Tennessee: Forrester claims votes for Democratic post

NASHVILLE — A candidate for Tennessee Democratic Party chairman is downplaying the support provided by Gov. Phil Bredesen and four of the state’s five Democratic congressmen to his opponent.

Chip Forrester said Wednesday that most of the state Democratic Executive Committee members back him.

“I have 44 public commitments,” he said. “I’m well over what I need to win.”

Mr. Forrester, 54, the party’s current treasurer, faces Nashville attorney Charles Robert Bone, 34, in the race to succeed current party chairman Gray Sasser.

Election of the chairman is in the hands of the 66-member state Democratic Executive Committee and the committee’s six ex-officio members. The election is set for Jan. 24.

In a recent letter to executive committee members, Gov. Bredesen, the four congressmen, Mr. Sasser and five former party chairmen stated that Mr. Bone “has the right experience and is the most qualified candidate to move the party forward.”

Mr. Forrester said the letter “actually helps define the differences in the campaigns between Charles Robert (Bone) and myself. My candidacy for chairman has sort of been based on opening up the party and creating transparency and accountability.”

The letter, he said, represents “sort of the top-down approach ... I think we saw the top-down approach in 2008 didn’t work in Tennessee.”

President-elect Barack Obama lost Tennessee by a wide margin, and state Democrats lost control of the state House to Republicans while the GOP increased its control over the state Senate.

Mr. Forrester, who has been running a cooperative for independent, community drugstores, said Democrats need to focus on grassroots support and pull Mr. Obama’s supporters into the party. He also said he can work with Gov. Bredesen and other top Democrats once the election is over.

Executive Committee member Weldon Markham of Chattanooga, a Forrester supporter, called the letter from the governor, congressmen and former party officials “appalling.”