U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. will be visiting UTM on Oct. 13 to speak to students and faculty. Ford is one of six people who are running for the U.S. Senate election in 2006.

A representative of the Ford for Senate campaign has said that Congressman Ford wants to hear from college students. Ford will be holding a “meet and greet” reception with students and faculty in room 206 of the UC from 12:15 until 1 p.m.

Some of the issues that Ford will talk about that can affect college students are gas prices and a program that Ford is crafting to allow for free tuition for those who serve the country.

The other Democratic contender in the U.S. Senate race is state Sen. Rosalind Kurita. Kurita is a former commissioner for Montgomery County, a businesswoman and a nurse.

Republican contenders in the Senate race include Ed Bryant, Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, and Van Hilleary. Bryant is a former congressman, former U.S. attorney, an army veteran and a candidate in the 2002 Senate race.

Mayor Corker is a former real estate developer. Hilleary is a former congressman, attorney, Gulf War Veteran and a nominee for the 2002 governor’s race in Tennessee.

Candidate John Jay Hooker is running as an independent. He is currently an attorney, a former newspaper publisher and a frequent candidate in many elections.