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Blackburn seeks to corral straying Republicans with new ad

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn introduces Vice President Mike Pence at a tax policy event Saturday in Cleveland. Pence also spoke at a fundraiser for Blackburn later that day in Chattanooga.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn introduces Vice President Mike Pence at a tax policy event Saturday in Cleveland. Pence also spoke at a fundraiser for Blackburn later that day in Chattanooga. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn introduces Vice President Mike Pence at a tax policy event Saturday in Cleveland. Pence also spoke at a fundraiser for Blackburn later that day in Chattanooga.

By Andy Sher 3 min read

NASHVILLE – With polls showing U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Phil Bredesen is picking up support from some Tennessee GOP voters in his race with Republican Marsha Blackburn, Blackburn’s campaign on Thursday released a new ad aimed at helping bring them back into the fold.

The ad, titled “Non-Starter,” features seven unidentified men and women who claim they voted for Bredesen during his prior successful campaigns for governor but don’t back him in the Senate race.

“I voted Phil Bredesen for governor,” says one woman in the 30-second spot. A man says “I supported him.” And a third woman chimes in saying, “But I cannot support Bredesen for Senate.”

The ad comes as a Fox News poll released a day earlier shows Blackburn narrowly leading Bredesen by 3 percent. A week earlier, NBC News released a survey showing Bredesen edging out Blackburn by 2 percent. Polling margins of error in both make the contest a dead heat.

Among other things, the Fox poll showed that 16 percent of people who said they backed President Donald Trump in 2016 told surveyers they support Bredesen.