaper still maintains two separate editorial pages left over when its two daily newspapers merged): Ford by The Times editors, and Corker by Free Press editors.
(FEC). Corker tapped into his personal fortune to help fund his campaign, loaning his campaign a total of $4.1 million. Corker loaned $2 million of this amount on Wednesday November 1, less than a week before the election, triggering the "millionaire's amendment" of the 2002 Campaign Reform Act
and allowing Ford to seek $12,600 from individual donors instead of $2,100, the normal limit, for the final days of the campaign.
President Bush
attended two fund raiser dinners on behalf of the Corker campaign in Nashville and Memphis which raised $2.6 million for Corker's campaign by charging over $2,000 a plate. Former President Bill Clinton
attended a rally for the Ford campaign in Nashville that raised about $1 million.
None of the third party candidates filed reports with the FEC.
Bob Corker
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
, will serve between January 3, 2007 and January 3, 2013. Corker replaced Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bill Frist
Bill Frist
William Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. He began his career as an heir and major stockholder to the for-profit hospital chain of Hospital Corporation of America. Frist later served two terms as a Republican United States Senator representing...
in the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, who retired upon the end of his second term in 2007. Corker was the Republican nominee, and the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee was Harold Ford, Jr.
Harold Ford, Jr.
Harold Eugene Ford, Jr. is an American politician and was the last chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council . He was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from , centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007...
. The race between Ford and Corker was one of the most competitive Senate races of 2006, with Corker winning the race by less than three percent of the vote. Corker was the only non-incumbent Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2006. Since 1994, the Republican Party has held both of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
's Senate seats.
Campaign
Ford is known nationally for his keynote address at the 2000 Democratic National Convention2000 Democratic National Convention
The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore as its candidate for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as its candidate for Vice President. The convention was held at...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and for a challenge to Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
for leadership of the House Democrats. Kurita, a six-term state Senator from Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
dropped out of the race in early April 2006. No official reason was given, but Ford enjoyed substantial support from Democratic leaders in Washington and Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and held a substantial lead in fundraising.
Candidates
- Ed BryantEd BryantEdward Glenn Bryant, usually known as Ed Bryant, , American politician, is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee . Born in Jackson, Tennessee, he earned his B.A. in 1970 and J.D. in 1972, both from the University of Mississippi. As a student he was...
, former U.S. Congressman - Bob CorkerBob CorkerRobert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
, former Chattanooga mayor and wealthy businessman - Van HillearyVan HillearyWilliam Vanderpool Hilleary, usually known as Van Hilleary is a Republican politician from Tennessee.-Early life and career:...
, former U.S. Congressman
Campaign
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
; Corker for the U.S. Senate in 1994, losing to Frist in the Republican primary; and Hilleary for Tennessee Governor in 2002, losing to Democrat Phil Bredesen
Phil Bredesen
Philip Norman "Phil" Bredesen Jr. was the 48th Governor of Tennessee, serving from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected Governor in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006. He previously served as the fourth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County from 1991 to...
.
Debates
The three Republican candidates met for a debate at the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
campus in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
on June 29, 2006. All three candidates expressed skepticism regarding global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
and recent publication of scientific consensus on the issue, supported continued American involvement in Iraq, opposed income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
increases, and "showed varying degrees of interest in replacing the federal income tax with a national sales tax," prompting Corker to state in his closing statement "[t]here's not any difference, that I can tell, on the issues."
Polling
| Source | Date | Hilleary | Bryant | Corker | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA | August 2, 2006 | 20% | 31% | 45% | 1% | 3% |
| SurveyUSA | July 24, 2006 | 15% | 29% | 49% | 3% | 4% |
| Mason-Dixon/Chattanooga Times Free Press | July 23, 2006 | 22% | 23% | 39% | — | 16% |
| University of Tennessee | July 20, 2006 | 15% | 26% | 37% | 4% | 17% |
| SurveyUSA | May 23, 2006 | 28% | 23% | 38% | — | 8% |
| SurveyUSA | May 16, 2006 | 40% | 28% | 23% | — | 9% |
| City Paper/Supertalk 99.7 WTN | May 9, 2006 | 34% | 23% | 19% | — | 24% |
Results
Corker won the nomination by obtaining 48% of the primary vote to Bryant's 34% and Hilleary's 17%.Major
- Harold Ford, Jr.Harold Ford, Jr.Harold Eugene Ford, Jr. is an American politician and was the last chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council . He was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from , centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007...
