Vice President Mike Pence told a conservative Tennessee crowd that a win by Democrat Phil Bredesen would make the Senate the center of the Democratic resistance.
At the American Conservative Union's CPAC 365 Friday, Pence praised Bredesen's opponent, Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, calling her one of the strongest, most principled conservatives he's met.
The White House has been Blackburn's ally in the tight race. President Donald Trump headlined a Nashville fundraiser and rally with her in May. In July, Pence attended a Chattanooga fundraiser for Blackburn and praised her during a nearby event.
Republicans want to undercut Bredesen's message of political independence. A Bredesen TV ad Friday shows voters discussing being Republicans and supporting the ex-governor. The campaign also chided Blackburn for bringing "D.C. friends" to Tennessee to tell voters what to think.
