On Thursday, Republican primary voters in Tennessee picked businessman and political neophyte Bill Lee as their gubernatorial candidate and Rep. Marsha Blackburn as their nominee to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.); Democrats selected former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean for governor and former Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) for the Senate race. Polls suggest the Bredesen-Blackburn race will be closely fought. In picking Lee, Republicans rejected three other competitive candidates, including Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, entrepreneur Randy Boyd, and Rep. Diane Black (R), the longtime perceived front-runner who gave up her House seat to run for governor. Black, Boyd, and Lee spent a combined $42 million on the primary.

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