Bob Corker

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 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 and succeeded by John Ferguson 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 20012005 Corker announced his candidacy for the 2006 United States Senate election in Tennessee after Frist announced his retirement Corker narrowly defeated Democratic US 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 US Representative Marsha Blackburn was elected to succeed him