Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s decision to forgo an ‘08 bid is not terribly surprising given the wide consensus that, despite his high profile, he was not part of the first tier of contenders.
The real fallout from Frist’s decision will be where his fundraising base goes. He had already lined up a few of President Bush”s top givers and had a stable full of deep-pocketed Tennessee donors in his corner. This latter group, which also includes some in the former, helped raise millions for the WH bids of Volunteer State natives Lamar (!) Alexander and Howard Baker. Aides to both Sen.John McCain and Gov. Mitt Romney are no doubt carving out time today and tomorrow to get their candidates on the phone to such fundraisers in, as the kids put it, “the 615.”