The G.O.P. Gets Nervous in Tennessee

If there is a place to measure growing Republican desperation over maintaining control in the U.S. Senate, it is surely Tennessee. The state was supposed to be a Republican sweep, but Democrat Harold Ford Jr. is unexpectedly running neck and neck with Republican Bob Corker and stands a fair chance of becoming the first black Southerners have popularly elected to the U.S. Senate. Indeed, Tennessee hasn't seen so much national political attention since President Bush beat Vice President Al Gore in his home state. Bush has come calling twice, helping Corker raise $2.1 million, as have U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bill Frist, while former senators Fred Thompson and Howard Baker have thrown their support behind Corker even as former President Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have stumped for Ford.

Polls which weeks ago showed Corker with a double-digit lead over Ford now have Ford drawing even: a Wall Street Journal/Zogby poll released Thursday shows Corker leading 49.4% to Ford's 42%, but with a 3.3% margin of error, statistically that leaves the race too close to call.

How a junior Congressman with little name recognition in Tennessee beyond his native Memphis has managed to force the state's thoroughly entrenched Republicans into a panicked sweat is a testament to Republican overconfidence and Ford's charisma.