Here’s the latest news out of Tennessee:
Democratic nominee Phil Bredesen has a slight edge over Republican Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee's U.S. Senate race, according to a new poll from Vanderbilt University.
The poll, released Thursday, found 44 percent of respondents said they would vote for Bredesen, compared to 43 percent for Blackburn.
The former governor's narrow advantage over the Brentwood congressman, however, falls within the poll's margin of error, which is plus or minus 4.9 percent.
Eight percent of respondents remained undecided on the race.
Bredesen is bolstered in the survey thanks to support from women. Forty-nine percent of female respondents said they preferred Bredesen, while 37 percent favored Blackburn.
Fifty percent of male respondents said they preferred Blackburn, while 37 percent said they'd vote for Bredesen.
"Women vote at a higher rate than men, giving Bredesen his narrow lead in the poll," the pollsters said in a news release.
Josh Clinton, a political science professor and co-director of the poll, said the latest poll indicates the race, which has drawn national interest given Republicans' narrow edge in the U.S. Senate, remains a toss-up.
"The bottom line is that Tennessee’s Senate race will be determined by which candidate is better able to turn out their base, as well as any national waves that occur — blue or otherwise,” said John Geer, a political science professor who also co-directs the poll.
The survey of 800 registered voters was conducted by independent firm SSRS from Oct. 8 to Oct. 13, using landline and cell phones.
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