It's all about the money.

That's what Bill Haslam, Republican Mayor of Knoxville, and Zach Wamp, Republican Congressman from Chattanooga know is the bottom line in their race for the Republican Gubernatorial nomination in Tennessee.

Though there are a few other announced contenders, insiders think the race is already down to these two.

Haslam, whose father's oil business interests have made him a very wealthy man, held a fundraiser recently hosted by family friends and netted a cool $1.4 million. Wamp, not to be outdone, netted $600,000 shortly thereafter.

The election for the nomination won't take place until August of 2010, and it will be interesting to see if Wamp's charisma and grass roots efforts will be sufficient to overcome Haslam's financial advantage.

The entire race could be thrown into disarray, however, if President Obama nominates Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. Bredesen's resignation from the Governorship would automatically elevate Republican Ron Ramsey, President of the State Senate, to that office.

It's well known that Ramsey aspires to the Governorship, but has wisely opted out of the race so far. As an incumbent Governor, however, Ramsey would be tempted to run for a term in his own right in 2010.

Both Wamp and Haslam, therefore, are hoping that President Obama will appoint Kansas Governor Sibelius to the HHS spot.

Bredesen may be a long shot to get the nod, however, at this time. He is, after all, someone who actually ran a business successfully, a quality currently not held in high regard by Democratic poohbahs in Washington