Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, holds a double-digit lead over Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., in the race to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Bob Corker, according to a new poll.
According to a Middle Tennessee State University poll of registered voters, Bredesen leads by 10 points over the GOP congresswoman, taking 45 percent to Blackburn’s 35 percent. The poll said 17 percent were undecided.
Bredesen also holds a big lead with Independent voters. He wins support of 45 percent of that bloc, while Blackburn takes just 33 percent.
Another alarming data point for Blackburn is that 20 percent of Republicans indicated that they would support the former Democratic governor, who served from 2003-11.
Blackburn jumped in the race after Corker announced last year that he would not run for a third term in the Senate. Corker reconsidered his initial decision, but announced in late February that his decision was final.
Republicans currently hold 51 seats in the Senate and are banking on keeping Corker’s seat in Republican hands in the reliably-red state. Prognosticators, however, are torn on the status of the race as the Cook Political Report rates it as a “toss-up,” while the University of Virginia’s “Crystal Ball” puts it in the “Likely Republican” column.
