U.S. Senate hopeful Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) appeared on WTN’s Nashville Morning News with Brian Wilson Thursday morning to discuss her reaction to the fallout from the foul-mouthed Democratic spokesman Mark Brown, as well as her plans for her campaign going forward in the general election against Phil Bredesen.
After opening nicities, Brian Wilson asked, “So tell me, where does election day find you this morning? Where are you?”
Rep Blackburn answered, “I’m going to be all over Middle Tennessee. Yesterday I was over in East Tennessee, and then today I’ll be in Middle Tennessee, I’m going to go vote – and looking forward to doing that – and then visit with volunteers as we get ready to go through this day. Looking forward to the results tonight.”
BW: Well, this is really sort of the kickoff for you, because you are just starting your TV ads. Phil Bredesen has been out there for a while, trying to reach out to, you know, the moderate voters or some of the Trump supporters. He’s saying he can work with President Trump and he’s coming across – reaching out across the aisle – looking for voters on the other side.
And yet he’s had nothing to say about the comments of a guy named Mark Brown – a Democratic Party Communications official who said the following and – excuse the language here – he said, “F- reaching out to Trump voters,” he has called Trump voters idiots.
And yet, Phil Bredesen – who wants to get those “idiots” to vote for him – has has nothing to say about these comments by Mark Brown.
What is your thought about that?
MB: Well, of course it’s sad, and I think we’re finding out the true nature of what Phil Bredesen and the Democrats – Tennessee Democrats – think about Trump supporters – hard working Tennesseans who voted for President Trump. And when you know that Bredesen gave Hillary Clinton $33,400 dollars, she called us all ‘deplorables,’ and this is worse, calling Trump voters ‘idiots,’ and ‘morons,’ and they’re not worth the time, and they’re not listening – and it is something that indeed, is unfortunate. But I’ve got to tell you, I think it is amazing that this guy has not been fired.
BW: yes – and it’s interesting that Phil Bredesen has had absolutely nothing to say about it as far as I can find.
MB: I think you’re right about that. But we just keep focused on our message – we’ve got a great story to tell.
Tennesseans want to see Tennessee values taken to Washington, D.C. They know they can depend on me for that.
They want to see someone who will support President Trump and his agenda, and someone who is going to support Constitutional judges – both for the Supreme Court and for the federal bench. They know that I’m going to do that.
They know that I’m going to support the Trump Tax Cuts. Tax cuts are working in Tennessee. Wages and salaries are up. People are benefitting from this, and employee benefits are up.
They know Phil Bredesen called the Trump Tax Cuts ‘crumbs’ and that he would have voted against them.
Tennesseans also – every single day, Brian – I hear from people who say, ‘Marsha, something has to be done to secure the southern border and end these sanctuary city policies.’ They know I’ve supported doing that.
And so many of my friends – and especially friends from church – who are involved in protecting people against sex trafficking and human trafficking, fighting drug trafficking, and there are concerns in so many of our cities and communities about gangs – and people know you have to secure that southern border and build that wall.
BW: What do you think are going to be the major issues for voters in this Senate race as you seek to replace Bob Corker? What do you think are the major things that are going to resonate with people in Tennessee?
MB: Some of the main things that resonate – as I said – are supporting the President and supporting the constitutional judges.
We also hear a lot on the security issues. Economic security. Healthcare security. Getting the Affordable Care Act off the books. Opening up the health insurance marketplace. Making sure that our nation is secure.
People are so grateful that we’re seeing progress in North Korea, and we hear a lot from out military community about the significance of these soldiers that lost their lives – about these remains – coming home. And they want to see someone who’s going to support our military and our veterans, which the Republican-led Congress and the Administration – President Trump and Vice-President Pence – have done.
BW: And you’re Democrat opponent has made much of the fact that he will reach across the ailse and work with the president, but I think you have to note that a lot of his money is coming from very liberal sources. And you know as well as I do if he were to be elected, he would sort of have to answer to some of those voices – people like Chuck Schumer. Wouldn’t he?
MB: Well, if he were to go the the US Senate, his first vote would be for Chuck Schumer. And then, if Chuck Schumer – who recruited Phil Bredesen. You know, he’s bought and paid for this. And he, Phil Bredesen would vote for him for [Senate] Majority Leader. He would then affirm Diane Feinstein as Chair of Senate Judiciary. Elizabeth Warren, Chair of Senate Finance. Bernie Sanders, Chair of the Senate Budget Committee. And then he would be for Patty Murray to Chair Senate Health – and that chairmanship right now is held by Senator Lamar Alexander. We know Patty Murray wants a single-payer health care system. We know that Bernie Sanders thinks that we should have free education, a guaranteed minimum wage – other policies that Tennesseans disagree with. We know that Diane Feinstein would not push forward federal judges or Supreme Court Justices that Tennesseans would want to see. So there would be some stark differences that are there.
This election is about the future. It is about making certain we have a government of, by, and for the people – that the US Senate remembers that that Republican majority is there to act like a majority and get things done, to get to the president’s desk.
And I know everyone is frustrated with the US Senate. Of course those of us in the House really are! We share that frustration with you. And what we want to do is to make certain that the Senate is functioning, that they get things done, and get it to the president’s desk.
BW: One of the things that I see here, though, when looking at Phil Bredesen’s numbers is that his favorables are very high among women in the state of Tennessee. How to you get at that issue?
MB: We’re going to be out there sharing our message. As you mentioned, we’ve just gone on the air. We have been online, and done a good bit of targeting online. And I think that one of the top issues with women — I’ll cite two things for you.
First of all is the economic issue. Women know that their paychecks are bigger, there’s more take-home pay, and they are doing better under the Trump Administration, and the Senate, and the House that are controlled by Republicans.
The second thing: they want to see our nation and our communities secure. And I talk to moms regularly – I call them ‘security moms’ – because making certain thier children and their families are safe. That they are safe from gangs; that their community, that our country is safe dealing with these threats to our nation’s security.
These are focused issues for women that are Tennesseans and we’re going to be pushing that message forward.
Listen to the full segment:
