By Emily Pierce
Congressional Quarterly

Electoral votes: 3

Delegates: 22

Chairman: Gov. Don Sundquist

Hotel: Sheraton Suites Wilmington (302) 654-8300

1996 Election:
Clinton – 48%
Dole – 46%
Perot – 6%

Tennessee Republicans are convinced that they can help Texas Gov. George W. Bush win the White House in November - even though Bush's Democratic foe will be a native Tennessean, Vice President Al Gore. As of early summer, Bush was narrowly ahead of Gore in some Tennessee polls.

The idea of Bush challenging Gore on his home turf is not far-fetched. Tennessee, a conservative-leaning Southern state, has been trending Republican in recent years. Even with Gore on the ticket, President Clinton carried Tennessee by just 48 percent to 46 percent over Republican Bob Dole in 1996.

Delegate Wayne Oldham, who is on the state Republican Party's executive committee, said Tennessee is a "definite swing state" this year and that "Gore can't rely on his home state" to go his way.

If convention tradition holds, the Tennessee delegation will be designated as a "truth squad" to spread the home state Republicans' version of the Gore story.

"Most of us think of [Gore] as really being from Washington, D.C.," said delegate Wayne Cropp, referring to the fact - oft-noted by Republicans - that Albert Gore Jr. is a senator's son who spent much of his youth in the nation's capital. "We want to make sure that the message gets out at the convention about who Al Gore really is."

Cropp and other delegates described Gore as supporting a larger, more intrusive federal government.

But delegates said the main thrust of their role will be to present a united force in support of Bush. "I just hope it's a peaceful convention. I don't want to see any big floor fights," said delegate Jerry Teague.

Looking for an extra boost, some Tennessee Republicans held out hope this summer that Bush would consider home-state Sen. Fred Thompson as his running mate. Thompson also was mentioned in 1996 as a possible running mate for Dole.

But, overall, the GOP activists who make up the Tennessee delegation were not holding their breath for Bush to choose Thompson - or, unlike many other states' delegations, any vice presidential nominee who opposes abortion rights.

Though the Christian Coalition and the National Right to Life Committee have found a home in many Republican state parties around the country - especially in the South - religious conservatives have never achieved the same kind of foothold in Tennessee.

"I'm really a strong pro-lifer, but if it'd help us win [the presidency], I'd support [Pennsylvania Gov.] Tom Ridge" for vice president, said Teague. Ridge, mentioned prominently as a member of Bush's vice presidential "short list," supports abortion rights.

Teague's willingness to support whomever Bush chooses as his running mate fits with how most of the delegation feels, said David Kustoff, Bush's Tennessee campaign chairman. "They are all team players," said Kustoff.

Most members of the solidly pro-Bush delegation were chosen by ballot in the March 14 primary - a week after Bush essentially clinched the nomination. At-large delegates were chosen by the state executive committee on March 25.

TENNESSEE NOTABLES: Gov. Don Sundquist; Bush's Tennessee Campaign Chairman David Kustoff; Tennessee Revenue Commissioner Ruth E. Johnson; Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe.