US Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee to seek reelection in 2026
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — US Sen. Bill Hagerty, the Republican junior senator from Tennessee, announced Tuesday that he will seek reelection in 2026.
Hagerty, 65, will now seek a second six-year term in the U.S. Senate after winning the 2020 race to replace the retiring Lamar Alexander.
'I am pleased to announce my candidacy for re-election to the United States Senate,' Hagerty said in his announcement video. '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.
The announcement quells speculation that Hagerty may enter the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race to succeed Bill Lee, who is term-limited. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said during an appearance on Tennessee This Week in December that he would support Hagerty if he chose to pursue the governorship, adding he was 'hopeful' that Hagerty would run.
Hagerty began his career as a consultant before being tapped to serve as economic advisor and White House Fellow in the administration of George H.W. Bush. He later became a venture capital and private equity investor, co-founding the private investment firm Hagerty Peterson & Company. Hagerty served as a commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development from 2011 to 2014.
He served as US Ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019 during President Donald Trump's first term before announcing his candidacy for Senate. Hagerty currently serves on the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, among other committee assignments.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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