D.D. 09/27/05

Governor Phil Bredesen may have stepped up to the make the one campaign promise that can save his ailing poll ratings. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that he said he will not support an income tax if elected to a second term. An interesting consideration is whether or not this continues to hurt Bredesen with his Democratic base- a contention that is furthered by the article's extensive quoting of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation head Brian Miller. Bredesen faces criticisms from the left now on taxes and TennCare, the two top issues in state government.

But that's only half the story. It also looks like he's warming up to certify another Democrat in the State Senate. In Memphis, the Shelby County Election Commission certified the election of Ophelia Ford to her brother John Ford's seat. Ford won by a margin of 13 votes after provisional ballots were counted, but Terry Roland her Republican opponent has filed suit in Chancery Court requesting an new election. The Election Commission for the first time in memorable history certified the election with a non-unanimous vote split along party lines. State election law requires the governor, secretary of state and state attorney general to certify the results, and Gov. Phil Bredesen said Monday it's his duty to certify the results unless a court blocks the process. Lt. Governor John Wilder (D-Somerville) who may be in charge of the Senate's legal requirement to hear challenges to an election to the State Senate says he will promptly appoint a committee to investigate and report, either in a special legislative session this fall or for its regular session in January. Ford, once the results are certified, however, can take the oath of office immediately.

Bredesen's political savvy gets the dynamic of the state- he's sticking it to the Republican party regulars who weren't going to vote for him anyway, but catering to the more conservative average voters, who don't follow state politics as close as they should. That's the point that these two seemingly unrelated political issues come together- and that's why the regular GOP party people really don't like this guy.