State GOP Chairman Bob Davis told the Chattanooga Pachyderm Club on Monday that Gov. Phil Bredesen "is a nice guy," but he is beatable.
Names he mentioned who he said could do it include former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, U.S. Sen. Bill Frist and Third District Congressman Zach Wamp.
Or, Mr. Davis said, the GOP might want to "think outside the box" and field a candidate like Stephen F. Flatt, president of David Lipscomb University in Nashville.
The speaker said Gov. Bredesen "has enjoyed an incredibly long honeymoon." But he said Republicans "won't play sissy pants" on challenging him on certain issues.
He said Gov. Bredesen had done 30-second ad spots for two Democratic candidates - JoAnn Graves and Larry Trail - and Republicans beat them both.
Asked his stance toward two Republicans who went against the party and allowed Democrat John Wilder to remain lieutenant governor, Mr. Davis said, "They are just going to have to look in the mirror and deal with what they did."
He said, "Am I going to go out and recruit somebody to beat them? No. I'm supposed to be recruiting candidates to beat the other side."
He added, "I think the situation will take care of itself. I'll never understand it."
He said Sen. Tim Burchett comes up for re-election next year and Sen. Mike Williams in three years.
Mr. Davis opened his speech by saying since his recent election as party chairman "I've been called a liar and scurrilous. Sen. John Ford of Memphis said he is going to sue me. It's been a good month."
He said the GOP needs to pick up four more House seats to control the General Assembly and it needs to focus on retaining the U.S. Senate seat now held by Bill Frist.
Mr. Davis said Republicans have some good candidates, including Mayor Bob Corker of Chattanooga. He said, "We will have a spirited primary. At the end of the day all will come back together and be on the same side."
He said Robin Smith of Hamilton County will be a very active vice chairman of the party.