Ford Going to Win

I haven't had a chance to watch the Debate yet, so this could change but...

POLLING SHOWS BREDESEN, FORD, DAVIS WITH STRONG
LEAD OVER CHALLENGERS IN 4TH DISTRICT

MCMINNVILLE, TN -- Heading into the home stretch, polling data commissioned by Lincoln Davis for Congress, by Virginia based Cooper and Secrest, has Governor Phil Bredesen, Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., and Congressman Lincoln Davis with growing leads over their respective challengers.

The poll conducted October 3 to October 4 had a sampling of 502 registered voters in Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District. Governor Bredesen leads 66%- 21%. Harold Ford, Jr. leads 49%-39%. Lincoln Davis leads 65%-18%.

"This poll clearly shows those with a strong and forward thinking message are connecting on a high level with Tennesseans," said Congressman Davis. "I am extremely encouraged with these results and look forward to talking with voters about important issues during the remaining weeks."

The 4th District is one of the most Conservative districts in the entire state, save possibly the 7th. Bush won by an extremely large margin in 2004, Lincoln Davis won last time by about 55% and he is now ahead. Bredesen holds a commanding lead, but then again the only place Bryson is popular is at the TNRP Headquarters (where he is probably polling 50/50). But the remarkable number is Harold Ford Jr. who is leading Bob Corker by 49-39. Granted, this is an internal poll so, "take with a grain of salt", however, even if the numbers were fudged a bit, Ford would have to be at least even or ahead, because the numbers for Bredesen and Davis are right about where they should be.

Perhaps you can call this the Bredesen/Davis effect. Bredesen fought tooth and nail to win Conservative voters in the 2002 election, but after 4 years he would have to fight tooth and nail to loose them. Davis too has become the golden boy of his district, holding a commanding lead in an area no Democrat should be. Now, there is Harold Ford; my bet is that voters who 4 or 6 years ago might not have given a Democrat a second glance, have now become more comfortable with the 'D' next to a persons name. In short, the work of Bredesen and Davis over the past few years has set Ford up with a shot at a victory...something practically unthinkable just a few short years ago.