District 9
Incumbent Democrat Steve Cohen faces Willie Herenton on the Democratic ballot while Charlotte Bergmann, James Harrell, and Kevin Millen line up on the Republican side in another race where primary rhetoric seems to be as important as issues. Independents Perry Steele and Sandra Sullivan also made the ballot.
Democrats
We start with Democrats because that is the only race there is in this district, with Willie Herenton as the contender for the Ford family vote that ruled the 9th from 1983 (Harold, Sr.) to 2007 (Harold, Jr.).
In the 2006 election, Harold, Jr. went for the US Senate seat and Steve Cohen won the Democratic primary over 15 fellow Democrats – only to find himself up against Jake Ford (Harold’s younger brother) running as a nominal independent in the general election. Final score Cohen 60% and Ford 22% (against the Republican contender’s 18% - just to demonstrate how powerful the Ford name is in Memphis, which makes up most of the votes for the 9th District).
While there are no Fords on the ballot this year (primary or general election), Herenton (the first African American elected mayor of Memphis) may garner significant Democratic support in Tennessee’s only African American majority district. Herenton’s campaign has certainly made that point, along with two other points that haven’t sat well with those outside of his camp: that Cohen is Jewish (the first Jewish Congressman elected from Tennessee, by the way) and that Cohen doesn’t fit the 9th District racial demographic very well – the latter statement drawing the ire of the National Jewish Democratic Counsel. Herenton won two mayoral elections with less than a majority and has had his fair share of criticism as mayor (and some scenarios that read more like fiction than fact). So maybe his time has come and gone. Exit polls will tell if “the racial issue” really is an issue with 9th District voters or merely an easy campaign sound bite.
Cohen was a Tennessee State Senator for over two decades. During this period he was an advocate for the state lottery, healthcare reform, animal rights, and other “liberal” causes. The state lottery was his big win. His position against the state’s Marriage Protection Amendment was controversial, but he did demonstrate a sense of humor in introducing a host of amendments in an effort to derail the movement, including an amendment stating that adultery was a threat to the institution of marriage (which amendment was defeated, oddly enough). A lawyer and member of the House Judiciary committee, Cohen has also had his share of controversial demographic moments (on one hand indicating he was going to attempt to join the Congressional Black Caucus, which didn’t play well with the CBC, and on the other hand introducing a resolution that apologized for slavery, which eventually passed as the first official government apology for that institution). Voting with the national Democrats on every major issue, his demonstrated liberalism relative to the rest of the state seems to play a somewhat minor role in this emotionally charged race. Regardless, you have to love a guy who can go toe-to-toe with Stephen Colbert (as Cohen did on in March of 2007 on the Better Know a District segment of the Colbert Report). President Obama apparently does, and recently gave Cohen his endorsement in this race. Last, Cohen has over $800,000 in funds for this campaign - ten times as much as all other candidates, combined.
Republicans
Charlotte Bergmann is African American, Catholic, Tea Party member and a fire-brand of conservatism. She incorporates quite a few religious views into this otherwise secular campaign (which seems to play well among the out-spoken religious leaders in Memphis), but is most vehement about “tax and spend” mentalities on the national level. She would be the “anti-incumbent” “anti-Washington” vote in the general election. So, if Cohen wins the Democratic primary and race really is an issue in the 9th District, she could pick up enough votes to become a real contender.
James Harrell is a financial consultant and substitute teacher in the Shelby County School District. His basic campaign seems to center on the 10th Amendment and repeal of recent federal health initiatives.
Kevin Millen is supporting an All American Family concept and, like James Harrell, seems to base most of his campaign around his 10th Amendment position (he is in favor of the 10th Amendment).
Independents
Perry Steele and Sandra Sullivan both made the ballot. Sandra is a 30-something, working-class, African American female whose MySpace profile and Twittering may be sufficient to garner a few votes (although she had some trouble early on in her career obtaining sufficient signatures to get on the ballot in other elections).
9th District Congressional Race Gets (Unwanted) National Attention Tennessee Legislative News speculated about the “race card” in the District 9 Democratic primary race between Steve Cohen and Willie Herenton last week. The New York Times has now made it a real, national issue with its Sunday July 25 article (along with a companion piece devoted to the political taboo of racial comments). Let’s start with Herenton’s accusation that Cohen is “trying to act black” and telling black District 9 voters that they “need to come off the Cohen plantation and get on the Herenton freedom train.” Wow! A mixed metaphor, as well as being one of the least supported allegations of this campaign season. Cohen, by his own admission, is an advocate for issues reflective of his black-majority district, including sponsorship of federal legislation apologizing for slavery and segregation – the first official apology from any federal entity. He is also on the liberal side of the Tennessee congressional delegation, trying to address what The Times calls “racial and ethnic disparities” in the criminal justice system. Plus, he has President’s Obama’s endorsement. Given Cohen’s record and his endorsements, Herenton’s allusions to antebellum indenture and voting along strictly racial lines seem to be nothing short of pandering to the worst side of human nature (or at least the worst side of the 9th District). Luckily, with relatively meager campaign funds, Herenton hasn’t been able to saturate the 9th District with his message. He has largely been relegated to speaking in venues and before crowds where he may find some support (and yes, there are some that support his way of thinking in Memphis). However, Herenton’s quotes are just too inflammatory not to garner national attention (and column inches that could be better used for a dialog devoted to solving the real problems that address the District and the state). They are the type of accusations that perpetuate unfair characterizations of Tennessee (and that Tennesseans don’t appreciate in any context). It is somewhat of a shame that given the really meritorious campaigns (on both the Democratic and Republican side)being run throughout the state for the nine Tennessee Congressional seats, where issues and voting records really matter, this is the one Tennessee District campaign that is getting national attention. We don’t take sides – but we do take a stand. And we don’t stand for politicians that sell Tennessee voters short (either on intelligence or character).