U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday endorsed Bill Hagerty to work alongside her in Washington, D.C.
Blackburn tweeted her support for Hagerty and called him “a true conservative.”
Hagerty and Manny Sethi are competing against one another to replace the retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) in the August 6 Republican primary.
Blackburn elaborated her support for Hagerty — and faulted Sethi — in a press release that Hagerty’s staff posted on his campaign’s website.
“Manny’s friends – and personally picked board members – supported Phil Bredesen and publicly wrongly attacked me during the 2018 election. He stood by and did nothing – they remain on the board of his ‘policy think tank’ to this day and were not held accountable for their accusations,” Blackburn said.
“He wanted to work in the Obama, Biden White House, defended and supported Obamacare, and gave to ActBlue, which is bankrolling the Marxist BLM movement. Tennesseans can’t afford to send someone who is conveniently conservative to be a Republican and consistently supports President Trump when it’s politically convenient. Bill is the consistently conservative choice. Join me and President Trump in supporting Bill Hagerty for Senate.”
Hagerty responded on his Facebook page.
“Marsha Blackburn and I stood together in 2016 to elect President Donald J. Trump, and I am so honored that she is standing with me now,” Hagerty wrote.
“I look forward to working with her and OUR President to keep fighting for our Tennessee conservative values. #TNSen.”
As The Tennessee Star reported this week, Hagerty leads Sethi by 3 percentage points – 30 percent to 27 percent – although 32 percent of voters remain undecided, according to a new poll.
John Couvillon of the Louisiana-based JMC Analytics and Polling published the results, which he said has a 4 percent margin of error.
JMC asked voters who they’d vote for if the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate were held today.
Exactly 30 percent of voters said they’d support Hagerty, while 27 percent would support Sethi. Another candidate, George Flinn, would get 3 percent of the vote, while 8 percent would support another candidate. And 32 percent of respondents remain undecided, according to the poll.
“In summary, Bill Hagerty has a lead in the primary race for the U.S. Senate, but it’s not a secure lead against Manny Sethi,” according to the JMC report.
According to the poll, Hagerty holds a narrow lead whether or not undecided leaners are included, although that lead is within the statistical margin of error.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
I told you guys Marsha was an empty suit career politician. Hope this endorsement of Hagerty opens your eyes.
You are right.
Senator Blackburn has been pushed to the forefront in Washington for some reason but it does not appear to be because she is getting anything done. I will give her credit for bring attention to problem areas but I do not recall anything she has pushed actually making it into law. I will gladly accept correction if I am wrong about this. She strikes me as an establishment a willing party to the establishment (i.e. swamp creatures) .
Therefore I will stay with my plan to vote for Sethi.
Marsha-mallow sure has learned how to play the game! Now happy to just go along to get along, riding on the Federal gravy train. She’s a true weathervane of political headwinds if there ever was one!
So, now when McConnell says “jump”, she says “how high”! Until we get rid of McConnell, the games will continue to be played, and the swamp will never be drained!
You are right about good ole Mitch! The Democrats are talking about doing away with the 60 vote rule win they get control of the senate! When they do this they will get legislation moving! Marsha and mitch are concerned about senate traditions than getting legislation dine for the people! I am glad the Tennessee State senate doesn’t have this rule! Tennessee legislation seems to work fine without this archaic rule! Dr Manny please don’t commit to keeping this rule and to Keeping good ole Mitch as the leader! He has a terrible voting record according to the heritage foundation!! We need new leadership that is not tied to the senate tradition! A new senate member fresh off the campaign trail would be good! Senate leadership should change at least every two years!! Please push for leadership changes! Pick leaders that have a conservative record! Marsha voted for Mitch and he has a terrible conservative record!! Senator Cruz and Paul are good allies!! Go Dr Sethi fir Tennessee! 🙂
If Blackburn is against Sethi, I’m going to have to consider voting for him. If he gets the nomination, she will do as she always does: put a finger in the wind, find out which way it’s blowing, & switch positions.
if Marsha wants to support the swamp quo that’s her right but calling Hagerty a true conservative makes her either a liar or a fool!
Senator Blackburn’s endorsement was more of “get even” with you and sounds petty. I find Marsha’s endorsement more about settling the score with Dr Manny than about Hagerty. This is what is wrong in Washington , I don’t like you because you offended me attitude instead of putting Tennessee first and our country. We have serious problems in this country we need to work together and stop this high school behavior. He is a Doctor and can contribute to finding a health care solution for insurance coverage and future epidemic challenges we may face as a nation. Can’t we all get along? The democrats go in lock step and never publicly criticize one another in public. They win. Please set a positive example by working with everyone including ones you do not like (SETHI). Hagerty is a politician and the US senate is overflowing with them. Wouldn’t it be a good addition to have a medical doctor than can think for their self than be totally dependent on the deep state? Please grow up Marsha and put our state and country first. Your endorsement of a candidate that is running a negative campaign will not work. Tennessee GOP primary voters do not like negative campaign and petty politics. Please mature in your job!! Sethi represents the future…
Marsha I have always supported you! Even when the RINOs Corker, Haslam and others in the Tennessee GOP party laughed at you, and were never Marsha people. I am so disappointed in you getting involved in this primary race. Why ? I think you have become part of the long history of Tennessee elected officials that start out well as a conservative and then inflate your credentials to influence other Tennesseans that are trying to get away from the RINO past that Hagerty originates from. He supported Al Gore, Mitt Romney and common core. Is Dr Manny’s past so offensive to you that your willing to support a Mitt Romney finance mam (Hagerty)? Your endorsement of this Mitt Romney supporter is troubling! I think you have an inflated view of yourself to influence conservative Tennesseans! I don’t think this will work! I hope you and newly elected US senator Dr Manny can work together for the good of Tennessee and Our country!! Please remember it’s not a good idea to alient your supporters by attempting to influence them to vote your way with Hagerty. Sethi is young and adds diversity to the US senate. We need diversity and youth!!! I will be supporting and voting for Sethi for Tennessee….
We will too.Go Sethi
NOBODY, I SAID NOOOOOBODY CROSSES MARSHA!!! Ah yes my conservative friends, if only more conservatives were as refreshingly tough as Marsha (Heritage-85%) the conservative movement and ergo this country would be in better shape.
I would have preferred Marsha was a little less effusive in complementing Hagerty but if you are going to place your chips on this particular number then you might as well go all in and call Hagerty “a true conservative” (oh how it pained me to type those words). No matter, Chairman Manny has been worthless to the conservative movement, he has contributed to Corker (Heritage-63%) and Cindy Smith (Heritage-62%) so he should be punished by not receiving conservative support for election to the U. S. Senate. Same conclusion, different path.
Congratulations Marsha from a supporter since your first race against Bart Gordon. Marsha Blackburn – right again!
Agreed, Stuart. As always you hit the nail on the head.
Ok why is it that she voted for a bill that will let the FBI view our internet history and letting them invade our privacy? The bill didn’t go through but she voted in favor of that bill though.