Search Results for: corker

Bob Corker Announces His Support for Marsha Blackburn’s U.S. Senate Bid

Tennessee Star Staff

Though he did not use the formal term “endorsement,” Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) announced his support for Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN-07) bid to replace him in the United States Senate on Monday. Corker sent this tweet out late Monday afternoon:   Now that the Republican primary has essentially concluded, I am sending a contribution to Representative Marsha Blackburn’s campaign and wish her well in her race for the U.S. Senate. — Bob Corker (@BobCorker) April 9, 2018 Blackburn became the presumptive Republican nominee on Saturday with the Tennessee Republican Party removed two potential challengers–Dr. Rolando Toyos and Darrell Lynn– from the August 2 primary ballot because they failed to meet the requirements established by the party to be a candidate for statewide office. As The Tennessee Star reported: The GOP State Executive Committee (SEC), the governing body for the Tennessee Republican Party, met in Franklin, Tennessee at the Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday and removed eight candidates from the August 2 Republican Primary ballot for failing to qualify as “bona fide” Republicans as defined by party by-laws. Seven of the candidates had filed petitions to run for the U.S. Senate; one had filed to run for Governor. Party by-laws require…

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Senator Lamar Alexander Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate as Outgoing Corker Remains on the Sidelines

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Sen. Lamar Alexander endorses Marsh Blackburn

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has endorsed Congresswoman and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). In a statement issued by Alexander, and posted in social media, Alexander said: “I have supported Marsha Blackburn as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and I support her again as a candidate for the United States Senate. She has served Tennesseans well. I look forward to working with her to make the Senate a more effective institution.” In response to the endorsement, Blackburn said: “Lamar is a true public servant, and I am continually grateful for his support. I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate to pass the President’s agenda. Together, we will effectively serve Tennesseans and fight for our shared Tennessee values.” Meanwhile Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is vacating the seat that Blackburn is seeking, remains unwilling to follow Alexander’s lead. In late February, after Corker again decided not to seek reelection, he refused to answer a reporter’s question regarding an endorsement for Blackburn.  Soon after, a Corker spokesman said: “The senator does not typically get involved in primaries but has always planned to support the nominee.” Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Corker reiterated his…

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Bob Corker Will Not Seek Re-Election to U.S. Senate

Tennessee Star Staff

On Tuesday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) publicly confirmed that he will not be seeking re-election to a third term in the U.S. Senate. Corker announced back on September 26 that he would not seek a third term, but earlier this month stated that he was reconsidering that decision. Corker’s chief of staff broke the news early Tuesday morning in Politico, then issued a written statement picked up by other media outlets. The icy reception Corker received when he spoke at the Shelby County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday night may have played a role in his decision to bow out without risking a humiliating defeat against front runner Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in the August Republican primary. The Tennessee Star reported on Saturday’s event in Memphis: Corker and his consultants have been trying to generate the perception of momentum for him to get in the race by “encouraging” speculative stories in national publications over the past several days, including in USA Today and ABC News. Those efforts, however, have fallen flat. Sources in the Corker camp had previously indicated to the press that he was going to make and announce a decision on the Senate race one or the…

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‘Hamlet on the Tennessee River’: Bob Corker Attends Shelby County GOP Dinner, Says ‘I Don’t Have Anything to Say’

Tennessee Star Staff

Both Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), the incumbent senator who said on September 26 he would not run for a third term but has been “reconsidering” that decision in recent weeks, and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat Corker is vacating, spoke at the Shelby County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday night. “I don’t have anything to say but at some point I might,” was all Corker had to say after Saturday’s event about a potential reversal of his decision not to run for re-election. Even the national press corps is finding Corker’s constant back and forth on this a source of amusement. “Hamlet on the Tennessee River,” Washington Post correspondent and NBC News contributor Robert Costa tweeted late Saturday night Hamlet on the Tennessee River https://t.co/N6tBjCWjEu — Robert Costa (@costareports) February 25, 2018 Vaughn Hillyard of NBC news tweeted the following after Saturday’s event in Shelby County: Corker after this Memphis dinner on possible re-elect bid: “I don’t have anything to say but at some point I might.” https://t.co/chUuCKbfbF — Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) February 25, 2018 Several commenters on Twitter pointed out that Memphis is on the Mississippi River,…

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Nineteen GOP State Senators Endorse Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate Over ‘Second Thoughts’ Corker

Tennessee Star Staff

Nineteen of the 27 Republicans in the Tennessee State Senate endorsed Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) on Wednesday for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate over a potential candidacy of Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who said in September he would not seek a third term but has indicated over the past week he is having “second thoughts.” The Tennesseean identified the 19 state senators who endorsed Blackburn: Sen. Paul Bailey, Sparta Sen. Mike Bell, Riceville Sen. Janice Bowling, Tullahoma Sen. Rusty Crowe Johnson City Sen. Mark Green, Clarksville Sen. Dolores Gresham, Somerville Sen. Ferrell Haile, Gallatin Sen. Joey Hensley, Hohenwald Sen. Jack Johnson, Franklin Sen. Brian Kelsey, Germantown Sen. Bill Ketron, Murfreesboro Sen. Jon Lundberg, Bristol Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, Knoxville Sen. Frank Niceley, Strawberry Plains Sen. Mark Pody, Lebanon Sen. Kerry Roberts, Springfield Sen. John Stevens, Huntingdon Sen. Ken Yager, Kingston “Among the initial group of Senate Republicans to not endorse Blackburn on Wednesday were Lt. Gov. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge and Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville,” The Tennessean noted, adding: Later in the morning, McNally posted his endorsement of Blackburn on Facebook, saying, “Marsha Blackburn proved her leadership ability in the House. It’s time to put…

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Fincher Drops Out of U.S. Senate Race, Encourages Bob Corker to Challenge Marsha Blackburn in GOP Primary

Tennessee Star Staff

Former Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN-08) announced late Friday afternoon that he is withdrawing from the race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee. Fincher’s withdrawal leaves Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) as the only viable candidate in the GOP race, unless Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) decides to change his mind and reverse his decision not to run for renomination. A recent poll by the Senate Conservatives Fund showed that Blackburn handily beats Corker should he enter the race by a 49 percent to 26 percent margin. In his statement of withdrawal, Fincher encouraged Corker to get in the race. “The party must get behind a candidate that can win in November and stop Democrat Phil Bredesen, who would be a rubber stamp for the Chuck Schumer liberal agenda,” he said in a statement. “For that reason, I believe Senator Bob Corker should continue to serve in the U.S. Senate, and stand with the President to fight for Tennessee families,” Fincher added in the statement. “My campaign has always been about what’s best for Tennessee. Tennessee families need a strong conservative voice in the senate, someone who will stand with President Trump and lead the Republican Party forward,” Fincher…

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Washington Examiner: McConnell Favors Marsha Blackburn Over Bob Corker

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Republican leaders in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have “moved on” from Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who recently indicated he is having “second thoughts” about not running for re-election, and are now all-in behind Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is the presumptive Republican nominee, The Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday: Top Republican leaders, including McConnell and Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as well as senior Blackburn advisors, some of whom were working for Corker’s re-election campaign before he pulled the plug, are baffled by suggestions that the congresswoman is putting this race in jeopardy. She has hit all of the metrics set for her campaign, launched only after Corker bowed out last fall. Her fundraising is strong, she is organizing on the ground, and she has the consensus support of the Republican establishment in Washington and the conservative grassroots in Tennessee long unhappy with Corker. Blackburn also happens to be a woman. That matters because the Republican Party is lacking female candidates — capable or otherwise — in an election cycle in which the GOP’s biggest vulnerability is a weakness among educated, suburban white women — just like Blackburn. “We simply haven’t been involved…

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OFF THE RECORD: Can Corker Heal the Rift with President Trump?

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Senator Bob Corker is apparently open to the idea of running for reelection, despite previously announcing that he would not run in 2018. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has reportedly advised Corker that the idea is a “non-starter” unless he can get President Trump on board. Is it possible for Corker and Trump to “kiss and make up” at this point? A quick review of some of the most blatantly anti-Trump statements that Corker would have to overcome make it clear that he would not only have to “eat some crow” – he would have to devour a whole flock! Corker likely doesn’t have the stomach to do so. And some may recall that Trump dined with his nemesis Mitt Romney while dangling a prospective Secretary of State appointment – and then left Romney dangling before turning to Rex Tillerson. If this video compilation of the “Best of Corker Bashing Trump” becomes “Must See TV” at the White House it is more likely that President Trump will have a warm and friendly reconciliation with Rocket Man before he does so with Liddle Bob.    

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‘Senior Adviser to Sen. Bob Corker’ Says ‘At This Point Nothing Has Changed’ When Asked About CNN Report He is ‘Reconsidering’ Retirement from U.S. Senate

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Late Sunday, “a senior adviser to Sen. Bob Corker”(R-TN)  told The Tennessean “It is true that Senator Corker has been encouraged by people across Tennessee and in the Senate to reconsider his decision, but at this point nothing has changed,” (emphasis added) when asked to respond to a CNN report earlier on Sunday filed by John King that rumors are circulating on Capitol Hill that junior Senator Bob Corker is ‘having second thoughts’ about retirement: CNN is told that in recent days. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee has floated the idea of changing his mind and running for re-election this year. Now sources tell us fellow Tennessean Lamar Alexander and South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham are among those who discussed the idea with Senator Corker. But – and this is a big ‘but’ – when the idea was broached to the Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, his response, we are told is, it’s a non-starter unless Senator Corker can get President Trump on board. You might recall last year, Corker questioned the President’s competence and in return, he earned the Twitter nickname, ‘Liddle Bob Corker.’ They are back on speaking terms – the Senator and the President, now – but one source familiar with the conversations says the president,…

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Bob Corker Once Told Other Senators That Illegal Immigration Isn’t ‘Fair to American Citizens’

Chris Alto

In 2007, when Bob Corker went to D.C. as the newly elected junior Senator from Tennessee he was openly against illegal immigration until he switched over while trying to save the 2013 “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill. During debate on the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007,” that would have ended chain migration, instituted a system of merit-based immigration, increased border security and interior enforcement, Corker said that to be “fair to American citizens,” illegal aliens should have to leave the country and then re-enter through legal channels: One of the things we are trying to address in this bill is a situation where our immigration has been broken, the system has been broken for many years. In 1986, legislation was offered to try to solve this problem. What has happened is it has gotten even worse, so there has been, obviously, more thought put into this bill. I appreciate again the many amendments and the discussion that has taken place. Many of the things we have talked about have addressed the legalities, have addressed some of the technicalities in our immigration system. It seems to me, one of the things we have not addressed—while we have tried to address fairness…

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Liberal Media Giant Headquartered in Washington DC Area Names Anti-Trumper Bob Corker ‘Person of the Year’

Tennessee Star Staff

The Gannett-owned USA Today-Tennessee network named Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), the compromised retiring junior senator from Tennessee, its “2017 Person of the Year” for his constant bashing of President Trump on Sunday. The big announcement from the Tysons Corner, Virginia based mainstream media newspaper giant came just weeks after a Tennessee Star Poll that showed Corker has an astonishingly low 22 percent approval rating among Tennessee Republicans, and a record-high 60 percent disapproval rating. It also comes barely a week after a devastating blast of Corker’s business ethics by Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi, who posed this question: How did Corker go from “dead broke” to a net worth of $68 million during his eleven years in the U.S. Senate? But the anti-Trump liberally biased Tennessean –part of the USA Today-Tennessee network that also includes the Memphis Commercial Appeal and the Knoxville News Sentinel–sees all of Corker’s attacks on Trump–who won the state of Tennessee by an overwhelming 60 percent to 36 percent margin over Hillary Clinton–as praiseworthy. “In October, he responded very publicly and forcefully to President Donald J. Trump’s bullying and insults on Twitter, calling the White House an ‘adult day care center,’” the Tennessean wrote of Corker, adding: In…

