Tennessee

A highly competitive Senate race has emerged in Tennessee — a state President Trump won by 26 points in 2016. Sen. Bob Corker (R), whose occasionally pointed language about the President has drawn headlines, is retiring. Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn is running for the seat, but she's drawn a formidable challenger in former Gov. Phil Bredesen — the last Democrat elected statewide in Tennessee. Bredesen talks up his independence on the trail and has built-in popularity from his two terms as governor. Republicans have focused on Blackburn's connection to Trump and tried to paint a vote for Bredesen as a vote for Democratic leadership. This could be one of the closest Senate races in November that decide which party takes the majority. Gov. Bill Haslam (R) is term-limited, but the race to replace him is not expected to be as competitive as the Senate contest. The Republican, businessman Bill Lee, is favored to win against former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean (D).