(D)- United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
man, was trying to become the first African-American senator popularly elected in the SouthSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
- Bob CorkerBob CorkerRobert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
(R)- Former mayor of ChattanoogaChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and 1994 Senate candidate.
Minor
- Ed Choate (I)- Independent; seeks to start an American Conservative Christian Party
- Gary Keplinger (I)
- Bo Heyward (I)- populistPopulismPopulism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
/ paleoconservative. - Chris Lugo (G)- Peace Activist
- David "None of the Above" Gatchell (I)- legally changed his middle name to "None of the AboveNone of the aboveNone of the Above or against all is a ballot option in some jurisdictions or organizations, designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of all of the candidates in a voting system...
"
Campaign
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he will debate Ford but did not agree to Ford's request of seven debates. Both of Corker's primary opponents endorsed Corker immediately after they conceded the race.
On August 8, 2006, the Tennessee Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
against Corker for allegedly violating campaign financial disclosure rules.
On August 25, the Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga Times Free Press
The Chattanooga Times Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is distributed in the metro Chattanooga region of Tennessee and Northwest Georgia...
reported that Corker had received a subpoena regarding an environmental law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
suit filed three years ago. The lawsuit centers on the actions Corker took as mayor to allegedly demolish a conservation site to build a road that leads to a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
SuperCenter. Corker was scheduled to testify on October 18, but the case was settled on October 13.
On October 1, Corker replaced his campaign manager.
Before a Corker press conference in Memphis on October 20, Ford approached Corker in a parking lot and confronted his opponent about Iraq in front of local news cameras, pointing out that some of Corker's fellow Republicans are changing their minds on the war and wanting to debate him about the issue. In response, Corker said, "I came to talk about ethics and I have a press conference. And I think it's a true sign of desperation that you would pull your bus up when I'm having a press conference." Ford replied that he could never find Corker. Corker then walked away to his press conference.
On November 2, Nielsen Monitor Plus
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
indicated that the Corker campaign had purchased more television advertising than any other Senate candidate in the country through October 15.
Debates
Corker and Ford participated in a televised debate in MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
on October 7, in Chattanooga on October 10, and in Nashville on October 28.
In the October 7, 2006 debate in Memphis, the candidates covered a wide range of issues, including immigration, Iraq, cutting health care costs, abortion, and Social Security. Commenting on Ford's political family, Corker said, "I think it's evident there's been a Ford in this (9th District congressional district) seat for 32 years, and if you look at the number of Fords that are on the ballot—especially I think the most recent one, I know it concerns a lot of people right here in Memphis." Ford responded, "I don't know why Mr. Corker keeps bringing up my family. . . . It's you and I running for the Senate. It's our ideas, our plans to make the future better for everybody. Let's stick to you and I. And if you come up with a recipe to pick family, say it. Otherwise be quiet and let's run for the Senate."
The October 10 Chattanooga debate covered many of the same issues, with Corker again attempting to make Ford's family an issue and Ford claiming that Corker would be merely a "rubber stamp" for the Bush administration and Republican Party in the Senate.
Controversy
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
("RNC") that aired during the third and fourth weeks of October gained national attention and condemnation from both Ford and Corker. The ad portrayed a scantily clad white woman (Johanna Goldsmith
Johanna Goldsmith
Johanna Cardona-Goldsmith is an American actress from Austin, Texas most widely known for her involvement in the Tennessee Senate election of 2006 when she appeared in the controversial "Call Me" political advertisement created by the Republican National Committee for Republican candidate and...
) acting as a Playboy bunny who "met Harold at the Playboy party" and invites Ford to "call me".
Responding to questions about the ad, a Ford spokesperson said that Ford went to a 2005 Playboy-sponsored Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
party that was attended by more than 3,000 people, and Ford himself said that he likes "football and girls" and makes no apology for either.
