National Democratic party leader sees TN as battleground state in 2018

Excerpt from a Nashville Post report on Democratic National Committee Associate Chair Jaime Harrison, formerly South Carolina Democratic chairman, speaking to a crowd of around 50 cheering Tennessee Democrats at a Nashville gathering:

“Y’all remember 2006?” Harrison said. “Our team invested in a 50-state strategy, put resources in every state across the land, and we took the majority in the House, which took the majority in the Senate, which led the foundation for what happened in 2008. And all those factors that we saw in 2006? We’re seeing them right now.”

Harrison said that Tennessee’s open governor and senate seats provide a big opportunity for the state to reshape the political landscape.

“You will become a battleground state, Tennessee. I know you never thought battleground and Tennessee would be together, but you will become a battleground state,” Harrison said.

Of course, as Tennessee Democrats well remember, 2006 is the year Democrats won big everywhere but here, when Republican Bob Corker defeated Harold Ford in a close, bitterly fought race. Harrison said after his short speech that Ford was maybe not the candidate the party needed that year.

“I love Harold, but Harold had a lot of other things — a drag coming on him as well,” Harrison said.

Harrison didn’t comment about whether a better Senate candidate this year would be attorney James Mackler, who was in attendance, or former Gov. Phil Bredesen… But Harrison did say that whomever the party nominates, the DNC is going to spend money on that person’s behalf, both by giving directly to the TNDP and by supplementing campaign committees like the DSCC.

Harrison said the DNC is giving every state party $10,000 a month from now until next November — a total of $120,000. The organization also has a pool of $10 million that it will be doling out to state parties for specific campaigns or purposes.