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Another Democrat Considers Gordon Seat

By Kleinheider Posted on December 14, 2009 at 1:37 pm

Bill Mason, director of community affairs for Gov. Phil Bredesen, has told NashvillePost.com’s Ken Whitehouse that he is considering a run for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Bart Gordon.

Mason is a native of Rutherford County, lives in Robertson County, and worked in congress for 22 years prior to joining Bredesen’s staff. Mason served on the staffs of Vice President Al Gore, Rep. Lincoln Davis, and Rep. Bob Clement.

He also has served as chief executive officer for the Tennessee Alternative Educators Association, which is a statewide nonprofit association composed of educators, counselors and administrators working in public alternative schools and as executive director of Tennessee Citizen Action, a statewide nonprofit association based in Nashville that advocates for “economic justice for all Tennesseans in their dealings with businesses, professionals and government.”

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3 Responses to “Another Democrat Considers Gordon Seat”

  1. john writes
    December 14th, 2009 2:08 pm

    If Mason spent 22 years working in Congress - then NO - Not just NO but HECK No.

  2. Greg writes
    December 14th, 2009 4:05 pm

    Mason’s 22 years of constituent service work has put him in touch with almost every charitable organization and community leader in Middle Tennessee,if you were to handicap the Dem’s in the race you gotta believe he makes the first cut easily.

  3. Perry Aubric writes
    December 14th, 2009 7:37 pm

    Don’t underestimate this guy. In a crowded Democratic field, he would be a formidable candidate: I have known him since we worked together in campaigns in the 1970s.

    Bill Mason has strong and long experience and a fat rolodex (or whatever the e-equivalent might be). He would be the only real progressive (i.e., liberal) in the race. He supported Obama early. So he would get those to the left of center when every other Dem in the race would be trying to out-gun and out-God the Repubs. He would sweep Robertson County and the northern end of Rutherford County into Murfreesboro (his home bases), break even in the rest of Rutherford and Cannon. He’d count on winning fellow Catholics, call on the old Clement network, get support from the trial lawyers because of his Citizen Action connections, and from the teachers from his own work with the public school alternative educators and his mother’s history as a teacher. He has solid connections with labor. His wife would be a major asset and a great campaigner.

    So, in a crowded primary field, he would be a top contender. Now in the general election…. ? Well, I don’t know. He’d have to hope the Republicans nominate some teabagger nutjob. And even then, it would be hard.

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