Tennessee incumbent Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat who was term limited and could not seek re-election, offered these congratulations to Republican Bill Haslam on his victory:
“My congratulations to Governor-elect Bill Haslam on his victory tonight. Governor-elect Haslam will bring a reasoned, common-sense approach to governing our state, and I know he will continue to build on the progress we’ve made in recent years. My administration will do everything it can to help the Governor-elect and his team make a smooth transition into office, and I look forward to working with him during the coming weeks.
“I offer my thanks to Mike McWherter for being willing to commit his time and energy to campaign for this office. I know that campaigning isn’t easy and it requires great sacrifice, and I appreciate that Mike was willing to participate in the process.”