A FAMILIAR (CHATTANOOGA) FACE IN THE CROWD

Among debate attendees was someone that not only many Chattanoogans but members of the state’s legal community would know: Former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice and Republican Justice William “Mickey” Barker, from Signal Mountain.

He is supporting Bredesen and later joined other supporters who spoke to reporters following the debate.

“Gov. Bredesen always kept his word with me,” Barker said prior to the debate. “When it comes down to an election like this, my priorities are No. 1, America. No. 2, the state of Tennessee. And No. 3, partisan politics is way down the list.”

Barker said Bredesen “is going to do something that’s not been done recently. We’re going to have people who can get along. We don’t need all this bickering and so forth, and he won’t do that. Nobody can tell him what to do, either. He’ll do what’s right for Tennessee, not what’s right for Chuck Schumer.”

Earlier in the campaign, Barker defended Bredesen in a Times Free Press interview as Republicans charged that if Democrats gained control of the Senate, the former governor would never vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominees. Barker cited two instances in which Bredesen named Republicans, including appointing William Koch to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Barker did not say, however, who he supports in the governor’s race.