MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (Ghaliah Almuyidi) -- Three wealthy Middle Tennessee zip codes have supplied nearly one-third of all the individual donations to the race for Tennessee’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen are running to replace retiring Tennessee Senator Bob Corker. The two are raising money statewide.
EDITOR'S NOTE: You will find reporter Ghaliah Almuyidi's original, more exhaustive reporter here in Sidelines newspaper.
But an analysis of federal data through September finds that three communities in the Nashville area dominate. Belle Meade, Forest Hills and Brentwood account for 31 percent of the nearly 5.3 million dollars donated so far by individual Tennesseans.
Veteran mid-state political analyst Kent Syler says the numbers are a good sign for Democrats.
“Those are very wealthy, influential, active in politics, and educated areas.”
Fifty-seven percent of the more than 650-thousand dollars given by Forest Hills residents went to Bredesen. So did 68 percent of the more than 620-thousand dollars given by Belle Meade residents.
Blackburn, meanwhile, took in 80 percent of the over 380-thousand dollars given by Brentwood residents.
Statewide, Blackburn won 213 zip codes compared to Bredesen’s 147 zip codes. Bredesen raised about $7400 dollars per zip code. Blackburn raised roughly $7200 dollars per zip code.
The 2018 election for Tennessee’s U.S. Senate seat will take place November 6. Early voting is currently underway and continues through November 1.