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Marsha Blackburn Welcomes President Trump’s Help in Her Bid to Replace Trump Antagonist Senator Bob Corker

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During Representative Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN-07) appearance Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead,” she seemed to surprise guest host Dana Bash with the suggestion that President Trump would be a welcome addition to the campaign trail in Tennessee as she seeks to replace the retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. As The Tennessee Star has reported extensively, before and especially after making the announcement he would not be seeking re-election, Bob Corker has repeatedly attacked President Trump in the media, calling into question the freshman executive’s mental state, negotiating skills, integrity, motivations, and more. Blackburn’s apparent open invitation to the President is a marked contrast to Corker – but no surprise, considering voters chose Mr. Trump over Hillary Clinton by more than 60 percent. Guest host Dana Bash asked Blackburn, “You’re in a big race down there in Tennessee. Do you want President Trump to come and campaign with you?” Blackburn answered, “What I want to do is spend my time working with the voters of this state, and that’s my focus,” Blackburn answered. “You know, President Trump is very popular in Tennessee. And people are so encouraged by the work that he has done in passing tax reform, Gorsuch to the Supreme Court–” Interrupting with crosstalk, Bash pressed,…

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Question Posed: How Did Bob Corker Go from ‘Dead Broke’ to $69 Million Net Worth During 11 Years in U.S. Senate?

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  “How do you increase your net worth by 69 million dollars while you’re working full-time as a Senator?” That’s the question Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi asked about Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday. Neither Taibbi nor Rolling Stone are fans of Corker (or of President Trump, Republicans, or conservatism in general). And Rolling Stone has had problems of its own, recently, as has Taibbi. Nonetheless, Taibbi puts a fine point on what many political watchers across the Volunteer State have been asking for years. Federal campaign contributions and lobbying data tracker Open Secrets has perhaps the most jaw-dropping illustration of Corker’s rise to wealth. As Rolling Stone’s Taibbi writes, “Corker didn’t just enter the Senate without any money. He entered it carrying, according to his own disclosure forms, a mountain range of huge loans.” Setting the stage for his ‘promotion’ from Chattanooga Mayor to U.S. Senator, Taibbi writes of Tennessee’s junior senator: Corker took office in January, 2007, during the last gasp of the Bush/Rove political juggernaut. The Iraq war had gone south and the Republicans had just been routed in midterms. The financial crisis was just around the corner. And nobody paid attention to the smooth-talking freshman Senator from Tennessee, who turned…

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New Poll: Bob Corker’s Favorability Rating Crashes to Record-Low 22 Percent Among Tennessee Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff

Senator Bob Corker’s (R-TN) favorability rating has sunk to a record-low 22 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to a new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Wednesday. A full 60 percent of Tennessee Republicans have an unfavorable view of the retiring junior senator. Corker’s record-low unfavorability rating among Tennessee Republicans stands in stark contrast to President Trump’s favorability rating, which remains sky high at 84 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to the same poll. The poll of 1,028 Tennessee Republican likely primary voters was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Research between December 12 and December 18 using IVR technology (automated phone response), and has a 3.1 percent margin of error. “These numbers are not really surprising, based on his consistent attacks on President Trump and obstructionist approach to issues that Tennessee voters overwhelmingly support,” Andy Ogles former State Director of Americans for Prosperity, tells The Tennessee Star, adding: Senator Corker figured out that we had figured him out and when he saw similar poll numbers earlier this year so he chose not to try to face Tennessee voters with his pro-Obama, pro-Establishment track record. Once he had a serious opponent for his seat he realized he was going…

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Senator Orrin Hatch Says He Wrote Tax Provision At Center Of Corker Controversy

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Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, on Monday admitted he crafted a controversial tax provision, which could personally enrich Sen. Bob Corker, House Speaker Paul Ryan, President Donald Trump, and top Republican lawmakers directly overseeing the bill. The provision could additionally benefit the real estate industry — which has been one Hatch’s largest sources of campaign donations.

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GOP Tax Plan Builds Momentum as Tennessee Senator Bob Corker Says He Will Support the Bill

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WASHINGTON — Key holdouts on the GOP tax bill fell in line Friday, boosting momentum as Republicans finished the final version of their tax overhaul before next week’s vote. Leaders won over Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who had been the lone GOP opponent in the Senate of the $1.5 trillion package earlier because he feared it…

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Bob Corker ‘Proud’ of Alabama for Electing Radical Democrat Doug Jones to Senate Over Republican Roy Moore

Tennessee Star Staff

Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Wednesday, as Mediaite reported: Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who thought Moore was unfit for the Senate even before the sexual assault allegations surfaced, told reporters that he was “proud” of Alabama: “I know we’re supposed to cheer for our side of the aisle, if you will,” Corker said, “but I’m really, really happy with what happened for all of us in our nation, for people serving in the Senate, to not have to deal with what we were likely going to have to deal with should the outcome have been the other way.” You can watch the video of Corker’s comments here. Corker’s latest comments are not likely to improve his standing with Tennessee Republicans. A recent poll published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press showed that the retiring senator is not very popular with Tennesseans overall, and that Democrats like Corker more than Republicans do: Approval ratings for the president are starkly divided by party lines with 81 percent of Republicans approving and 86 percent of Democrats disapproving. Support for Haslam is more mixed, with approval from 43 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. Corker, R-Tenn., who…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Why Doesn’t the Tennessee Republican Party Expel Bob Corker?

