Cohen defeats Tinker in Tennessee primary

First-term Rep. Steve Cohen (D) prevailed in a nasty primary battle Thursday, defeating Pinnacle Airlines attorney Nikki Tinker in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District.

With 55 percent of precincts reporting, Cohen had won with 79 percent of the vote. Tinker, who also worked as an aide to former Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.) had 19 percent.

{mosads}Cohen survived much-maligned attacks from the Tinker campaign, which released ads targeting Cohen for his religion and implied he had supported the Ku Klux Klan — a sensitive issue in the 9th District, Tennessee’s only majority African-American district.

Tinker, who is African-American and lost to Cohen two years ago, released an ad accusing the incumbent of voting against changing the name of a Memphis park named after KKK founder Nathan Forrest, adding the tinge of race to an already nasty campaign. Cohen, who is white, took to the House floor last week to push through H. Res. 194, a resolution he sponsored that apologizes for slavery and Jim Crow laws.

On Wednesday, Tinker’s campaign released an ad widely viewed as anti-Semitic for having a voiceover criticizing Cohen, who is Jewish, for appearing in “our” churches.

Tinker was subsequently ostracized by key Democrats, including presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.).

“These incendiary and personal attacks have no place in our politics, and will do nothing to help the good people of Tennessee,” Obama stated. “It’s time to turn the page on a politics driven by negativity and division so that we can come together to lift up our communities and our country.”

“Whenever race, religion or gender is invoked in a political contest, it generally means the candidate has run out of legitimate arguments for why he/she should be elected,” Ford, who had previously represented the district, told the Nashville Post.

Ellen Malcom, the director of EMILY’s List, which endorsed Tinker, condemned the ads as well. “We believe the ads are offensive and divisive,” Malcolm said. “EMILY’s List does not condone or support these types of attacks.”

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) also learned who he will face in his bid for reelection this fall, as former Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Robert Tuke won the six-way Democratic primary, prevailing over 2006 primary candidate Gary Davis, former Knox County Clerk Mike Padgett, and three other opponents.

With 82 percent of precincts reporting Thursday, Tuke had won 30 percent, Davis pulled in 23 percent, Padgett received 19 percent, Christian activist Mark Clayton 18 percent, and two others combined for 11 percent.

Elsewhere in Tennessee, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) easily escaped a challenge from former state Sen. Tom Leatherwood in Tennessee’s 7th District.

Leatherwood had tried to make illegal immigration and alleged ties to special interests a sticking point against Blackburn, but ultimately failed. With 84 percent reporting, Blackburn won 69 percent Thursday evening, and Leatherwood 31 percent.