Unlike his previous races, Atkinson now faced several better-known and better-financed opponents. A total of nine candidates finally entered the race. Besides Briley and Atkinson, two other well-known Nashville political figures, Trustee Glenn Ferguson and Assessor of Property Clifford Allen were in the race. A surprise opponent was movie projectionist Casey Jenkins, who ran a campaign based on the idea of "massive resistance" to forced busing, which had just been ordered in the now-merged metropolitan school district to foster racial desegregation. Briley, Jenkins, Allen, and Ferguson all bought relatively large (for that period) amounts of television air time, which was beyond the financial ability of Atkinson's campaign. Atkinson finished fifth in the race. (Briley eventually defeated Jenkins in a runoff.)
