Hegseth is not under consideration as jockeying begins for Tennessee Senate seat, AP source says

Houston Chronicle · JOEY CAPPELLETTI and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN · 2026-11-06 01:21 UTC

Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett says he wants to replace Sen. Marsha Blackburn when she becomes governor in January. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s name has also surfaced as a possible replacement,...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The race to replace Sen. Marsha Blackburn is intensifying in Tennessee, just days after she won the race for governor, with one Republican congressman publicly expressing interest and speculation swirling around Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican who won reelection Tuesday, told The Associated Press that he wants to be considered for the Senate seat when Blackburn becomes governor in January.

“Absolutely. Absolutely,” Burchett said when asked.

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