A mixed blessing for 7th
District congressman Marsha Blackburn:
First,
the good news:
FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BILL FRIST
ENDORSES REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN
May
27, 2008 – Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., today announced
his endorsement of Congressman Marsha Blackburn for re-election to Congress in
Tennessee’s 7th District, citing her leadership and conservative
record.
“Congressman Blackburn
has provided strong leadership for the 7th District. She works
tirelessly on behalf of her constituents, always demonstrating a deep devotion
to conservative values,” Frist said.
“Having worked closely
with her to represent our state, I know she carries tremendous experience and
the respect of her colleagues. I’ve supported her for many years and look
forward to doing so again.”
A two-term U.S. senator
twice unanimously elected Majority Leader by his colleagues, Sen. Frist has
served the people of Tennessee with integrity and excellence
“I’m honored to have the
support and confidence of Senator Frist,” Blackburn said.
“He is a true
conservative who knows first hand what it takes to stand up for Tennessee
values in Congress. I look forward to continuing that fight to lower
taxes, eliminate government waste, ensure a strong national defense, and
strengthen family values.”
Now, the bad news:
http://politics.nashvillepost.com/
Bad News:
Blackburn Feels The Need To be Endorsed
By KleinheiderPosted on May 27, 2008 at 2:12 pm
The City Paperreports today that former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist
will announce his endorsement for Congressman Marsha Blackburn’s reelection
later today.
Is this good news for
Blackburn or her challenger Tom Leatherwood?
If Blackburn feels the
need to “announce” the endorsement of Frist does that not indicate she feels
that she may have her hands full with Leatherwood? Should not a Frist
endorsement be implicit? Shouldn’t it be a given?
Also what does this mean
for the Gubernatorial race? If this endorsement was solicited to occur before
the primary and Frist does intend to run for Governor would he not use this
endorsement as chit to keep Blackburn out of the 2010 primary?
Or has the Leatherwood
challenge and her FEC problem already dashed those hopes.
Hmmm.
This may be the first
time in memory that a political endorsement from an important figure generated public
speculation from a responsible observer concerning its potential downside. Bill
Frist may have imploded as a presidential candidate, but his standing among the
Republican rank and file of Tennessee seems intact, and, after all, as
Kleinheider references, there is strong momentum in GOP ranks – amounting almost
to a draft – for his gubernatorial candidacy.
On balance:
It’s a plus for
Blackburn, of course. It reminds the faithful that Tom Leatherwood is
officially off the reservation – with all the potential consequences, within
this campaign year and beyond, that would suggest to the candidate and his
would-be backers and donors. But again, as Kleinheider indicates, it’s a bit of
largesse from Frist that might restrain Marsha, etiquette-wise, from planning
her own race for governor two years hence.