The NAACP described the ad as "a powerful innuendo that plays to pre-existing prejudices about African-American men and white women" and a former Republican Senator
William Cohen
William Sebastian Cohen is an author and American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. A Republican, Cohen served as Secretary of Defense under Democratic President Bill Clinton.-Early life and education:...
called it "a very serious appeal to a racist sentiment. Corker condemned the RNC ad, calling it "tacky" and stating that his campaign has asked to have it pulled. The RNC, however, continued to endorse the ad, said it had no plans to stop airing it, and dismissed charges of racism, saying it "wouldn't even entertain the premise" that the ad was racist. In an October 24 interview with Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
, RNC chairman Ken Mehlman
Ken Mehlman
Kenneth Brian Mehlman is an American businessman, attorney, and political figure who served as the campaign manager for the 2004 re-election campaign of George W. Bush and Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, President Bush appointed Mehlman to the U.S...
said that he thought the ad was "fair" and that he did not have the authority to pull it.
The ad was also denounced by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's ambassador to the United States, Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson (politician)
Michael Holcombe Wilson, PC, CC is a Canadian diplomat, politician and business leader.Born in Toronto, Ontario, Wilson attended Upper Canada College, Trinity College at the University of Toronto where he joined The Kappa Alpha Society...
, and in the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
by MP Omar Alghabra
Omar Alghabra
Omar Alghabra is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Mississauga—Erindale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008.Alghabra graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in engineering and in 2000 received his Master of Business Administration from York University.He...
. The ad became an issue in Canada because of an actor's statement in the advertisement, "Canada can take care of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. They’re not busy." Alghabra, in the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, responded, "Is this what Canadians should be expecting as the outcome of cozying up to Mr. Bush by the prime minister
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
and his Conservatives?"
On October 25, Mehlman announced that the ad was "down now" during an interview with Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Isaac Blitzer is an American journalist who has been a CNN reporter since 1990. Blitzer is currently the host of the newscast The Situation Room and was the host of the Sunday talk show Late Edition until it was discontinued on January 11, 2009...
on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. In its place, Tennessee television stations ran a different RNC ad.
Endorsements
Ford received endorsements from, among others, The TennesseanThe Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
(Nashville's predominant daily newspaper), the The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal is the predominant daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee, and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company, a major North American media company. Scripps also owned the former afternoon paper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar, which it folded in...
(Memphis's predominant daily newspaper), the Jackson Sun (Jackson's predominant daily newspaper), the Bristol Herald Courier, Metro Pulse (Knoxville), the Professional Firefighters Association of Tennessee, and the Tennessee State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Corker was endorsed by, among others, the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the United States Chamber of Commerce
United States Chamber of Commerce
The United States Chamber of Commerce is an American lobbying group representing the interests of many businesses and trade associations. It is not an agency of the United States government....
, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, Lebanon Democrat, Kingsport Times News, Nashville City Paper, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and the National Right to Life Committee
National Right to Life Committee
The National Right to Life Committee is the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. The group works through legislation and education to work against abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted...
, though the Tennessee Right to Life Committee has refused to endorse Corker, claiming he is a "pro-abortion" politician.
Both Corker and Ford were endorsed by the Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga Times Free Press
The Chattanooga Times Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is distributed in the metro Chattanooga region of Tennessee and Northwest Georgia...
(Chattanooga's predominant daily newspaper still maintains two separate editorial pages left over when its two daily newspapers merged): Ford by The Times editors, and Corker by Free Press editors.
Fundraising
Through October 18, 2006, Corker had raised more money than Ford and had also spent more, according to the candidates' most recent filings with the Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
(FEC). Corker tapped into his personal fortune to help fund his campaign, loaning his campaign a total of $4.1 million. Corker loaned $2 million of this amount on Wednesday November 1, less than a week before the election, triggering the "millionaire's amendment" of the 2002 Campaign Reform Act
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 is a United States federal law that amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which regulates the financing of political campaigns. Its chief sponsors were Senators Russell Feingold and John McCain...
and allowing Ford to seek $12,600 from individual donors instead of $2,100, the normal limit, for the final days of the campaign.
President Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
attended two fund raiser dinners on behalf of the Corker campaign in Nashville and Memphis which raised $2.6 million for Corker's campaign by charging over $2,000 a plate. Former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
attended a rally for the Ford campaign in Nashville that raised about $1 million.
