Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee, told Breitbart News Saturday that Tennesseans want a senator who will vote to “end illegal immigration and build a wall,” not make Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) the “Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate.”
President Donald Trump fully endorsed Blackburn for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, despite Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) praising her Democrat opponent, former Democrat governor Bill Bredesen.
“Marsha Blackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her,” Trump wrote on Twitter last week. “Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee.”
.@MarshaBlackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her. Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018
In reaction to the news, Blackburn told Breitbart News Saturday, “I am so honored to have his endorsement and to have his help and getting him to Tennessee and having him out on the campaign trail with me.”
Sen. Bob Corker, who will retire at the end of this congressional term, praised Blackburn’s Democrat opponent, saying that Bredesen has “real appeal.”
Rep. Blackburn said Tennesseans want a senator who will work to end illegal immigration and build a wall, not another solid vote for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Blackburn explained, “I am focused on winning this race in November, and we have plenty of independents and Democrats who are looking to show up with us, because they want a U.S. senator who’s going to support President Trump, who’s going to support tax cuts. Bill Bredesen said he would have voted against tax cuts. They want someone who is going to work to end illegal immigration and build a wall. Phill Bredesen gave driver’s licenses to illegal aliens when he was the governor of Tennessee; they want somebody who’s going to support conservative Supreme Court justices, and they certainly do not want Chuck Schumer as the Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate.”
President Trump labeled Sen. Corker as “Liddle’ Bob Corker” after the senator cautioned that President Trump serves as a threat to national security and could start World War III.
The Failing @nytimes set Liddle' Bob Corker up by recording his conversation. Was made to sound a fool, and that's what I am dealing with!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2017
Corker admitted that he has closer ties to Bredesen than to Rep. Blackburn.
Sen. Corker said, “The reason I speak the way I do about the [former] governor is there’s just been such an intertwined working relationship on and off for 23 years.”
The retiring senator added, “I just never have had that kind of relationship with the congressperson. I mean, I’ve known her professionally, but it hasn’t been like we’ve been close friends and worked on issues together. I can’t think of a single piece of legislation we’ve ever worked on together.”
Republicans campaigning for Blackburn vented frustration about Corker’s praise for her Democrat opponent.
One Senate GOP strategist said, “Senator Corker is actively trying to undermine Senate Republicans and President Trump’s agenda. It is sad that he is spending his last days in the Senate helping Chuck Schumer.”
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