Corker, Fleischmann offer congrats to Trump
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Republicans U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann on Wednesday congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory over Hillary Clinton.
“The American people and the citizens of Tennessee have spoken in a remarkable and resounding way,” Corker said. “And I congratulate President-elect Trump on his hard-earned win.”
Corker added: “The real work now begins as we address the many challenges facing our great country, and I am looking forward to working with President Trump and the rest of the Congress to move our country forward.”
Here in Tennessee,
“The American people and the citizens of Tennessee have spoken in a remarkable and resounding way.”
Trump won 61 percent of the vote and the state’s 11 electoral votes. It takes 270 to become president.
“I wholeheartedly congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on his historic and hard-fought win,” Fleischmann said. “America has spoken, and it’s time Washington listens. I look forward to working with him and continuing to serve the Third District of Tennessee.”
Fleischmann coasted to victory Tuesday in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Chattanooga.
Corker, a former Chattanooga mayor, had been considered by Trump to serve as his running mate until the senator took himself out of consideration.
The senator has had a top committee aide — counsel John Rader — working on the now-president-elect’s transition team for weeks. Corker has been seen by some as a potential secretary of state or secretary of the treasury in a Trump administration.
At the same time, Corker is virtually assured of retaining his Foreign Relations Committee chairmanship, given that Republicans maintained their Senate majority on Tuesday. And there is some
“America has spoken, and it’s time Washington listens. I look forward to working with him and continuing to serve the Third District of Tennessee.”
speculation Corker could run in 2018 to succeed Gov. Bill Haslam.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s political effort this cycle was headed by yet another Tennessean, Ward Baker, and he’s already receiving kudos for helping what had been seen by many as a nearly impossible task given the number of GOP senators up for re-election in 2016.
Another Tennessean who has been working on the Trump transition team is Bill Hagerty, the state’s former Economic and Community Development commissioner who also helped raise campaign cash for Trump.
Haslam, the state’s top Republican, didn’t support Trump in the general election. When a 2005 tape of the then-reality TV star’s lewd remarks to a show host about groping women erupted in the campaign, Haslam called on the GOP nominee to step aside for his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
At the time, Haslam said he would not vote for Trump. Nor would he vote for Clinton, he emphasized, noting he intended to write in another Republican on his ballot.
Speaking with reporters this week, the governor sidestepped questions about whose name he wrote in.
“I don’t think most Tennesseans really care who I voted for. I really don’t,” Haslam said.
While many Tennessee Republicans were celebrating Trump’s victory, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., pushed for civility.
“I hope the president-elect will pledge to represent all people — including those who legitimately and genuinely feel threatened by him — not just those who voted for him,” the Nashville Democrat said.
— U.S. SEN. BOB CORKER, R-TENN.