D.D. 05/22/05

The Chattanooga Times Free Press has an article today about former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker's chances to replace outgoing Senator Bill Frist. Vanderbilt political science professor Bruce Oppenheimer comments: "He has a base in Chattanooga, and it might spread into eastern Tennessee, but he’s not highly visible to a broad segment of the electorate...If you think that Hilleary’s base is, in part, his own district (in Middle Tennessee) and Bryant in West Tennessee, there’s some competition for East Tennessee. In some ways, they all face the same problem." More importantly Memphis politico David Kustoff comments that Corker looks good: "He has what people see as a compelling life story, and his successes in business and as mayor of Chattanooga have been noticed by people...There’s a good buzz about him."