After roughly a quarter century in elected office, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander will retire.
The former Republican governor, who has served in the Senate since first being elected in 2002, said Monday that he will not seek a fourth term in the upper chamber.
“I will not be a candidate for re-election to the United State Senate in 2020,” said Alexander.
His decision means for the second time in two years, Tennessee will have an open U.S. Senate race.
Like U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, who last year declined to run for a third term, Alexander’s announcement will send shockwaves throughout Tennessee’s political landscape.
Decision reached during August fishing trip
In an interview inside his Nashville office, Alexander said he decided not to run for another term during a fishing trip at Turtle River Camp in Bending Lake, Ontario.
"I decided in August and I didn't tell anybody," he said. "I decided then that this was enough and it was time to bring it to an end, hopefully on a good note."
Alexander said he didn't want to tell anyone to "let it simmer" and make sure he was making the right decision.
"I admire people who know when to leave, and I think it's better to leave when you're hitting .400 than some other time," he said, making a baseball analogy.
Alexander said he informed President Donald Trump about his decision on Sunday afternoon.
At one point in the call, Trump said he wanted to talk about Alexander serving in the Senate for the next 20 years.
"I said 'Mr. President, I'm calling to tell you I'm not going to run for re-election,'" said Alexander, who shared the news with his staff Monday morning.
Trump vowed to find ways to work with Alexander during the remainder of his term.
Contenders will line up for 2020 campaign
Although it is not clear who may vie for the seat, contenders could include Gov. Bill Haslam and incoming U.S. Rep. Mark Green.
Haslam flirted with the idea of running for the Senate when Corker announced his retirement.
Others who could consider a bid include U.S. Rep. Diane Black and Knoxville entrepreneur Randy Boyd — both of whom unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor earlier this year.
Among Democrats, the list of potential candidates could include Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, state Sen. Jeff Yarbro, state Rep. John Ray Clemmons and Iraq War veteran James Mackler.
Mackler entered the 2018 race but ultimately dropped out when former Gov. Phil Bredesen launched his own campaign.
Alexander said although he learned a long time ago that he wasn't elected to tell people how to vote, he said Haslam and Hagerty were the "most obvious" candidates for the Senate.
"Senate seats don't come up very often and I imagine it will attract a large number of candidates, and I think I'll let the people sort that out," he said.
Alexander remains popular
To some, Alexander’s decision may come as a surprise. In recent years, he has been a continuing presence in Washington, D.C., sponsoring measures related to the music industry, education and opioids that have become law.
Alexander is chairman of the key Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which handles everything from education policy to issues with the Affordable Care Act.
A recent poll found Alexander remained popular among likely Republican primary voters.
But in many ways, his retirement makes sense. Alexander would be 86 years old by the end of a fourth term.
And although he’s been supportive of President Donald Trump, Alexander could face a Republican challenger who is further to the right on the political spectrum, making a re-election bid more difficult.
When he last ran for re-election in 2014, Joe Carr, a tea party aligned Republican, lost by just 9 points, leading some political observers to see Alexander as vulnerable.
Alexander has storied Tennessee political career
Born in Maryville, Alexander received a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and a law degree from New York University.
In 1965, he served as a law clerk and messenger for John Minor Wisdom, a federal judge with the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. In the late 1960s, Alexander served as assistants to then-U.S. Sen. Howard Baker Jr., and President Richard Nixon.
Alexander first ran for governor in 1974 but lost to Democrat Ray Blanton — making it Alexander's only general election defeat in his career. Then in 1978, Alexander ran for governor again, this time famously walking across the state in his successful bid.
Since then, he’s served two terms as governor, three years as president of the University of Tennessee, nearly two years as U.S. Secretary of Education under the late President George H.W. Bush — all before being elected to the U.S. Senate.
He also made unsuccessful presidential runs in 1996 and 2000, dropping out of the race both times.
By the time he departs from the upper chamber, Alexander will have spent more combined years as governor and U.S. Senator than any other Tennessean in history.
