Sen. Hagerty announces re-election bid

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) is running for reelection in 2026, ending speculation about a potential gubernatorial bid to succeed term-limited Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R).

“I am pleased to announce my candidacy for re-election to the United States Senate. It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve the men and women of Tennessee, and I am committed to the fight for our shared values, our freedoms, and the future of our great state and nation,” Hagerty said in a Tuesday press release. 

During President Trump’s first term in office, Hagerty served as U.S. ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019. 

Hagerty then ran for a Tennessee Senate seat previously held by GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander. Trump endorsed him and eventually won the competitive Republican Party primary. The businessman beat Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in November 2020, getting around 62 percent of the vote. 

“I stood with President Trump then, and I remain committed now to advancing the policies that put hardworking Americans and Tennesseans first,” Hagerty said. 

Until recently, Hagerty was considering a run for the state’s governor spot, potentially putting him on a collision course with the Volunteer State’s other upper chamber lawmaker, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who has also expressed strong interest. 

Hagerty’s finance chair for his 2020 campaign, Steve Smith, told Knoxville News Sentinel earlier this month that “we have had dozens who have reached out to us. It is reasonable to assume a decision will be made in the next 100 days.”

One GOP senator confirmed to The Hill mid-January that Blackburn is looking closely at a gubernatorial run, saying it is the state’s “worst kept secret.” At the time, she was already calling political operatives, another source familiar with the matter added. 

“My lifelong business experience, which gave me firsthand exposure to the crippling overreach of the administrative state, provides unique perspective to the critical debates and lawmaking that takes place in the Senate,” Hagerty said on Tuesday. “I’ve fought to secure our southern border, support our small businesses, strengthen our national security, and ensure Tennessee’s voice is heard in Washington.” 

Hagerty was in consideration for some cabinet roles for Trump’s second term, including the State Department, Commerce Department and the Treasury Department. 

The Tennessee senator will begin his 2026 reelection campaign with almost $9 million raised, according to the press release. He will crisscross the state in the coming weeks to hold finance and campaign events “that will demonstrate his unmatched support throughout the Volunteer State and its three grand divisions.”