Tennessee Star Staff

Well, he isn’t the worst. Tennessee can take some small consolation in the fact that this state does not have the worst United States Senator. Only, one of the worst. In thirteen long months, the state and the nation’s long national nightmare will be over as “Bailout” Bob Corker will finally leave the Senate. Corker is known as “Bailout Bob,” or sometimes the “Senator from Obama,” for his willingness to help Barack Obama and the Democrats. For those who need a trip down memory lane, remember it was Corker who single handedly revived Dodd-Frank from death in the Senate and led the bill until it was signed by Obama. He also spearheaded the circumvention of the Constitution to allow Obama’s Iran nuclear deal to be approved. Corker was all but begging President Trump to make him Secretary of State after the President was elected. The President had the good sense to ignore the junior Senator. But that slight has sent Corker off. Perhaps as early as January, Corker knew he could not win reelection in this state and was looking for an honorable way out. Since President Trump did not give him that, he has been at war with the…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker Unpopular Among Tennesseans, But Democrats Like Him More Than Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
Bob Corker

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who was the only Republican senator to oppose President Trump’s tax cut bill that passed the Senate by a 51 to 49 margin, is not very popular with Tennesseans, according to a new poll. Corker’s continued opposition to the President Trump’s agenda appears to be one of the main causes of his plummeting popularity. “Support for Sen. Bob Corker seems to be abating as confidence in President Donald Trump and Gov. Bill Haslam remains strong, according to a new poll,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported on Saturday: The poll, which was conducted in November by the Mason-Dixon polling firm, found that more than 50 percent of Tennessee voters approve of how the president is handling his job, and even more approved of Haslam… Corker, R-Tenn., who in September announced he would not run for re-election, is less popular among voters. Only 40 percent of voters approve of Corker, with his popularity now significantly higher among Democrats (49 percent) versus 36 percent of Republicans. The firm’s poll notes there was speculation about Corker’s ability to win re-election in 2018, and the results show that only 32 percent of respondents said they would vote for him. Corker…

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Senator Corker Joins Democrats, Will Vote ‘No’ on Once-in-a-Lifetime Tax Reform

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In a move he telegraphed for weeks, retiring junior Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee announced Friday afternoon he will not vote for the tax reform package heading to the floor of the Senate, citing concerns for the government’s mounting deficits and debt. “This is yet another tough vote. I am disappointed. I wanted to get to yes,” Mr. Corker said in a statement, released on Twitter. “But at the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations,” he said. My statement on the tax reform legislation: pic.twitter.com/LdTQRezdlO — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) December 1, 2017 Senator Corker pushed hard for the bill to include a “trigger” that would undo reforms, should the American economy not meet certain benchmarks after the plan was implemented. Republican leaders rejected the idea, instead adopting other Senators’ suggestions on SALT (state and local taxes) and small business tax provisions – along with their votes. “While I support a number of the provisions included in this legislation and continue to believe it would have been fairly easy to…

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Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Bob Corker Promote Republican Tax Reform Plan

Wendy Wilson

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) released a video Tuesday in which she discussed her efforts to bring tax relief to Tennessee families and small businesses. Blackburn is running for the Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Bob Corker (R-TN), who also issued a news release Tuesday morning on efforts by Republicans in Congress to pass a tax reform plan. The House has passed the plan and the Senate is expected to vote this week. A key element in the plan is lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. The U.S. currently has the highest corporate tax rate in the world among countries with advanced economies. In her video, Blackburn said: Government never gets enough of the taxpayers’ revenue. The appetite, the insatiable appetite that government has for your money never ceases. To achieve tax relief is vital. And I think that keeping it to a focus of flatter rates for individual filers. Fairness in business taxes. And small businesses being able to use the rate that is there for corporations. That lower rate. 20% rate. That gives them more money to spend on that business to build their dream. And then also simpler, it is…

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Bob Corker Called Roy Moore ‘A Bridge Too Far’ But Gives Al Franken a Pass: ‘I Just Don’t Want to Be Weighing In’

Tennessee Star Staff

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) called on Republican Roy Moore to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Alabama after unsubstantiated allegations of sexual harassment more than 30 years ago were made against him. But on Thursday, Corker refused to call for any punitive actions against Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) after photographic evidence substantiated a more recent claim of sexual harassment brought against him by a woman who was on a 2006 USO tour of Afghanistan with the former Saturday Night Live comic. “I receive these kinds of questions every day about all kinds of things and I just — I don’t really have a lot — I don’t know enough . . . I just, again, I just don’t want to be weighing in on these things every day when I know nothing about them,” Corker told The Intercept when asked about the conduct of his friend and Senate colleague from Minnesota. The Intercept added: But when a reporter pointed out that he had weighed in on the Roy Moore scandal, Corker asked, “How did I weigh in on Roy Moore?” Look, I’m sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore’s nomination was a bridge too far. — Senator…

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Witnesses at Senate Hearing Convened by Bob Corker Claim Military Can Question Donald Trump’s Order to Launch Nuclear Weapons

Tennessee Star Staff
Corker Senate For Rel Committee Trump

Legal and military experts told lawmakers Tuesday the president does not have complete authority to launch the first strike using a nuclear weapon when the U.S. is not faced with an imminent threat. In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the experts grappled with what scenarios encompass “imminent” threats, when the president could order an…

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Pat Toomey Says Roy Moore Should Drop Out of Alabama Senate Race, Bob Corker Calls His Nomination ‘A Bridge Too Far’

Tennessee Star Staff

Sen. Pat Toomey has joined the growing chorus of Republicans who say Roy Moore should drop out the U.S. Senate race in Alabama over charges that the former judge pursued relationships with teenaged girls when he was in his 30s. “I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best…

