NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Governor Bill Haslam has announced he will not be running for a United States Senate seat.
In a letter penned for the Tennessean, Haslam said he has “wrestled” with the idea of serving in Congress since he left office in January, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t right for him to pursue.
“While I think serving in the United States Senate would be a great privilege and responsibility, I have come to the conclusion that it is not my calling for the next period of my life,” he said.
He noted that this was the “toughest vocational decision” of his career and thanked everyone for their support.
Haslam first served as the mayor of Knoxville before being elected as the 49th governor of the state of Tennessee. He stepped down in January due to term limits and was immediately taken into consideration by many as a potential replacement for retiring GOP Senator Lamar Alexander.
After Haslam’s announcement, Alexander released a statement saying, “Bill Haslam would be a terrific United States senator, but he has served Tennessee well and unselfishly for 15 years as governor and as mayor of Knoxville, and I can completely understand his desire to take a different direction with his life.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn also praised Haslam saying, “Tennesseans are better off because of Bill Haslam’s leadership. Serving with him in the Senate would have been an honor. We’re forever grateful for his service and wish him, Crissy, & their beautiful family the best in this next chapter.”