Cooper Statement on Announcement by Sen. Lamar Alexander

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) today issued the following statement after U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said he would not seek re-election in 2020:

“Lamar is finishing a stellar career in Tennessee politics,” Rep. Cooper said. “I honor him for his service, but I also hope he will use his last two years in office to challenge President Trump the way that Bob Corker has done. I am worried that the Tennessee Republican Party is losing the legacy of Howard Baker: his willingness to investigate his own president, to insist on fiscal discipline, open markets, and civil rights. America needs that fair-mindedness now more than ever.”