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Sen. Bob Corker Announces Hearing Tuesday on President’s Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons

Wendy Wilson

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) announced this week that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the authority of the executive branch to use nuclear weapons, reports The Hill. The hearing comes in the aftermath of President Trump warning North Korea in August that it could face “fire and fury like the world has never seen” if it continues to build up its nuclear program. A frequent critic now of Trump’s leadership abilities, Corker is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has accused the president of putting the U.S. “on the path to World War III” with the way he threatens other countries. On Wednesday, Corker said in a statement that “a number of members both on and off our committee have raised questions about the authorities of the legislative and executive branches with respect to war making, the use of nuclear weapons, and conducting foreign policy overall.” Corker continued, “This continues a series of hearings to examine these issues and will be the first time since 1976 that this committee or our House counterparts have looked specifically at the authority and process for using U.S. nuclear weapons. This discussion is long overdue, and we look forward…

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Senator Bob Corker Is North Korea’s Favorite Politician

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Politicians are often known for measuring their worth by amount of media coverage they garner, and this seems to be especially true of our own retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. After months of attacks that have done nothing but alienate him from his own electorate, Mr. Corker has found a new audience for his anti-Trump rhetoric. None other than the starving hermit kingdom, North Korea. Breitbart News reports: North Korea’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Sunday cited Sen. Bob Corker to support its own attacks on President Trump, as he arrived in the region. Corker (R-TN) has questioned Trump’s “stability” and “competence,” and has attacked Trump for criticizing North Korean President Kim Jong Un on Twitter. Rodong Sinmun specifically cited Corker in its editorial, which said Trump “must hear such assertions,” according to the Korean Central News Agency. KCNA summarized the editorial: Dignitaries such as Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Senate, and former officials said that the president is uselessly escalating tension with the DPRK and he has to halt the reckless blackmail and take hands off the Korean affairs. Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun Sunday ridicules that if Trump is not deaf, he must hear such…

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Commentary: Will Bad Apples Bob Corker and Jeff Flake Spoil the Whole GOP Bunch?

Tennessee Star Staff

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   It’s now been over a week since Arizona Senator Jeff Flake delivered his melodramatic retirement announcement speech on the senate floor and the fateful words the establishment lawmaker uttered are still reverberating around Washington. Some even believe Flake and fellow retiring Senator Bob Corker are now “free” from the usual invisible restraints placed on politicians running to retain their offices, suggesting the two could make things pretty difficult for President Donald Trump and the GOP majorities going forward. Are they right? Sarah Westwood of the Washington Examiner reported, “Neither Corker nor Flake have the same incentives as their fellow GOP lawmakers, between now and Nov. 2018, to fall in line behind Trump as their party works to pass tax reform, repeal Obamacare, cobble together an immigration package that legislates DACA protections and keeps the government open past the holidays. “The margin of error for Republicans, with a slim 52-member majority in the Senate, was already too narrow for the GOP’s comfort. It took just one Trump critic, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to sink months of work on a healthcare plan that the president pushed aggressively through the House and Senate.” I hate to disagree with…

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Sen. Bob Corker Slams President Trump For Not Ruling Out Firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Wendy Wilson

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday blasted President Trump for refusing to rule out firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions if the Department of Justice doesn’t pursue investigations the president wants. Earlier Friday, Trump tweeted that the Justice Department and FBI should investigate “Crooked Hillary & the Dems.” The Associated Press reported that when asked before departing for his trip to Asia if he would fire Sessions if the Justice Department doesn’t do more to investigate Democrats, Trump said, “I don’t know.” Corker said in a statement, “Like me, most Americans hope that our justice system is independent and free of political interference. President Trump’s pressuring of the Justice Department and FBI to pursue cases against his adversaries and calling for punishment before trials take place are totally inappropriate and not only undermine our justice system but erode the American people’s confidence in our institutions.” Like me, most Americans hope that our justice system is independent and free of political interference. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/R4WrhSPQz3 — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) November 3, 2017 Corker’s statement was the latest volley in his feud with Trump over the president’s leadership abilities. Special counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential…

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MTSU Poll Shows Increasing Disapproval of U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Wendy Wilson

Disapproval of U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) has jumped since he and President Trump began feuding publicly, a new Middle Tennessee State University poll shows. Corker’s disapproval rate has risen to 41 percent among Tennessee voters, a 14-point hike since a similar poll this past spring. Disapproval of Trump has also gone up some, from 32 to 40 percent, but his 50 percent approval rate has held steady and remains well above the national approval rate of around 37 percent. Approval for Corker, meanwhile, dropped from 52 percent to 45 percent. The poll has a 4-percentage-point error margin. “Essentially, Corker’s negatives have increased markedly, but he has ended up only a bit behind Trump in terms of approval, and possibly on par with him,” Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Poll, said in a news release last week. “Meanwhile, some undecideds have switched to disapproval of President Trump, but Trump’s base is sticking with him and keeping his approval rate relatively high in the state overall.” The poll also found that approval of Congress is abysmally low. Approval is at 13 percent, down from 21 percent in the spring. In addition, the poll found: 56 percent approve of Republican Gov. Bill…

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Bob Corker ‘Couldn’t Get Elected Dogcatcher’ in Tennessee, But Doesn’t Rule Out 2020 Primary Challenge to President Trump

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Friday. The junior senator from Tennessee, whose poll ratings in his home state are so low President Trump recently tweeted “he couldn’t get elected dog catcher,” is fanning the flames of a potential 2020 GOP Republican Presidential primary challenge to President Trump. The Associated Press, reporting from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has the story: Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee did not rule out a run in 2020 against President Donald Trump when asked about it by reporters Friday, saying he’s focused on the next 14 months of his term and isn’t thinking that far ahead. The noncommittal response came as Corker doubled down this week on criticism of Trump, calling him “utterly untruthful” and responsible for “the debasement of our nation.” “You know, I don’t know what I’m doing next Sunday,” the senator responded when reporters asked about a potential presidential bid. Corker said it was far too soon to say if he would want a strong Republican primary challenge of Trump, whether by him or someone else. “I think that if you even begin thinking those things, everything you do becomes viewed through a different lens,” Corker said generally about presidential ambitions.

