Two weeks ago, Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) had dinner with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama over at Bob Rubin's house; now, as the AP's Beth Rucker reports, Ford has made his bid to succeed Bill Frist as Tennessee's Senator in 2006.

Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr. filed the federal paperwork Wednesday to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist.

The five-term congressman from Memphis is the second Democrat to enter the 2006 race. Frist has said he does not plan to seek a third term.

"I'm excited. I'm ready to go," Ford said in telephone interview from Washington. He said his top issues will be energy reform, national security and education.

Ford, 35, is a member of a Memphis political dynasty. He delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2000, unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Nancy Pelosi for the post of House minority leader in 2002 and served as a national campaign co-chairman for John Kerry's presidential run in 2004.

The polling on the race isn't great these days, but the Democrats must be pleased that they've recruited the strongest possible candidate. What's more, Tennessee is not always the safest place for Democrats seeking federal office. George W. Bush won the state by nearly 15 points in 2004.

That all having been said, Tennessee has a relatively popular Democratic Governor, Phil Bredesen, who will top the ticket in 2006, a Democratic state House and nearly split state Senate (Rs hold a 17-16 advantage this term). So while Harold Ford might have a bit of trouble beating out former Republican Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary and former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker to replace Sen. Frist, he's not a long shot by far and could prove to be the surprise of 2006.