Fellow politicians on Alexander's announcement
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today made the following statement on the announcement from Senator Lamar Alexander:
“It is almost impossible to measure the impact of Lamar Alexander’s commitment to Tennessee. His time as governor paved the way for the economic position we enjoy today as a leading state for business, and his educational reforms were ahead of his time. As a senator, he has distinguished himself as a national leader, while always reminding everyone that our founders designed our government for most of the power to be delegated to the states. No one has served our state longer as a governor and senator, and few, if any, have served it better than Lamar.”
Today, Governor-elect Bill Lee released the following statement about Sen. Lamar Alexander’s decision to not seek re-election in 2020.
“Sen. Lamar Alexander has faithfully served Tennesseans at the state and federal level for decades. A seventh-generation Tennessean and principled conservative, our state benefited from his thoughtful leadership. I am thankful for Lamar’s friendship and wish him the best.”
U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced he will not seek re-election in 2020.
“One of the highlights of my time in the Senate has been working with Lamar Alexander,” said Corker. “I often tell him he is the legislator of the decade because of the effective way he has worked across the aisle to pass legislation that directly affects the lives of so many throughout our state and around the country. As one of the finest statesmen our state has ever seen, Lamar will leave behind a remarkable legacy. I know he will press through the next two years with great vigor, and I look forward to all he will accomplish on behalf of Tennesseans as he completes his service in Washington. I thank Lamar for his friendship and am excited for Honey and him as they begin to think about their next chapter together.”
Statement of Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr.
“I worked in Lamar Alexander’s first campaign for governor in 1974, and I have worked in all of his campaigns since then. He loves East Tennessee and has never forgotten where he came from. This Country and the United States Senate needs more people like Lamar Alexander. He has been a great leader for this Nation and a close friend. I am sad that he has decided not to run again.”
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) made the statement below following Lamar Alexander’s decision not to seek re-election to the United States Senate:
“Lamar Alexander is a Tennessee legend. The foundation of Tennessee's modern success as a state and a people was built upon his wise governance. All Tennesseans owe him a great debt. Lamar, along with Howard Baker and Winfield Dunn, was responsible for the modern rebirth of the Republican Party. But he always put principles over party, people over politics. Lamar always did what was best for Tennessee. As a young legislator, I was honored to work with then-Governor Alexander and was consistently impressed with his diligence and integrity. His mentorship of me and countless others has been invaluable. Though he may not be running for re-election, I have no doubt Lamar will continue to serve our state with distinction for the next two years as Senator and as elder statesmen beyond that. We will need him.”
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann issued the following statement in response to Senator Lamar Alexander’s decision not to seek re-election after 2020:
“Throughout his illustrious career as a public servant Senator Lamar Alexander has proven that he is second to none. Lamar is a fine example of a statesman, a scholar, and a longtime voice of the Volunteer State. I believe that he has been successful in his mission to make our state and country better, and on behalf of all Tennesseans, I thank him for that. I will certainly miss his friendship and partnership in the halls of Congress, and congratulate him on an unparalleled legacy of public service.”
Monday, December 17, 2018 For Immediate Release
Contact: Whitley Alexander
(202) 225-6356
Roe Statement on Senator Alexander’s Retirement
Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced he will not be seeking re-election in 2020:
“Tennessee and our country have been blessed to have been represented by Lamar Alexander. As Governor, Secretary of Education, University of Tennessee’s President, presidential candidate and U.S. Senator, he has exemplified what it means to be a public servant by working tirelessly to make our state and nation the best it can be. I still remember his first campaign for governor, where he walked across the state in his signature red-and-black flannel and inspired many in Tennessee to become Republicans. He is not only a great man, but a loving father and husband to his wife and family. Knowing the senator, I’m sure there is still a lot that will be accomplished, and I look forward to continuing to work with him over these next two years. I want to thank him for all his hard work, and I wish Lamar, Honey and their family the best.”
Knoxville businessman and University of Tennessee interim President Randy Boyd issued this statement following the announcement:
"I am deeply grateful to Senator Alexander for his outstanding service to our nation and to our state. No one has done more than Lamar Alexander, as Senator, Governor, Secretary of Education, or UT President, in improving the lives of Tennessee families and communities with his continued leadership on education and job creation. He will be greatly missed.
"While I have seen some speculation, I will not be running for the United States Senate in 2020. 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."