Three weeks after declaring that she was gaining momentum in the race, former House Majority Leader Kim McMillan withdrew her candidacy, deciding to focus instead on a campaign for Clarksville mayor. McMillan followed Ward Cammack, Senator Roy Herron, and Senator Jim Kyle in dropping out of the race. This leaves one Democratic Party candidate with enough funds and name recognition to be a contender in the November general election: Jackson beer distributor Mike McWherter, son of former Gov. Ned Ray McWherter.

The primary had not become divisive, nor bitter, by the time the rivals folded (and there was no real evidence that it would). Still, given some perceived differences on social and fiscal issues, I had to question Knox County Commission candidate Cortney Piper‘s assertion that Democrats were “uniting” behind McWherter. “Trust me,” came the reply. “[The party is] uniting.”

On the other hand, I have received private messages from Democrats who are seriously considering backing Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam instead of their party’s automatic nominee. I suspect that many will make this claim now, but in a few months will be back on board with their party, especially after Haslam skews right to try and win the GOP primary. However, some may stick with their plans.

After all, one aspect of the race on which this blog will attempt to provide some clarity is the degree of similarity between the two parties’ leading candidates. Speaking hypothetically, if the general election did feature a Haslam-McWherter match, we could see a repeat of the 2006 U.S. Senate race, wherein the West Tennessee Democrat was actually to the right of the East Tennessee Republican on some issues.

We will just have to wait and see.