Tennessee Democrats get a surprise in their US Senate primary

A man espousing conservative and libertarian views convincingly wins Tennessee’s Democrat US Senate primary,  and state Democrats are ready to go to court to invalidate the voters’ choice.

The reason?  State Dems say nominee Mark Clayton belongs to a “hate group.”  Which one?  The Klan?  The Nazi Party?  Aryan Nation?

Actually it’s Public Advocate.   Public Advocate, led by merry prankster Eugene Delgaudio, is a conservative organization best known for perpetrating pranks and other high-profile public stunts to embarrass liberals and Democrats.  (They were in business LONG before James O’Keefe came on the scene.) 

One of their more famous routines was “The Ted Kennedy Swim Team.”  Whenever the late Senator Ted Kennedy would make a public appearance, activists from Public Advocate would show up — dressed in scuba gear — to heckle the senator and evoke memories of the Chappaquiddick scandal.

The Democrat primary result creates an interesting opportunity for Tennessee conservatives unhappy with incumbent US Senator Bob Corker’s squishy, RINO voting record.  (A conservative primary challenge to Corker came up short.)   In November, the Democrat nominee — if he stays on the ballot — will be much more conservative than the incumbent Republican.  It will be interesting to see how much of a cross-over vote there is.