Bob Corker

Bob Corker
Official portrait, 2012
United States Senator
from Tennessee
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byBill Frist
Succeeded byMarsha Blackburn
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byBob Menendez
Succeeded byJim Risch
71st Mayor of Chattanooga
In office
April 16, 2001 – April 18, 2005
Preceded byJon Kinsey
Succeeded byRon Littlefield
Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration
In office
January 1995 – July 1, 1996
GovernorDon Sundquist
Preceded byDavid Manning
Succeeded byJohn Ferguson
Personal details
Born
Robert Phillips Corker Jr.

(1952-08-24) August 24, 1952 (age 72)
Orangeburg, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Elizabeth Corker
(m. 1987)
Children2
EducationUniversity of Tennessee (BS)

Robert Phillips Corker Jr. (born August 24, 1952) is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 2007 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2015 to 2019.[1]

In 1978, Corker founded a construction company, which he sold in 1990. This increased his net worth to $45 million. He ran in the 1994 United States Senate election in Tennessee but was defeated in the Republican primary by Bill Frist. Appointed by Governor Don Sundquist, Corker served as Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the State of Tennessee from 1995 to 1996, preceded by David Manning[2] and succeeded by John Ferguson.[3] He later acquired two of the largest real estate companies in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before being elected the 71st Mayor of Chattanooga in March 2001; he served one term (2001–2005).

Corker announced his candidacy for the 2006 United States Senate election in Tennessee after Frist announced his retirement. Corker narrowly defeated Democratic U.S. Representative Harold Ford Jr. in the general election, with 51% of the vote. In 2012 Corker was reelected, defeating Democrat Mark E. Clayton, 65% to 30%. On September 26, 2017, Corker announced that he would not seek reelection in 2018; fellow Republican U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn was elected to succeed him.[4]

  1. ^ "Bob Corker: U.S. Senate". Bob Corker for Senate. July 2, 2006. Archived from the original on October 11, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2009.
  2. ^ "Legislator sues state to inspect TennCare `". The Jackson Sun. January 17, 1995. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Tennessee Governor Selects Ferguson As State's New Finance Commissioner". Bond Buyer. May 24, 1996.
  4. ^ Sheryl Gay Stolberg (September 26, 2017). "Tennessee's Bob Corker Announces Retirement from Senate". The New York Times.