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Senator Bob Corker Just Won’t Shut Up, Says Good Relationship with President is ‘Irrelevant,’ Vows to Continue ‘Railing’ Against Trump

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Retiring Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) seems to be taking a P.T. Barnum approach to his legacy, as the famous promoter is attributed to responding to a negative story by saying, “I don’t care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.” Since the surprise election of President Donald Trump in November 2016, the junior Senator has arguably had more air time than his previous decade in office, combined – and nearly all of it is dedicated to criticizing Trump, his policies, and his agenda. It would be easy to imagine Mr. Corker’s social calendar is as packed as it has ever been. He is the new face for the NeverTrump Republican Establishment and their Democrat allies. Mr. Corker’s latest appearance on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ is a classic, by-the-numbers hit, as reported by Politico: Retiring Sen. Bob Corker said Thursday that it’s “ridiculous” to believe he has become increasingly outspoken against President Donald Trump because he was passed over as secretary of state. Corker, who interviewed for the position, said Rex Tillerson “was an inspired choice” to lead the State Department. And then, switching to the 3rd-person, added: “I don’t think Rex Tillerson has a closer friend on Capitol…

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Sen. Bob Corker Praises Sen. Jeff Flake as a ‘True Conservative’

Wendy Wilson

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) has released a statement praising U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election. Corker announced last month that he will not run again. As outspoken critics of President Trump, both Corker and Flake would have faced tough primary battles next year. “Jeff Flake continues to stay true to his principles and fight for what he believes is right,” Corker said. “He is a true conservative, an outstanding senator and a cherished friend. I look forward to serving with him for the remainder of our terms in the Senate and know he will continue to represent the people of Arizona incredibly well.” However, the problem for Flake is that many on the right no longer see him as a true conservative. Conservative blogger and radio host Erick Erickson summed it up in a piece Wednesday: Jeff Flake had a 100 percent lifetime Club for Growth record in the United States House of Representatives. He was a conservative’s conservative and stood up to the House GOP leadership. He used that reputation to catapult himself into the Senate with the backing of most every major conservative group. He towed a tough line on…

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America First Federation Calls on Mitch McConnell to Remove Bob Corker As Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman on National Security Grounds

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — On Tuesday, the America First Federation (AFF) called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to remove Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on national security grounds. For good measure, Corker should resign entirely from the United States Senate, the conservative grassroots organization based in Tennessee says. “Senator Corker has decided to become the champion of his own myopic agenda, rather than the national security interests of the United States,” Mark Skoda, founder and chairman of AFF told The Tennessee Star. “Senator Corker’s erratic comments attacking President Trump are giving aid and comfort to our enemies around the world, and Majority Leader McConnell must act now to remove that national security threat from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee immediately,” Skoda said. “The people of Tennessee have rejected his rhetoric. I personally have continued to call into his offices to express my disgust but have been unable to get through to the Capital. Either Bob Corker is extremely popular and receiving congratulatory calls on his obstruction, or he is getting an earful from Tennessee voters who overwhelmingly supported Trump in 2016. I suspect that latter rather than the former!” Skoda added “In light…

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Commentary: Fincher Rejects Trump, Sides With Corker and GOP Establishment In Hiring Kim Kaegi as Treasurer

Tennessee Star Staff

Despite his rhetorical claims to be in line with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, Republican Senatorial candidate Stephen Fincher has immediately aligned himself with the “Queen of the Establishment” and anti-Trump political class in Tennessee. Political fundraiser Kim Kaegi, who has been a lead fundraiser for Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Bob Corker, Governor Bill Haslam and gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, will serve as Treasurer and Finance Consultant for the Fincher campaign, as she announced in this October 23 email. Kaegi raised eyebrows in 2016 when the “Republican” fundraiser contracted to raise funds for staunch Democrat Charles R. Bone in the Nashville Mayoral race. After Bone failed to make the runoff, Kaegi shifted her fundraising efforts to Megan Barry as she faced off against the more conservative David Fox. Barry is a liberal democrat married to Bruce Barry, the past President of the Tennessee ACLU and a member of the board of directors of the national ACLU. He has been a frequent critic of Trump’s immigration poicies. Mayor Barry has supported sanctuary city status for Nashville, is a strong proponent for illegal aliens, and recently proposed a $5.2 billion tax increase for the city. She was a Hillary Clinton delegate to…

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Unhinged Bob Corker Attacks President Trump Again

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

An unhinged Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) attacked President Trump again on NBC’s Today Show Tuesday morning. In a series of reckless comments, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee undermined both President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson once more. This time, Corker used the term “kneecap” instead of “public castration.” “When you have the kind of issue we’re dealing with in North Korea where we have a very unstable leader there, when you send out tweets into the region to raise tensions, when you kneecap your Secretary of State whose diplomacy you have to depend upon, when you kneecap that effort, you really move our country into a binary choice which could lead to a world war,” Corker told Today Show host Matt Lauer.       “There are people around him that work in an effort to contain him,” Corker added. “This has been building for some time as I’ve watched the way the White House has operated. My concerns have continued to rise. I’m one senator who is expressing what I believe to be sincere – what I know to be sincere – concerns, and other senators may have other issues they’re dealing with,” the…

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Stephen Fincher Announces Campaign for U.S. Senate to Replace Bob Corker

