It is all but official. Representative Harold Ford Jr. (D-TN) is throwing his hat into the Senate race.
Rep. Ford will run for Frist's seat
By Bob Cusack and Hans Nichols
Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) is expected to announce next week that he will run for the Senate, seeking to replace Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) when he retires in 2006.
Ford's office declined to comment on his senatorial plans, but three sources close to Ford said that he has decided to run and that an announcement will be made soon. One informed source said, "He will absolutely, 100 percent, run for the Senate. He wants that seat."
Ford spoke at my college graduation ceremony at The U of TN. While my soon to be wife thought he was a little long winded, other friends, family and myself were quite impressed with his speaking ability. While a conservative democrat by many accounts, this may be what we need to gain another number in the Senate.
My biggest concern with Ford's ability to get elected is that his family name is starting to turn ugly. The front page of The Tennessean has been plastered with his uncle's picture over the last week, detailing child support scandals and abuse of power allegations. So my advice to Ford would be to seperate himself from this issue as quickly as possible.
President Bush won Tennessee 57 to 43 percent, and Ford would face an uphill battle to win statewide. The fifth-term congressman, whose father held the same seat for 22 years, has recently seen his statewide prospects hindered by his family name. His uncle, state Sen. John Ford, is embroiled in a child payment scandal and recently testified in juvenile court that he keeps two homes and lives with two different women whose children he fathered. The scandal has received considerable attention in Tennessee and has dominated political conversation among Democrats speculating about Ford's plans.
My other concern is how will he act if he does get elected. By most accounts Ford is a very conservative Democrat, and with Joey up in CT, and Salazar out in CO, can we really afford another DINO in the Senate?
But then I think, how could it get any worse than Frist?
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/021605_ford.html
EDIT: Also here's a quick link on the fiasco that has become his uncle's problems. This is an opinion piece from a local newspaper.
http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050215/OPINION01/502150321/1014
Sen. Ford running out of excuses
State government officials are finally poised to take a hard look at state Sen. John Ford, and it's about time.
Last week, the TennCare Bureau announced it is beginning a review of whether Ford violated rules when he received payments from a consultant doing business for a TennCare contractor to the tune of $237,000.
And this week the Senate Ethics Committee is expected to receive three notarized complaints questioning whether Ford disclosed all his income. One complaint was filed Friday with the state Registry of Election Finance, which monitors campaign contributions and expenditures.
Doesn't look like its getting any better for Uncle John. Run away Harold. Run as far away as you can from this.