State GOP unites behind Thompson

Top members of Tennessee%u2019s Republican Party %u2014 often divided between its social versus economic wings %u2014 has quickly coalesced behind Fred Thompson%u2019s undeclared presidential bid.

While Thompson%u2019s support has grown in the Volunteer State, it has conversely caused a drop in what once was rising support in Tennessee for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Minus a few holdouts, leading Republicans in the state are now almost all in former Sen. Thompson%u2019s camp.

Rep. Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) said Thompson%u2019s interest in running most clearly hurt Romney%u2019s chances of winning the primary in Tennessee.

%u201CMitt Romney is certainly an honorable, good person,%u201D Harwell said, adding she had met with the former Massachusetts governor. %u201CBut again, I think once Fred Thompson seriously looked at that, people stepped back and said that%u2019s what I want.%u201D

Republicans flocking to Thompson didn%u2019t happen all at once. There was the early %u201CDraft Fred%u201D movement %u2014 led by former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Chattanooga) %u2014 that got Thompson to consider running for president.

Then, after Thompson started to show more interest, more Republicans got in his corner and left Romney and other GOP candidates behind.

First, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan (R-Knoxville) switched his endorsement from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to Thompson.

Another Romney supporter, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Brentwood), who was a national co-chair of %u201CWomen for Romney,%u201D held out for a few weeks before switching her endorsement to Thompson.