Ad Issue Raised in Whirlwind Trips to Thank Voters

Negative ads and their impact on the Tennessee Senate race have raised a question in the state. Did they help Republican Bob Corker take a win?

Congressman Harold Ford Junior has deflected questions about the now-infamous ad by the Republican National Committee which was eventually pulled. He does say, however, campaign reform needs another look.

“I think we saw a lot of negative and awful advertising here and around the country. I think the American people rejected a lot of it, and I hope my Democratic friends in the Congress and the Senate will move right away to pass not only new campaign laws but ethics laws in the Congress.”

Both Ford and Corker made whirlwind trips around the state (today/yesterday) thanking voters and talking to the media.

Corker says internal numbers show that the R-N-C’s “call-me” ad actually hurt him at the polls.

“When you think about that at the end of the race a group can come in like that and change the tone to some degree, I didn’t like it for many reasons. Number one it was tacky. But number two, it changed the conversation and I can assure you it did not help us in this race.”

Corker says even as a freshman Senator he hopes to begin talks on limiting the influence of out-of-state groups on local elections.

Both candidates thanked voters for their support. Corker joked that now he has to find directions to Washington. Ford said he hasn’t seriously considered what he’ll do next but assured his supporters that he isn’t done with politics.