Lamar at inauguration: fodder for campaign ads?

[Brittain33]

Alexander just spoke at the inauguration about the legitimacy of Obama's presidency. How much is he at risk of a conservative challenger? Could any of this be used against him in a tea party challenge?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

It would be really depressing if he got primaried for this.

[Maxwell]

He wouldn't. Tea Party is on its death bed, and Lamar has too much clout in Tennessee to be primaried. Personally, he's not my favorite, but he's definitely preferable to Bob Corker.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

He wouldn't. Tea Party is on its death bed, and Lamar has too much clout in Tennessee to be primaried. Personally, he's not my favorite, but he's definitely preferable to Bob Corker.

Bob Corker seems pretty Generic R to me, but he has possibly the most annoying voice of any senator.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

If Lamar Alexander loses his job in a couple years for refusing to support treason, then we're going to have a lot bigger problems nationwide than some Tennessee primary.

[Torie]

So much of the Pub primary vote is in East Tennessee, and that vote is more genetic than ideological. Thus, the Tea Party is relatively weak in Tennessee is my impression. It is  one place in the South where semi moderate Pubs have some traction.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

So much of the Pub primary vote is in East Tennessee, and that vote is more genetic than ideological. Thus, the Tea Party is relatively weak in Tennessee is my impression. It is  one place in the South where semi moderate Pubs have some traction.

According to a 2012 exit poll during the primaries, Tennessee Republicans support the tea party 62% to 10%. This is marginally lower support than South Carolina (64-8) and Georgia (69-6).

[GMantis]

Considering they managed to use against Manchin probably the only picture where he and Obama were together, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Oak Hills]

So much of the Pub primary vote is in East Tennessee, and that vote is more genetic than ideological. Thus, the Tea Party is relatively weak in Tennessee is my impression. It is  one place in the South where semi moderate Pubs have some traction.

According to a 2012 exit poll during the primaries, Tennessee Republicans support the tea party 62% to 10%. This is marginally lower support than South Carolina (64-8) and Georgia (69-6).

What I've seemed to notice is that the statewide Republican politicians we have here are quite reasonable and moderate, but that there are a whole bunch of crazies in the legislature and in the congressional delegation.  For instance, my state representative in 2011-12 was absolutely nuts (fortunately she got successfully primaried, though I still no next to nothing about her successor), and so is Senate speaker Ron Ramsey, but Senators Alexander and Corker and Governor Haslam are all quite reasonable. 

[GMantis]

So much of the Pub primary vote is in East Tennessee, and that vote is more genetic than ideological. Thus, the Tea Party is relatively weak in Tennessee is my impression. It is  one place in the South where semi moderate Pubs have some traction.

According to a 2012 exit poll during the primaries, Tennessee Republicans support the tea party 62% to 10%. This is marginally lower support than South Carolina (64-8) and Georgia (69-6).

What I've seemed to notice is that the statewide Republican politicians we have here are quite reasonable and moderate, but that there are a whole bunch of crazies in the legislature and in the congressional delegation.  For instance, my state representative in 2011-12 was absolutely nuts (fortunately she got successfully primaried, though I still no next to nothing about her successor), and so is Senate speaker Ron Ramsey, but Senators Alexander and Corker and Governor Haslam are all quite reasonable. 

Since the State legislators and House representatives are elected from probably heavily gerrymandered districts, they have more incentive to cater to the far right in the primary than try to be moderate for the general election. Also, since they have lower name recognition, hard partisanship will get more attention from the voters.

[Brittain33]

So much of the Pub primary vote is in East Tennessee, and that vote is more genetic than ideological. Thus, the Tea Party is relatively weak in Tennessee is my impression. It is  one place in the South where semi moderate Pubs have some traction.

According to a 2012 exit poll during the primaries, Tennessee Republicans support the tea party 62% to 10%. This is marginally lower support than South Carolina (64-8) and Georgia (69-6).

What I've seemed to notice is that the statewide Republican politicians we have here are quite reasonable and moderate, but that there are a whole bunch of crazies in the legislature and in the congressional delegation.  For instance, my state representative in 2011-12 was absolutely nuts (fortunately she got successfully primaried, though I still no next to nothing about her successor), and so is Senate speaker Ron Ramsey, but Senators Alexander and Corker and Governor Haslam are all quite reasonable. 

Since the State legislators and House representatives are elected from probably heavily gerrymandered districts, they have more incentive to cater to the far right in the primary than try to be moderate for the general election. Also, since they have lower name recognition, hard partisanship will get more attention from the voters.

Hasn't Tennessee reached a tipping point where people should try to run as the most conservative candidate (whatever that may mean) in a statewide primary, win, and then walk into office? The temptation must be there.

[minionofmidas]

Eastern Tennessee does continue to reelect its moderates easily. That doesn't mean anybody knew coming up is moderate; they are not.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Considering they managed to use against Manchin probably the only picture where he and Obama were together, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Manchin still won though, as Alexander probably will too. The key thing to remember is that with some notable exceptions, Southern Senators of either party are usually pork farmers rather than ideologues, which goes a long way towards explaining their longevity in office.