in Nashville. The race has otherwise not really been contested in either party until now....many in both parties seemed comfortable with Corker, and until recently his re-election was deemed so likely that most of the usual suspects in both parties didn't seem interested in running with little prospect of winning. I expect that to change soon.
http://www.nashvillepost.com/politics/elections/campaign-finance/article/20864945/burnett-khouri-throw-dem-senate-fundraiser
(From June 2017)
Musician, producer and Greer Stadium property developer T Bone Burnett and his wife Callie Khouri, the creator of the hit television series Nashville, are hosting a fundraiser for Democratic senate candidate James Mackler next week.
The couple are hosting with David Macias, the head of Thirty Tigers, where the event will be held. Thirty Tigers is a leading distribution and management company in Americana and related genres, representing artists like Jason Isbell and St. Paul and the Broken Bones and doing work for musicians as varied as Clint Black, Lucinda Williams, Lupe Fiasco and Cece Winans.
Tickets to the fundraiser next Wednesday range from $100 to $1,000. It is unknown whether any of the stars of Nashville like Connie Britton or artists like Isbell — both of whom are vocal in their support of progressive politics — will be attending. Mackler has already received the endorsement of famed singer-singwriter Emmylou Harris.
Mackler, 45, is a Nashville attorney formerly with Frost Brown Todd and a veteran of the second Iraq War. He is the only announced candidate in the race, as incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker remains coy about his plans for a third term in 2018. If Corker runs, he will face perennial candidate (and former Democrat) Larry Crim in the primary for sure, as well a likely challenger from the far right.
One candidate considering jumping in the race is state Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville), who withdrew from consideration to serve as Secretary of the Army earlier this year after massive controversy over comments he has made about the LGBT and Muslim communities. On Facebook earlier this week, Green criticized Corker's bipartisan deal to increase sanctions on Russia, which some commenters definitely seemed to see as a sure sign he plans to enter the race. Although the sanctions passed overwhelmingly Thursday in a vote of 98 to 2, Green posted a story about the sanctions and Corker with the comment, "With the recent polls showing Tennesseans overwhelmingly behind President Trump articles like this concern me greatly. #StandWithTrump."
Also considering a run is conservative state Rep. Andy Holt (R-Dresden), per comments he made last week. Other names floating around include former state Rep. Joe Carr and the head of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Andy Ogles."
= new reply since forum marked as read
