Blackburn joins Tennessee Senate race after Haslam begs off
Bill Haslam
Blackburn's entry followed a decision earlier in the day by  term-limited Gov. Bill Haslam  to sit out the race  despite entreaties from Corker  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Tennessee's senior senator  Lamar Alexander.
"While I have loved being a mayor and a governor  I don't feel the same call to run for Senate at this point " said  Haslam .  He  said the hyper-partisanship that surrounds Congress was a factor in  his  decision.
 Haslam 's popularity in the state and  his  vast personal wealth would have made  him  a strong candidate  despite lingering anger among some Republicans over  his  call to Donald Trump to abandon  his  presidential nomination last year following the release of a videotape in which Trump boasted about groping women.
Corker  who announced last week that  he  wouldn't seek a third term  also publicly criticized the Republican president  for  his  response to a deadly white nationalist rally in Virginia. Corker questioned whether Trump had the "competence" or "stability" to succeed in office.
"I believe in President Trump's immigration ban  and I'll fight with  him  every step of the way to build that wall " she said. "I stand when the president walks in room  and yes  I stand when I hear the Star Spangled Banner."
Former U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher is another potential Republican Senate candidate  and is expected to make a decision in the coming days.  Haslam  hasn't said whether  he 'll endorse a Republican in the race.
Blackburn's entry followed a decision earlier in the day by  [TGT] to sit out the race  despite entreaties from Corker  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Tennessee's senior senator  Lamar Alexander.
"While I have loved being a mayor and a governor  I don't feel the same call to run for Senate at this point " said   [TGT]  .   [TGT]   said the hyper-partisanship that surrounds Congress was a factor in   [TGT]   decision.
  [TGT]  's popularity in the state and   [TGT]   vast personal wealth would have made   [TGT]   a strong candidate  despite lingering anger among some Republicans over   [TGT]   call to Donald Trump to abandon  his  presidential nomination last year following the release of a videotape in which Trump boasted about groping women.
Corker  who announced last week that  he  wouldn't seek a third term  also publicly criticized the Republican president  for  his  response to a deadly white nationalist rally in Virginia. Corker questioned whether Trump had the "competence" or "stability" to succeed in office.
"I believe in President Trump's immigration ban  and I'll fight with  him  every step of the way to build that wall " she said. "I stand when the president walks in room  and yes  I stand when I hear the Star Spangled Banner."
Former U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher is another potential Republican Senate candidate  and is expected to make a decision in the coming days.  Haslam  hasn't said whether  he 'll endorse a Republican in the race.