Country Mike Blog

McGraw for Governor?

Mike Sudhalter  |  January 12, 2009

According to New Republic, Tim McGraw won't be running for Governor of Tennessee in 2010.

I'm thinking that it might not be a bad time, politically, for a Democrat - especially one with some name recognition and broad appeal - to run for Governor of a southern state.

But McGraw still has a lot of singing and performing to do before pursuing a political career sometime in the future.

Being a country superstar doesn't necessarily equal political success in The Volunteer State. Roy Acuff ran for Governor in the 1940's and lost.

Acuff, at the time, was the most popular country singer at the time. But it's a much different time, and it's hard to say how McGraw would fare. And would any of his songs play a role in the campaign?

It's hard to say....you can't use SNL skits against Al Franken, the candidate. But songs are a little more personal. McGraw doesn't write most of his songs, but would the lyrics of "Red Ragtop" galvanize Tennessee's pro-life voters.

Would the lyrics of "Down on the Farm" - another early McGraw hit - go against voters who like to do their partying in the city or voters who don't like to have a good time at all (Otherwise known as "the Square Bloc.")?