Bredesen Leads Blackburn In Senate Race: Poll

NASHVILLE, TN -- Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen holds a slight lead over U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn in the race to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker, according to a new poll.

The poll from North Carolina's Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm, found that Bredesen, a Democrat, has a 46-41 edge over likely GOP nominee Blackburn. Thirteen percent of respondents said they were unsure who they'd vote for.

The poll asked roughly 1,000 registered Tennessee voters about the Senate election, approval of President Donald Trump and a variety of policy topics.

The lead for Bredesen, the popular former governor who was the last Democrat to win a statewide race, comes despite 43 percent of respondents self-identifying as Republicans. Thirty-three percent said they are Democrats and 23 percent identified as independents or some other affiliation.

The 46-41 split matches the results of a poll released by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee late last year. Most polls thus far have indicated a tight race between Bredesen and Blackburn looms.

It's a rare piece of good news for Tennessee Democrats, who have thus far failed to capitalize on the so-called "blue wave" that's seen Democrats swept into office in Republican states and districts during special elections. A front-office shake-up at the Tennessee Democratic Party - the former CEO of Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, Jeff Teague, replaced Jason Freeman as executive director, among other cuts - led to a report in the Nashville Post and Nashville Scene this week indicating a fractious TNDP.

The PPP poll showed that Tennesseans still approve of Trump far ahead of the national average - 54 percent approving and 42 disapproving. Despite this, 49 percent of Tennesseans said they approve of the Affordable Care Act with 47 percent opposing repeal efforts of former President Barack Obama's signature health-care law. The poll was paid for by Protect My Care, a group fighting ACA repeal efforts.

The poll was taken March 15 and 16 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.

Photos by Rick Diamond and Mark Wilson/Getty Images