Wendy Wilson

Stephen Fincher on Sunday formally announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). A West Tennessee farmer and small businessman, Fincher is a former congressman who recently served three consecutive terms before deciding in 2016 not to run again because of an illness in his family. Fincher will be competing for the Republican nomination against U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) and conservative activist Andy Ogles. Phil Bredesen, the Democratic former Tennessee governor and Nashville mayor, is also considering joining the race for Corker’s seat. Fincher portrays himself as a solid conservative, but grassroots conservative activists tell a different story. Earlier this month, when Fincher was on a listening tour of the state while considering running, Andy Roth, vice president of the Club for Growth, released a statement saying that “it’s worth reminding Tennessee what his true colors are.” “As I’m sure you saw, Fincher recently stated: ‘I think (Trump’s) policies are spot-on for what we need as a country.’ That’s pretty funny considering that when Fincher was in Congress he routinely joined with Democrats to support liberal special interests like voting for Obama’s green energy programs and supporting corporate welfare.  But his liberal leanings…

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Andy Ogles Calls on Bob Corker to Resign as Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican conservative U.S. Senate candidate Andy Ogles is calling on Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) to immediately step down from his Chairmanship of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Senator Corker’s reckless war of words with President Donald Trump has moved into increasingly dangerous territory as his latest outrageous attacks on the president undermine our national security and foreign policy,” Ogles said. “Corker’s statement that the president is setting the United States ‘on a path to World War III’ was completely irresponsible. His new claim that the president is ‘castrating’ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson not only damages the ability of the president and his foreign policy team to defend American interests but also undermines his authority as Commander.” Ogles noted that it “is clear that Corker has lost the capacity to put America’s interests ahead of his petulant tantrums. If he wants to continue to attack the president he can do so, but he shouldn’t do it with the authority of and from the ‘bully pulpit’ provided to him as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.” Corker has previously dismissed calls for him to resign from the U.S. Senate in the wake of his disparaging comments about President Trump.…

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Secretary of State Tillerson Punches Back When CNN Asks If He’d Been ‘Castrated’ as Bob Corker Claimed: ‘I Checked. I’m Fully Intact’

Tennessee Star Staff

If you’ve been paying attention to outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and President Donald Trump’s heated back and forth, you would know that Corker threw Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s name into the discussion. RELATED: Trump disputes Tillerson on North Korea: “Wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man” In an interview with…

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Bob Corker Undermines American Foreign Policy Again, Says President Trump ‘Cannot Publicly Castrate’ Secretary of State Tillerson

Tennessee Star Staff

A reckless Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) undermined President Trump and American foreign policy once again on Friday with a stunningly irresponsible statement made during an interview with the Washington Post. “You cannot publicly castrate your own secretary of state without giving yourself that binary choice,” Corker told the Post. Corker described his use of “binary choice” language by stating the president was “creating scenarios in which the United States might be forced to choose between waging war on North Korea or Iran or allowing those countries to threaten the U.S. with nuclear weapons,” Politico reported:   According to Corker, the secretary was in fact one of Trump’s greatest assets, and had made strides toward improving relationships with other global powers, notably China. “The greatest diplomatic activities we have are with China, and the most important, and they have come a long, long way,” he said. “Some of the things we are talking about are phenomenal.” It was an unprecedented and disturbing attack on the president of his own party by the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Conservatives and supporters of President Trump around the country immediately escalated their criticism of Corker. On Saturday, “Former White House chief…

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President Trump Tweets ‘Liddle’ Bob Corker ‘Made to Sound a Fool’ by New York Times

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

On Tuesday morning, President Trump slammed ‘Liddle’ Bob Corker for his recent interview with the New York Times.   The Failing @nytimes set Liddle’ Bob Corker up by recording his conversation. Was made to sound a fool, and that’s what I am dealing with! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2017 On Fox News’ Hannity last night, former White House chief strategist and Breitbart News executive Steve Bannon said that Senator Bob Corker (R-TN)should resign immediately because of those comments made to The Times: Bannon was reacting to a series of reckless attacks made on President Trump by Senator Corker (R-TN), the first coming in several Twitter exchanges with the president on Sunday morning, the others coming in an interview with the New York Times, which released the audio transcript of the conversation. “In a time of war, we have troops in Afghanistan, in the Northwest Pacific in Korea. We have a major problem,” Bannon said. “It could be like World War I. In the South China Sea, in the Persian Gulf – we have American lives at risk every day. He tweets on Sunday that it’s like the adult center and somebody didn’t have the morning shift. Then…

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Steve Bannon on Hannity: ‘If Bob Corker Has Any Honor, Any Decency, He Should Resign Immediately’

Tennessee Star Staff

Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity show on Monday, former White House chief strategist and Breitbart executive chairman Steve Bannon told host Sean Hannity “if Bob Corker has any honor, any decency, he should resign immediately.” Bannon was reacting to a series of reckless attacks made on President Trump by Senator Corker  (R-TN), the first coming in several Twitter exchanges with the president on Sunday morning, the others coming in an interview with the New York Times, which released the audio transcript of the conversation. “In a time of war, we have troops in Afghanistan, in the Northwest Pacific in Korea. We have a major problem,” Bannon said. “It could be like World War I. In the South China Sea, in the Persian Gulf – we have American lives at risk every day. He tweets on Sunday that it’s like the adult center and somebody didn’t have the morning shift. Then he has the audacity to go to The New York Times?” the former White House chief strategist asked rhetorically. “These people have no respect for the working men and women in the United States. I tell you what – Senator Corker is an absolute disgrace. And I agree with Jason…

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Senator Bob Corker Lashes Out After President Trump Tweets Corker ‘Didn’t Have The Guts’ to Seek Re-election

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President Trump on Sunday morning launched a Twitter attack against retiring Sen. Bob Corker, saying he “didn’t have the guts” to seek re-election. The Tennessee Republican quickly fired back, calling Mr. Trump’s White House “an adult day care center.” In his tweets, the president said Mr. Corker – who previously had questioned Mr. Trump’s competence -…

