Sun
Oct 15 2006
06:15 pm
NRSC pulling out of Senate race...?
By: Eleanor A

Hey folks, some are reporting word from the DSCC that the RNSC is pulling out of Tennessee. [Edit: Here's the link to the news release on the DSCC's website: http://www.dscc.org/news/roundup/20061014_corker/]

Now, this seems very odd, since all the press has reported this race as a must-win, and the only reason the national Republican Senate operation would give up on it is if the internals are horrific. Is the RNC moving in? Is this just cause Liddy Dole did a shite job fundraising for the RNSC? Anyone got dirt?

Topics:
Socialist With A Gold Card's picture

I find it hard to believe

Submitted by Socialist With ... on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 6:20pm.

I find it hard to believe the RNSC would pull out without a plan in place for the RNC to move in. With Tennessee being such a close race (according to the polls), this seems more like the pullback of the ocean right before a tsunami.

--Socialist With A Gold Card

"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." --Brett Butler

 

R. Neal's picture

Matt at the Tennessee

Submitted by R. Neal on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 6:21pm.

Matt at the Tennessee Progressive Report picked up on this, too:

(link...)

He works for WATE, so maybe he will check into it tomorrow.

On the other hand, he also mentions this:

(link...)

Bbeanster's picture

Surprise, surprise!This

Submitted by Bbeanster on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 6:29pm.

Surprise, surprise!
This email from Team Corker howed up in my inbox yesterday:

For Immediate Release Contact: Todd Womack

October 14, 2006 615-250-8160

National Journal Hotline Suggests DSCC Scaling Back Ford Spending as Other Senate Races Take Priority

Tennessee Remains Top Priority for National Republicans

Nashville, TN – In more bad news for the Ford campaign today, an item in National Journal’s Hotline reports that the combined Democratic ad spending was even or greater than combined GOP spending in every major Senate race except one – Tennessee.

The Hotline reports that “…for the week of 10/10-16, the combined Dem TV ad spending (candidate+DSCC) was even or greater than the combined GOP spending (candidate+NRSC+RNC) in every competitive Senate race (AZ, MD, MI, MO, MT, NJ, OH, PA, RI and VA) sans 1: TN (Hotline reporting, 10/13).”

Today’s Wall Street Journal paints a very different picture of the Republican view of the Tennessee Senate contest. The article states, “Republicans have increasingly concentrated on three Senate seats -- Tennessee, Missouri and Ohio… That spending comes at the expense of other vulnerable incumbents, including Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, who are also both running behind. They are getting voter turnout help but not independent advertising support from the national party (The Wall Street Journal Online, October 14, 2006, A1).”

“The DSCC appears to be scaling back spending on Washington Congressman Harold Ford’s troubled campaign as it has become mired in questions surrounding the Ford Political Machine and its ongoing ethics problems,” said Todd Womack, Communications Director of the Corker for U.S. Senate campaign. “This is another unwelcome development for the Fords as their campaign struggles to explain the unseemly inner-workings of the Ford Political Machine and how they shamefully game the system to their own benefit.”

###

Eleanor A's picture

OK, that makes sense...So

Submitted by Eleanor A on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 6:32pm.

OK, that makes sense...So it's probably just pushback.

Still, kind of interesting. Wonder if they're going to try to make Corker spend more of his own money...

Mark Siegel's picture

They must live in a happy little universe

Submitted by Mark Siegel on Mon, 2006/10/16 - 8:58am.

where some of us can't go.

This, of course, is in response to the Corker email posted by Beanster.

Moderate Matt's picture

Thanks...

Submitted by Moderate Matt (not verified) on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 9:27pm.

Thanks for the plug, Randy. I was pretty confused by the two contradicting points as well.

A possible explanation is that just because Bush wants money to be spent on TN doesn't mean the NRSC will follow. I spoke with a couple people today and we agreed the thought of GOP operatives giving up on TN was ridiculous.

I look forward to the coming weeks of this campaign. Its going to come to the wire...

Moderate Matt's picture

Also, I had 6 News reporter

Submitted by Moderate Matt (not verified) on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 9:32pm.

Also, I had 6 News reporter Sonu Wasu check on this earlier this afternoon. If she as able to confirm it, it will be on tonights 11pm news on WATE (Channel 13 for Knoxville Comcast customers).

JaHu's picture

With Corker struggling, and

Submitted by JaHu on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 7:18pm.

With Corker struggling, and with the RNSC pulling out of Tennessee, they're either conceding defeat, or have something else up their sleeves. If I were Ford, I think for the rest of the campaign, I would limit my amount of travel to only traveling by auto, and I wouldn't let anyone, and I mean anyone that I absolutely didn't trust, do my scheduling. Anyone remember what happened to Paul Wellstone just before the election? Or... maybe after the RNSC reviewed Fords voting record they feel it would be okay having Ford as a senator. uhhh... I'm confused, I think I'm going to vote independant.
Consideration needs to be taken into account that I am a paranoid conspiracy nut.

Frank's picture

I work for WQLA radio. The

Submitted by Frank (not verified) on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 8:52pm.

I work for WQLA radio. The RNSC just bought a batch of spots that started airing last week.

volwoman's picture

New volunteer Eleanor!!

Submitted by volwoman (not verified) on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 9:48pm.

I've read your diaries on DailyKos and I've seen you mention this site. I love it! I became an official Knox Co. volunteer for Harold Ford tonight and I am so proud of myself. You (and Rook :) ) have inspired me!!

(I think the announcement from the RNSC is a ploy.)

Eleanor A's picture

Just doin' my job,

Submitted by Eleanor A on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 9:52pm.

Just doin' my job, ma'am...;) Welcome aboard! And good on ya!

JustJohnny's picture

No so, say's NYTimes:

Submitted by JustJohnny on Sun, 2006/10/15 - 11:54pm.

No so, says the NYTimes: Republicans are now pinning their hopes of holding the Senate on three states — Missouri, Tennessee and, with Ohio off the table, probably Virginia — while trying to hold on to the House by pouring money into districts where Republicans have a strong historical or registration advantage, party officials said Sunday. Republicans also said they would run advertisements in New Jersey this week to test the vulnerability of Senator Robert Menendez, one of the few Democrats who appear endangered.

Brian A.'s picture

Yeah

Submitted by Brian A. on Mon, 2006/10/16 - 12:05am.

If the report is true that the GOP is cutting and running from Ohio, I can't imagine it would also be dumping Tennessee.  What race would it be saving its money for?  Montana?

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

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