Now that U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has announced his retirement, the playing field is open to determine who will replace the three-term Republican senator and former Tennessee governor come 2020.
Though speculation surrounding potential successors has already been in the works, a second consecutive open U.S. Senate race in the state likely means the race will draw a range of potential candidates.
Potential Republican candidates
Several Republicans make sense as possible candidates. Among them:
Gov. Bill Haslam
Tennessee's two-term outgoing governor hasn't yet said what's next, but is strongly believed to be a possible contender for U.S. Senate.
While Haslam decided against running for Corker's seat in 2018, announcing he wanted to focus on his job as governor, holding office now wouldn't interfere with campaigning for the U.S. Senate position.
Haslam, a moderate Republican with politics similar to Alexander, has national ties that would prove beneficial in his bid, including having most recently served as chairman of the Republican Governor's Association.
While the list is long (and likely to grow in the months to come), we'll start with likely Republican candidates. Check back shortly for additional names of Democrats who may throw their hats in the ring.
Dr. Manny Sethi
An orthopedic trauma surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Sethi is rumored to be considering a bid for Alexander's seat.
Sethi previously mulled a run for Corker's seat, but decided against it last fall while clarifying he had not ruled out running for statewide office in the future.
He is the founder of preventative health nonprofit Healthy Tennessee, which holds health fairs and clinics around the state.
U.S. Rep.-elect Mark Green
Though Green hasn't been sworn in as a congressman yet, the Tennessee state senator from Montgomery County is known to have ambitious political plans since entering office in 2013.
A physician and Iraq war veteran, fundraising for such a race could be a challenge for Green.
U.S. Rep. Diane Black
The outgoing congressman from Gallatin has significant name recognition, even after her unsuccessful bid this year in Tennessee's Republican gubernatorial primary.
Her loss in August — coming in third place in the primary — could work against her, despite serving in Congress since 2005 and in the Tennessee General Assembly since 1999.
She was able to raise a significant amount of money in the gubernatorial race.
Randy Boyd
The current interim president of the University of Tennessee System also ran an unsuccessful race in the Republican gubernatorial primary. His second-place finish behind Gov.-elect Bill Lee bolstered his name recognition in the state.
Boyd, a businessman from Knoxville, has the pockets to enter a statewide race again, likely with the most money at his disposal outside of Haslam. However, following Sen. Alexander's announcement, Boyd sent a statement saying he will not be running in 2020:
"While I have some seen some speculation, I will not be running for the United States Senate in 2020," Boyd said. "My total focus as Interim President is on the University of Tennessee System and our students, faculty, administrators, campuses, and institutes all across our great state."
Former U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher
Though it's unlikely Fincher will emerge as a front-running candidate for Alexander's seat, the former congressman has previously shown interest in a bid for U.S. Senate.
The farmer from Frog Jump held a statewide listening tour and entered the race after Corker announced he was retiring, but ultimately withdrew.
Former Speaker Beth Harwell
While it's a stretch that Harwell would seek statewide office again, the longtime Tennessee state legislator and most recent Speaker of the House did put her hat in the ring in this year's Republican gubernatorial campaign.
She finished fourth-place in the primary.
The Democrats who may be interested
There are also several Democrats who may be eyeing the seat, including:
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke
The Chattanooga mayor has been rumored to be a contender for Alexander’s seat.
The former state senator seriously considered a bid for Corker's U.S. Senate seat, but withdrew to place his support behind former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen.
State Sen. Jeff Yarbro
Yarbro, a Nashville attorney, has distinguished himself as a leader in Tennessee’s small Senate Democratic Caucus since assuming office in 2015, recently being elected minority leader.
He announced last year that he was considering a run for U.S. Senate in light of Corker’s announcement, but didn't launch a bid for the office.
Former Gov. Phil Bredesen
While the former Tennessee governor was the most recent Democratic challenger in the statewide race for Corker’s U.S. Senate seat, his loss to U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn came as a major blow.
Bredesen, who lost by more than 10 points, won just three counties in the November election.
The 75-year-old has given no indication he plans to continue his political career.
Still, the popular moderate Democrat proved he was able to raise — and spend — record-setting sums of money.
Madeline Rogero
Despite rumors in 2017 that Rogero was eyeing a run for Congress this year, she quickly announced that she would not be running and was eager to accomplish more for duration of her term as Knoxville mayor.
Rogero, the first woman to hold the office of mayor in Knoxville, was also the first female mayor in one of Tennessee’s major cities.
Her term ends in 2019.
A spokesperson for Mayor Rogero told 10News she is fully concentrating on her final year in office and has no plans to run for Senate.
Renata Soto
Soto announced last week that she would be stepping down as longtime executive director of immigrant advocacy group Conexión Américas.
She leaves her post in May, and has said she is not running for mayor in 2019.
Soto has not announced what’s next for her after leaving the operation, is a driving force in immigration policy in Tennessee.
State Rep. John Ray Clemmons
Clemmons, also a Nashville attorney, is most recently rumored to be considering a run next year for Nashville mayor.
He is outspoken and, like Yarbro, known among Democrats to have ambitions for higher office.
Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean
Dean isn’t rumored to have a particular interest in Alexander’s seat — or a strong itch to continue seeking office. But he also was a recent Democratic candidate for statewide office, losing to Bill Lee by a massive 20-point gap in the race for governor.
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.