The Knoxville News-Sentinel discusses why Republicans are in such great shape in Tennessee:
… The 107th General Assembly, which will be collectively chosen on the same day, will be projecting political power for the next decade.
For that reason, Republican and Democratic organizations in Washington as well as Nashville are paying as much attention – if not more – to a handful of legislative contests in Tennessee’s small towns and big cities …
As a practical political matter, there is no chance Democrats can regain control of the Senate …
In the House … Democrats thus have more challenged seats to defend than do Republicans. Further, 2010 is widely seen as a banner year for Republicans because of perceived voter discontent with President Obama and the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress.
Republicans are trying to tap into that sentiment in the legislative races. The state Republican Party, for example, has erected a billboard in Morristown that features side-by-side pictures of Obama and Larry Mullins, the Democratic nominee for the 10th House District.