MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One of the big races that has garnered plenty of attention is the run for U.S. Senate in Tennessee. Some say the race between Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen is one of the closest in a while.
Blackburn serves as the U.S. Representative for the state’s seventh congressional district, and Bredesen is a two-term former Tennessee governor.
Blackburn was back in Memphis on election day. She greeted supporters and customers at Gibson’s Donuts on Mt. Moriah. It’s the final hours of her U.S. Senate race and she says she’s confident.
“This is going to be a great day. We are so excited. People are voting. And tonight, I am going to be your next U.S. Senator.”
Blackburn continues to push the difference between herself and candidate Phil Bredesen as the race comes to a close.
“People want to make sure we keep the Trump tax cuts. We know Phil Bredesen called them a crime and said he would have voted against them. So we feel really good about where we are,” she said.
Blackburn says she’ll be stumping for votes until 7 p.m. Tuesday night. Then she’ll head back to watch the results come in.
Bredesen is doing the same with roughly two hours to go before the polls close.
Democratic volunteers are knocking on doors, trying to get the last minute voters to the polls and sell them on Bredesen. The former governor served from 2003 to 2011.
He highlights the fact the he balanced straight budgets, opposed a state income tax and reformed Tennessee’s Medicaid Expansion Program.
He also raised teacher pay, brought new business to the state and helped preserve thousands of acres of land. Many of his accomplishments were made possible by his willingness to work with Republicans.
Shelby County Democrats say that makes him the right choice to represent Tennesse in the Senate.
“He has run statewide before. He has governed statewide before, and I think he’s got a lot of positive perception on the Republican side of the aisle. There’s a lot of people on the right who said, ‘Hey, we remember your time as governor fondly. And we’d like those times to come back,” Shelby County Democratic Party Chair Corey Strong said.
