U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty has left the Land of the Rising Sun to return to the Volunteer State in a likely run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate seat.
Hagerty tweeted, “Farewell Japan, and thank you for the incredible hospitality you have shown me and my family. These past two years have been the greatest of our lives.”
Farewell Japan, and thank you for the incredible hospitality you have shown me and my family. These past two years have been the greatest of our lives. 🇺🇸🤝🇯🇵 またお会いしましょう ! 👋🏼✨ https://t.co/j53xf4zODO
— ラーム・エマニュエル駐日米国大使 (@USAmbJapan) July 22, 2019
Alexander (R-TN) announced in December that he would not run again for the Senate, The Tennessee Star reported.
President Donald Trump earlier this month endorsed Hagerty’s potential Senate bid, which likely would be announced after he leaves federal government service, The Star said.
Just a week ago, speculation was still running rampant on whether Hagerty actually would run for the Senate, the Nashville Post said, calling him the “hypothetical frontrunner.”
Ward Baker, who ran Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s 2018 campaign, is expected to run Hagerty’s campaign, Politico said. Baker is the former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
On a recent Tennessee Star Report, Club for Growth Chairman David McIntosh discussed a potential Hagerty candidacy with the hosts.
“He’s done a critical job over there without an ambassador of North Korea. He’s been a key diplomat in a very high-stakes negotiation with North Korea. So as a Tennessean, he would be a favorite one that people would like. You’ve got a lot of good options and it will be interesting to see how it all sorts out,” said McIntosh.
Vanderbilt surgeon Dr. Manny Sethi has previously announced his candidacy for Alexander’s seat. Former Gov. Bill Haslam recently said he would not run for the seat.
Hagerty was the 30th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan and was sworn in on July 27, 2017, according to the embassy’s website.
His previous jobs included serving as director of presidential appointments for Trump’s transition team as well as founder and managing director of Hagerty Peterson & Company, a private equity investment firm. He was a co-founder of the committee that is bidding to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Nashville.
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) and former state lawmaker Jamie Woodson are also considering a run for Alexander’s seat, UPI said.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
[…] Hagerty, an investor, was confirmed by the Senate in July 2017 to serve as U.S. ambassador to Japan. He stepped down in July 2019 to return to Tennessee and run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate seat, The Tennessee Star reported. […]
[…] resigned as ambassador to Japan in July to prepare for his campaign, The Star reported. Hagerty was the 30th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan and was sworn in on […]
[…] As reported, Hagerty was the 30th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan and was sworn in on July 27, 2017, according to the embassy’s website. […]
[…] U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty this week stepped down from his post; he is expected to run for Alexander’s seat, The Tennessee Star reported. […]
If we run who conservatives need, McConnell’s boys will do a “Roy Moore” on him, and we will be stuck with a Dem. I guess we’d better be satisfied with the RINO.
Want to avoid a sequel to Lamar? Better not forget Hagerty’s time in “Lips” Bush administration and his stint as national finance chairman of Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. Hagerty’s anemic record before he got lucky and signed on with Trump shows him to be a rich establishment Republican with decidedly centrist tastes. Come on conservatives, we can do much, much better than that for a U. S. Senate seat.
BTW, did you know that David Kustoff is carrying a 92% lifetime score from Heritage Action? Now that’s more like it!
Bill Hagerty is the epitome of the establishment rhino. He’s a globalist, joined at the hip with former governor Haslam and the East Tennessee money/power cartel. He is more interested in cozying up to the Brotherhood and their stooges than the safety and welfare of the people of his state.