Tennessee Right To Life has endorsed Republican Ed Bryant in the race for the U-S Senate.
Bryant and Van Hilleary, both former Congressmen, as well as former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, are battling for the Republican nomination for the seat now held by Bill Frist.
Tennessee Right To Life president Brian Harris says the early endorsement is unprecedented and came because of the depth of support for Bryant. Harris says he called a very disappointed Van Hilleary on Monday to let him know.
“We appreciate his voting record. Again though, this was a matter of representing the folks who make up the Tennessee Right To Life and if you were go to any of our chapter leaders I think you would find strong, credible support for the record that Ed Bryant and his whole family have for pro-life protections.”
Harris says he did not ask Hilleary to leave the race, though he did tell Hilleary that his group would like to see a strong, pro-life candidate for governor.
Republican Bob Corker has raised the most money in the Senate race, but Harris says Corker does not have a “demonstrated” pro-life track record, while Democrats Harold Ford, Jr. and Rosalind Kurita are both pro-choice.
Ed Bryant says he hopes this endorsement marks the beginning of conservatives uniting behind his campaign.
Right to Life’s Brian Harris says their decision came early because the group wants to have an impact on the race. He points to 2002, when Tennessee Right To Life waited until the final months of the primary to endorse Bryant in a Senate race against Lamar Alexander. Harris says the endorsement came too late to make a difference.
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