Bredesen now has open path to Democratic nomination

Just one week after former Gov. Phil Bredesen entered the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, Bredesen’s only competition in the Democratic primary, local attorney and veteran James Mackler, has dropped out of the race.

Mackler launched his campaign last spring, well prior to Corker’s decision to retire from the seat — a surprise announcement that opened the race to big names on both sides, including Bredesen.

"The political environment has changed ... and we cannot risk any distractions in our fight to defeat Marsha Blackburn’s extreme agenda," Mackler said in a press release. "It is in this spirit of unity, not further division, that I am making the choice to step back as a candidate at this time to put us all on the path to victory."

Although Mackler had raised close to $1 million by the last FEC reporting deadline, that was dwarfed by the war chests of Republicans U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Brentwood) and former U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Frog Jump), who both entered the race with around $3 million on hand and pledged GOP PAC and Super PAC support.

Bredesen only entered the race last week, but he's already been getting hit by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, among other groups, in almost daily press releases — signaling the national GOP is far more worried about the more moderate and experienced Bredesen than they were Mackler.

“No matter how hard he tries, Phil Bredesen is not going to escape the toxic reality that he’s a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat,” NRSC spokesman Michael McAdams said in one of several press releases about Bredesen.

Bredesen was the last Democrat to win a statewide race, in 2006. He served two terms as governor, and, prior to that, two terms as the mayor of Nashville.

In dropping out of the race, Mackler plans to launch a political action committee called "Believe in Service," which he says will "help elect candidates that will protect and expand our critical national service programs." A website for the PAC lists AmeriCorps as an example of one such service program.

"Eight months ago, I resigned from my job and stepped forward to run because I saw politics as usual in Washington hurting Tennesseans, with no one willing to challenge a two-term incumbent who was not representing our values," Mackler added. "On issue after issue, hardened partisans chose to focus on what divides us rather than working together and finding common ground on the major issues of the day: healthcare, education, jobs and the economy."

Mackler was a guest on Post sister publication the Nashville Scene’s podcast last month. Listen here.