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It’s Official: Marsha Blackburn Is Running for U.S. Senate to Replace Bob Corker

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Ending months of uncertainty, Representative Marsha Blackburn announced Thursday that she will seek to represent the Volunteer State in the US Senate in 2018. WSMV reported: Congressman Marsha Blackburn has announced she will be running for the U.S. Senate to fill the seat of Sen. Bob Corker. Blackburn’s office says her announcement comes after “several days of a sustained recruitment effort by grassroots Tennessee conservatives to persuade her to run.” Rep. Blackburn released an announcement video talking about why she is running: TRANSCRIPT: The United States Senate. It’s totally dysfunctional and it’s enough to drive you nuts. And that’s why I’ve decided to do something about it. I’m Marsha Blackburn. I’m a hard core, card carrying Tennessee conservative. I’m politically incorrect, and proud of it. So, let me just say it like it is: The fact that our Republican majority in the U.S. Senate can’t overturn Obamacare, or will not overturn Obamacare. It’s a disgrace. Too many Senate Republicans act like Democrats. Or worse. And that’s what we have to change. Here in Tennessee, I fought my own party to stop a massive, job killing, state income tax. And we stopped it. We won. I know the left calls me a…

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Senator Bob Corker Has Plenty of Evidence to Support President Trump’s Reduction in the Refugee Ceiling for FY 2018

Chris Alto

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) has plenty of evidence to support President Trump’s presidential determination to reduce the refugee ceiling in FY  2018 to 45,000, but, so far, the soon-to-retire senator has been silent on that matter since that news broke late last month. In April, however, PJ Media reported, “Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he hopes the Trump administration begins to ‘move back to a regular process’ and ‘normalize’ the admission of refugees into the United States.” Corker should know the pitfalls of “normalizing” the admissions of refugees to higher levels of the Obama administration. He was a sitting member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when it convened a hearing in 2010, to address the failures of the U.S. refugee resettlement program and he learned a great deal about the serious problems of the program back then. The committee’s report, Abandoned Upon Arrival: Implications for Refugees and Local Communities Burdened by a U.S. Resettlement System That is Not Working, offers ample, if not overwhelming justification for Corker, now chairman of the committee, to support President Trump’s responsible FY 2018 cap for U.S refugee admissions at 45,000 annually, significantly lower than the 85,000 admissions in FY 2016, the…

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Bob Corker Contradicts Paul Ryan, Says He Will Not Support Tax Reform Unless Deficit Neutral

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Speaker of the House Paul Ryan thinks the Republican tax plan will make it through the U.S. Senate, saying the framework was negotiated on the front end unlike the failed attempts at repealing and replacing Obamacare. “We have more consensus on tax reform as Republicans, and we have less consensus on healthcare reform as Republicans,” the…

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Six GOP Senators Who Could Follow Corker into Retirement

Tennessee Star Staff

The surprise retirement of Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) may signal a rush to the exit door for other longtime establishment Republicans in the Senate. Several GOP members of the upper chamber — most of them advanced in age — have struggled to acclimate to the style and agenda of President Donald Trump. And some have drifted…

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Commentary: Corker Retirement Sends Shockwaves Through Tennessee Political Landscape

Tennessee Star Staff

U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s announcement Tuesday that he will not seek a third term next year has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Tennessee. With an open Governor’s race, at least two open U.S. House seats, and the likelihood of two dozen State House and Senate seats being open, spending in next year’s GOP Primary election season was already expected to approach $70 million. Now, that number may approach $80 million! The impact of the Corker announcement has already fueled speculation about who might run for his seat, and what impact that the decisions of potential Senate candidates could have on other races. Here is a quick rundown of some names already in the mix of discussion. 1. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R- TN-07). Marsha might not clear the field, but with over $3 million in her federal congressional account and strong con-servative credentials and name recognition courtesy of her many appearances on cable news networks, she would certainly give others pause if she gets into the race quickly. (If she hesitates, does Diane Black jump from the Governor’s race and with her personal funding advantage block Marsha from entering? That seems unlikely, unless Marsha hesitates for a while. Even…

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Marsha Blackburn Confirms She Is Considering Run for Bob Corker’s Senate Seat

Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) confirmed late Tuesday that she is considering a run for retiring Senator Bob Corker’s (R-TN) United States Senate seat. That confirmation came “within minutes” of Corker’s stunning announcement that would not run for re-election in 2018, the Hill reported: Minutes after learning that Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) won’t seek reelection, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) told The Hill on Tuesday she’s considering running for his Senate seat in 2018. “Yes,” Blackburn said when asked if she’s taking a look at the Senate race. Blackburn said colleagues told her about Corker’s retirement during votes on the House floor. The Senate Foreign Relations chairman did not give his delegation any advance notice of his decision, lawmakers said. If Blackburn enters the race, she would likely clear the field of any other conservative challengers for the seat. An establishment candidate, such as current Governor Bill Haslam, might emerge, but if she announces, Blackburn will become the prohibitive favorite for both the Republican nomination and the general election victory in November. Blackburn’s statewide appeal was demonstrated in a poll of likely Republican primary voters conducted by The Tennessee Star in early June which showed her in a statistical tie with Senator…

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Senator Bob Corker Will Not Seek Re-Election

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Several news outlets are reporting Senator Bob Corker will not seek re-election in 2018. The embattled junior senator from Tennessee released the following statement Tuesday: After much thought, consideration and family discussion over the past year, Elizabeth and I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires at the end of 2018. NBC News tweeted Senator Corker’s statement in full: JUST IN: Sen. Bob Corker announces he will not seek re-election in 2018 pic.twitter.com/DKI3aWlJYf — NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) September 26, 2017   DEVELOPING…      

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