Donald J. Trump Jr. announced Monday that he named Bill Hagerty his MAGA candidate of the week.
Hagerty wants to replace the retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN).
My #MAGA candidate of the week is @BillHagertyTN!
Bill was on the Trump Train before it was politically expedient. He’ll stand up to the liberals & Never Trumpers.
My father needs Bill in the Senate to fight for his America First agenda!
DONATE! #TNSENhttps://t.co/q8XCSF4Nrl
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 27, 2020
“Bill was on the Trump Train before it was politically expedient. He’ll stand up to the liberals & Never Trumpers,” Trump Jr. tweeted.
“My father needs Bill in the Senate to fight for his America First agenda!”
Hagerty’s staff published the news in a press release on his campaign’s website.
“I’m grateful for Donald Trump Jr.’s continued support, and in the Senate, I am going to work closely with President Trump to put America – and Tennessee – first,” Hagerty said in the press release.
“Back in January, Don Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle came to my hometown of Gallatin to campaign with us and open our campaign headquarters. I will always fight for our conservative values, and I’m going to make the Trump family and the good people of Tennessee proud.”
Trump Jr., in the press release, said Hagerty volunteered full-time to help make his father president.
“Bill understands what it takes to grow an economy and create jobs. He’s done it before, and he’ll do it again in the Senate,” Trump Jr. said.
“In fact, he’s already working with President Trump to bring our supply chains back from China so we can make Made in the USA the theme of our nation. I’m proud to stand with my father in support of Bill Hagerty – he’s the true Trump conservative.”
As The Tennessee Star reported in January, Trump Jr. told a crowd in Gallatin that the president’s endorsement “is a pretty big deal.”
“I also understand how primary politics works, and it’s not so easy. You never know what really happens. I can’t think of another individual who has been endorsed this early by my father,” Trump Jr. said.
“That’s everything you need to know. My father trusts him. He believes in him, as Bill believed in him when so few actually did.”
Hagerty previously served as Trump’s ambassador to Japan.
Nashville trauma surgeon and Republican Manny Sethi also wants to replace Alexander.
As The Tennessee Star reported in September, Hagerty said he decided to run after he “saw the threat to Tennessee and our country from the Democrats’ socialist agenda.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Please remember President Trump is not the best at recommending people, Jeff sessions, John Bolton, Local federal Judge Campbell, recommended by Trump that struck down TN anti abortion law. His mother is part of the TN republican establishment. Hagerty supported Trump as his third choice after, low Energy, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and then Trump. Mitt Romney’s finance chairman and worked for RINO Haslam’s administration. We don’t need Marsha Blackburn or the Trump’s telling Tennessee how to vote. We have had enough democrats dressed up like republicans in washington from Tennessee. Marsha is confused, She was not elected senator to tell Tennesseans how to vote! Why she is involved in a Tennessee Primary is beyond my thinking! I think Marsha has lost her way and joined the DC swamp.. So sad. Sethi is a Tennessee Conservative:)
Yep, Trevor, Trump hasn’t had a stellar record choosing candidates and appointments. I think he lets other people advise him on endorsements too much. Probably since Hagerty was appointed Japanese Ambassador, he just endorsed him by default night knowing whether or who the other candidates were. Sethi was at at least one White House meeting with him re: healthcare, but one among many. I think he should generally stay out of Republican Primaries though, as should our other Tennessee senator. One big downside with Hagerty is that he has so far refused to debate Manny Sethi even though Brian Wilson of WTN 997 has offered to moderate between them on his morning show. Refusing to debate is a major negative in my mind, and especially as a candidate for U.S. Senate. It demonstrates weakness and a lack of informed convictions.