That hurt Alexander more than other candidates. The center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that monitors contributions to federal candidates. It shows his campaign has not taken fire anywhere else. He noted Texas Gov. George W. Bush's early money came primarily from Texas but now comes from all over the country. Gore, the other native son of Tennessee, has made modest inroads to the big three ZIP codes, areas that have the city's highest concentrations of Republican voters.
Most candidates get a huge amount from their home base.
Much of the pessimism about Alexander stems from the candidacy of Bush, who had a virtual lock on Republican campaign funds, said Makinson. It's not just Alexander. Alexander is just the first casualty, but others will follow. While gobs of money doesn't necessarily lead to lots of votes, it's an important element to a campaign, Geer said. Money gives you credibility.