U.S. Senate 2006 - Update January 05, 2006

Ed Bryant -- Despite rumors of sub-par fundrasing in the fourth quarter, Bryant's grassroots network seems to be holding together. However, the otherwise quietness that rung in the new year might be disheartening. Official communication avenues from the Bryant campaign haven't churned out much media attention this week, although Bryant's most ardent supporter Jay Bush continues to operate the blog that thus far has been the most widely trafficked of the candidate's unofficial web presences and a key portal to information on the U.S. Senate race.

Bob Corker -- Former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker has received some positive attention as the top fundraiser among the Republican candidates. The former mayor of Chattanooga most recently sold off all of his property holdings in Chattanooga that maintain federal leases. Corker says he consulted a Senate ethics expert before formally announcing that he is running for the Senate last year and he recommended the move. Senate ethics rules prohibit Senators from holding property with federal leases, although candidates are not required to comply with the rules until they are seated as Senators. Chattanooga investor Henry Luken acquired the historic Chatanooga properties.

Harold Ford, Jr. -- The Memphis Representative Harold Ford, Jr. continues his outreach to East Tennessee and for the past two days has picked up press in the Kingsport Times-News. Today's story contains some interesting tidbits that attempt to push Ford back to the middle while maintaining control of the hardline Democratic activists. Ford chided the media for reporting no progress is being made in Iraq, when some progress is being made, but mantained that we need to begin to withdraw troops. Ford also said that the progress in Iraq, "in a lot of ways, it will make our country more secure and make America safer." Ford is also not hiding from President Bush, at least in the East Tennessee environs that delievered him big margins. He called Bush "a personal friend."

Van Hilleary -- Van Hilleary has felt the heat of the Jack Abramoff scandal perhaps more than any other Tennessee politician. Hilleary accepted $4,000 from the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana and $500 from Mr. Abramoff during the 2000 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In addition, Hilleary’s PAC received $5,000 each from the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and Tigua Indian Reservation in 2002. The later donation was the subject of several earlier media reports after Hilleary could not account for what happened to the Abramoff donation. For more on that story, read the Chattanooga Times Free Press coverage here and here. Among the blogs this has been a hot story. Blogging for Bryant has noted that Hilleary's "refused to follow Sen. Frist's lead and return the money he received from Abramoff's gaming clients and his explanations for why those contributions were directed to him won't hold water against attacks from Harold Ford, Jr. and the Tennessee Democratic Party."

— Posted by: etricities January 6, 2006 03:59 PM