Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is starting to take the gloves off in her attacks on liberal Democrat opponent Phil Bredesen, comparing him to Obama as far as policy, and suggesting he’d “vote with crying Chuck Schumer” in opposition to President Trump if he gets to Washington as a US Senator from Tennessee.
Blackburn used the recent Tennessee Republican Party’s annual fundraiser held in Nashville last Friday to go after former Gov. Phil Bredesen as the two compete to replace outgoing Senator Bob Corker. Blackburn elaborated on a theme first introduced by President Trump at a rally held in Nashville on May 29 to support Blackburn’s Senate campaign, at which the president memorably called Bredesen “an absolute total tool . . . of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.”
“She does Tennessee proud, but she does our party proud,” Keynote speaker Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), said of Blackburn at last Friday’s fundraising event.
“We need more great spokespeople for the conservative values of this country. We need Marsha Blackburn on TV, talking as a United States Senator about how conservative principles are so much better than liberal principles,” Scalise added. You can see him make these remarks at the 52 second mark of this tweet:)
A great night for Tennessee Republicans! WATCH this #TBT from the 2018 Statesmen’s Dinner. #APartyUnited pic.twitter.com/bqTbEKicfU
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) June 15, 2018
Blackburn spoke for about ten minutes, and tied Bredesen to Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, who she said “want to stop President Trump’s agenda,” in a tweet sent out by her campaign just as she began her talk.
Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi want to stop President Trump’s agenda. Will you stand with us as we fight for defend President Trump’s agenda?https://t.co/tEtsGIhAXu
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) June 11, 2018
The Tennessean reported the details of Blackburn’s brief but pointed attack on Bredesen:
She labeled Bredesen as someone who would bring back the policies of former President Barack Obama, 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
“I think Tennesseans have about had enough of that,” she said to applause. . .
Blackburn brought up Bredesen’s opposition to Republicans’ tax reform legislation, saying the state wants someone who will support Ft. Campbell, the national guard and veterans.
“Do you think Phil Bredesen would vote with crying Chuck Schumer or would he vote with our president when it comes to support our troops and supporting our veterans,” she said, reciting Trump’s nickname for the New York Democrat.
Schumer had a bit of a meltdown according to some reports when President Trump mocked him as “crying Chuck” just weeks ago.
Blackburn invoking the crack as she did serves two purposes for her campaign. It aligns her even more closely with Trump, who is popular in Tennessee and also aligns Bredesen with the ever unpopular liberal Democrat Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer.
