Phil Bredesen in 2018 TN Senate race

On Abortion: Keep abortion legal, but not high priority

Marsha Blackburn (R): Ban. Multiple votes to ban or restrict. Also ban Planned Parenthood receiving public funds for non-abortion health services.

Phil Bredesen (D): Legal, but hasn't made high priority.

On Civil Rights: Disallow withholding services to same-sex couples

Marsha Blackburn (R): Yes. "People of faith should be free to practice their beliefs."

Phil Bredesen (D): No. Gay people should not be subjected to indignities when seeking goods and services in an open market.

On Corporations: Pay for corporate tax cuts by closing loopholes

Marsha Blackburn (R): Yes. "People can keep more of the money they earn throughout their lives."

Phil Bredesen (D): No. "They threw a few crumbs to the middle class to give these huge breaks to wealthier people & corporations."

Q: Address debt and deficit?

Blackburn: Promote "balanced budget; cut bureaucracy," and "across-the-board spending cuts."

Bredesen: "Pay for corporate tax cuts by closing loopholes," rather than adding $1.5 trillion of debt.

On Drugs: Let states decide on marijuana legalization

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Has voted against loosening federal regulations.

Phil Bredesen (D): Unclear on legalization but "federal government should give states the rights to make those decisions."

On Education: Supports charter schools but "not wild about vouchers

Marsha Blackburn (R): Yes, has voted for vouchers.

Phil Bredesen (D): No. Supports charter schools but "not wild about vouchers."

On Education: Free community college tuition; lower student loan interest

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Voted against earlier proposal to refinance student loans.

Phil Bredesen (D): Some level of support. "I'm someone who went to school with student loans, but they were much lower interest than these student loans & longer pay-out times."

Q: Should federal student financial aid, like Pell Grants, be increased?

Marsha Blackburn (R): Unknown.

Phil Bredesen (D): Unclear, but earlier pushed for free community college tuition.

On Energy & Oil: Green energy will be of vast importance and growth

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. "The science around it is not a settled science." Applauded withdrawal from Paris Climate agreement.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. "It's a serious issue." Supported US moving toward 25% renewable energy by 2025, although thought Obama's Clean Energy Plan should have been passed by Congress, not regulation.

Q: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Has voted no on related bills. Considers it inappropriate intervention in the economy.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Early advocate of developing this sector. "It seems beyond dispute that `green energy' will be an area of vast importance and growth."

On Environment: Supports environmental regulation by government

Marsha Blackburn (R): Yes. Has voted to cut budget. Also proposed merging with Dept of Energy and cutting budget.

Phil Bredesen (D): No specific stand, but enacted major environmental regulations as governor.

On Free Trade: Trump's tariifs are same as a new tax on Tennesseans

Marsha Blackburn (R): Still considering but "increasingly concerned these tariffs are a bad deal for Tennesseans."

Phil Bredesen (D): No. "The same as a new tax on Tennesseans."

On Gun Control: Close gun show loophole & ban bump stocks

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Has opposed most gun regulations. But wants background check system to work properly and record appropriate red flags.

Phil Bredesen (D): Some. Against banning semi-automatic weapons, but close gun show loophole, ban bump stocks and tighten background checks.

On Health Care: Support ObamaCare, with fixes, and some Medicare-for-All

Marsha Blackburn (R): Repeal. Support health savings accounts, Association Health Plans and purchases across state lines.

Phil Bredesen (D): Initially critical, but now supports with fixes: "Stabilize what we have." On Medicare for All, might support some initial baseline coverage, then add or adjust from there.

Q: Require people to work to receive Medicaid?

Blackburn: Give states option to require this.

Bredesen: No stand found.

On Immigration: Deporting DREAMers would be un-American

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Deal with compassionately but DACA "offered the false hope of amnesty that led to a surge of illegal immigration."

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. "Deporting them back to a country that's not theirs and they don't know would be a terrible un-American kind of thing to do."

Q: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants?

Marsha Blackburn (R): "No amnesty. We cannot have individuals get in the queue before others who have been going through the legal immigration process. Period."

Phil Bredesen (D): Maybe. "Need to control borders," but if "willing to learn English and pay their taxes and not have convictions for serious crimes. some sort of a path to become permanent residents and possibly citizens."

On Jobs: Minimum wage should keep pace with inflation

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. "A growing and competitive economy -- not Washington mandates -- will create an environment where companies compete.through better wages."

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Should at least keep pace with inflation. "Federal level is far more effective, as it avoids driving jobs from one community or state to another."

On Technology: Empower TVA to bring rural broadband internet access

Marsha Blackburn (R): Likely no. Has supported across-the-board federal spending cuts.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Empower TVA to help bring rural broadband internet access "just as the

On Technology: Supports Net Neutrality: equal access for everyone

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. "Tennesseans do not want government-controlled internet."

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. "Should guarantee equal access for everyone."

On Drugs: Get tough on opioid prescriptions from pain clinics

A: Obviously, it's a terrible problem. When I was governor there was a methamphetamine problem, and I think just like then, there is no one single solution to it. I think going after some of the manufacturers, and the way they are marketing and promoting these drugs, is a part of the question. There certainly are clinics around that exist for the purpose of making these prescriptions, these pain clinics and so on. I think we should be very tough on them, and frankly, I'd also like to see physicians themselves take a little more responsibility. I think it's just too easy to write a prescription for 30 or 60 days when someone might only need five of them. Unlike some of the other kinds of drug epidemics we've had, so much of this starts with perfectly legal prescriptions that are given unsuspecting people, people who never thought they would become hooked. That leads to some of these other abuses.

On Corporations: As mayor, enticed the NFL's Oilers to relocate to Nashville

During his terms, Bredesen pushed economic development, built schools, a new downtown library and successfully enticed the NFL's Oilers to relocate to Nashville, as well as the NHL franchise now known as the Nashville Predators. Along the way, he built an arena, now home of the Predators, and a stadium for the Titans.

While Bredesen was still mayor, panicky state Democrats persuaded him to run to succeed Democratic Gov. Ned McWherter in 1994. He lost to Sundquist. Eight years later in 2002, Bredesen ran again, this time to succeed the term-limited Sundquist.

On Principles & Values: 1960s scholarship to Harvard; millionaire businessman at 43

Getting into Harvard University on scholarship in the early 1960s, Bredesen earned an undergraduate degree in physics. He later worked for several companies, married and then divorced.

He then met Andrea Conte, a nurse. The couple married, then moved to Nashville in 1975 when Conte was recruited to work for HCA, the Nashville-based hospital company. After arriving, Bredesen focused on creating his own company, HealthAmerica Corp., an insurance company.

When the company sold in 1986, he became became a multimillionaire at age 43. The businessman says he got his taste for politics while at Harvard, inspired by President John F. Kennedy, also a Harvard graduate. Bredesen ran as a Democrat in 1969 for a Massachusetts Senate seat against a Republican incumbent. He lost.