Bredesen says McWherter made ‘right decision,’ doubts party’s chances against Alexander

Gov. Phil Bredesen said today that former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike McWherter made the “right decision” in dropping out of the race and doubted his party could mount a serious challenge to Sen. Lamar Alexander.

Earlier this week, McWherter, the son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, bowed out of seeking the Democratic nomination for next year’s U.S. Senate race against Alexander (R-Tenn.). McWherter had formed an exploratory committee in September.

Bredesen said when he spoke to McWherter, he advised him not to challenge Alexander.

“I think it would have been a very tough year for anybody,” Bredesen told reporters this morning. “I think Mike McWherter is an attractive candidate. I told him when I talked to him, I said, ‘ya know, there’s a governor’s race coming up in three years down the line here and there will be other Senate races, there will be Congress races, and you know, you’re a good guy.

Why don’t you pick one that a good guy really could win?”

McWherter cited timing and family reasons for not seeking his party’s Senate nomination.

With McWherter’s withdrawal, Bredesen, the titular head of the Tennessee Democratic Party, said it was “very late in the game now” for another Democrat to pose a serious threat to Alexander.

“I wish that were not true in politics in Tennessee and America,” Bredesen said. “But that’s the reality of the thing.”

The governor still expected that his party would field “at least some candidate out there.”

Those other possible candidates include former state Democratic Party Chairman Bob Tuke and Nashville attorney Kevin Doherty, among others.