None of the third party candidates filed reports with the FEC.
| Candidate | Funds Raised | Cash On-Hand |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Corker (R) | $13,145,585 | $973,171 |
| Harold Ford (D) | $9,889,498 | $356,175 |
Polling
In the general election, polls showed Corker with a statistically insignificant lead in the week before the election.| Source | Date | Ford Jr. (D) | Corker (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnPoint Polling and Research | November 6, 2006 | 47% | 48% |
| Rasmussen | November 5, 2006 | 47% | 51% |
| Survey USA | November 5, 2006 | 46% | 51% |
| USA Today/Gallup | November 4, 2006 | 46% | 49% |
| Rasmussen | November 4, 2006 | 45% | 53% |
| Hamilton Beattie (D) | November 3, 2006 | 46% | 40% |
| Reuters/Zogby | November 2, 2006 | 43% | 53% |
| Rasmussen | November 2, 2006 | 45% | 53% |
| Rasmussen | November 1, 2006 | 47% | 49% |
| Mason-Dixon | November 1, 2006 | 38% | 50% |
| Zogby/Wall Street Journal | October 31, 2006 | 48% | 49% |
| CNN | October 31, 2006 | 45% | 47% |
| CNN | October 31, 2006 | 44% | 52% |
| Benenson Strategy Group (D) | October 30, 2006 | 48% | 43% |
| Hamilton Beattie (D) | October 26, 2006 | 47% | 45% |
| SurveyUSA | October 25, 2006 | 48% | 48% |
| Rasmussen | October 24, 2006 | 46% | 47% |
| Mason-Dixon/MSNBC-McClatchy | October 24, 2006 | 43% | 45% |
| Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg | October 24, 2006 | 44% | 49% |
| Zogby/Wall Street Journal | October 19, 2006 | 42% | 49% |
| Rasmussen | October 13, 2006 | 48% | 46% |
| Hamilton Beattie (D) | October 10, 2006 | 51% | 44% |
| SurveyUSA | October 10, 2006 | 46% | 48% |
| USA Today/Gallup (LV) | October 5, 2006 | 50% | 45% |
| USA Today/Gallup (RV) | October 5, 2006 | 46% | 36% |
| Reuters/Zogby | October 5, 2006 | 40% | 40% |
| Rasmussen | October 1, 2006 | 48% | 43% |
| Middle Tennessee State University | September 30, 2006 | 42% | 43% |
| Mason-Dixon | September 27, 2006 | 43% | 42% |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 25, 2006 | 42% | 48% |
| Benenson Strategy Group (D) | September 23, 2006 | 45% | 39% |
| SurveyUSA | September 11, 2006 | 48% | 45% |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 11, 2006 | 43% | 45% |
| Rasmussen | September 5, 2006 | 44% | 45% |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 44% | 48% |
| Benenson Strategy Group (D) | August 21, 2006 | 44% | 42% |
| Rasmussen | August 10, 2006 | 42% | 48% |
| Rasmussen | July 26, 2006 | 37% | 49% |
| Mason-Dixon | July 24, 2006 | 36% | 49% |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 44% | 43% |
| University of Tennessee | July 20, 2006 | 35% | 42% |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 41% | 42% |
| Zogby | June 13, 2006 | 42% | 46% |
| Rasmussen | May 7, 2006 | 39% | 43% |
| Rasmussen | March 6, 2006 | 35% | 39% |
| Rasmussen | January 30, 2006 | 40% | 42% |
| Rasmussen | December 20, 2005 | 42% | 36% |
| Global Strategy Group | October 31, 2005 | 39% | 36% |
| Global Strategy Group | March 2005 | 39% | 34% |
Results
External links
- Bob Corker's Campaign Site
- Harold Ford, Jr.'s Campaign Site
- Democrats' Senate Hopes May Ride on Tennessee, by Robin Toner, New York Times, May 31, 2006
- Dems pin hopes on candidate who's no liberal, by Zachary Coile, San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, September 17, 2006 - Senate race is looming large, by Rebecca Ferrar, Knoxville News-Sentinel, September 24, 2006
- New Hope for Democrats in Bid for Senate, by Robin Toner, New York Times, September 28, 2006
- A photo finish in Corker-Ford race?, by Richard Locker, The Commercial AppealThe Commercial AppealThe Commercial Appeal is the predominant daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee, and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company, a major North American media company. Scripps also owned the former afternoon paper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar, which it folded in...
, October 1, 2006 - Bob Corker's questionnaire responses from The Commercial Appeal
- Harold Ford Jr's questionnaire responses from The Commercial Appeal