Sen. Bill Hagerty, a Republican, is seeking reelection to the U.S. Senate representing Tennessee in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He has been certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
Hagerty has held the seat since Jan. 3, 2021, according to U.S. Senate records. He faces nine other candidates: Marquita Bradshaw (Democratic); Andrew Gerena (Independent); Catherine Barcel Whitson (Independent); David Sutman Jr. (Independent); James William Macon III (Independent); Jeremy Dean Hearn (Independent); Robert Jones (Independent); Tharon Chandler (Independent); and Yoshi D. Matthews (Independent).
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Davidson County, Tennessee
- Family: Married to Chrissy; four children, according to his campaign website
- Hometown: Born in Gallatin, Tennessee, according to his campaign website. His mother was a schoolteacher. His father, a veteran, worked road construction, Hagerty said.
- Education: Bachelor of arts in economics, Vanderbilt University, 1981; juris doctor, Vanderbilt University Law School, 1984, according to Vanderbilt Law School. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and attended law school as a Patrick Wilson Scholar.
Experience and public service
- U.S. Senator, Tennessee (Jan. 3, 2021–present). Hagerty said he serves on four Senate committees: Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Foreign Relations; Appropriations; and Rules and Administration.
- U.S. Ambassador to Japan (2017–2019), according to Vanderbilt Law School
- Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee (2011–2014). Hagerty said Tennessee became the top state for jobs created through direct foreign investment during his tenure and earned back-to-back "State of the Year for Economic Development" awards.
- Senior leader, Trump Transition Team (2016), according to BallotReady
- White House Fellow, George H.W. Bush administration, Office of the Vice President, according to Vanderbilt Law School
- Founder and managing director, Hagerty Peterson & Co., according to Vanderbilt Law School
- Consultant, Boston Consulting Group, according to his campaign website
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Hagerty's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. They reflect the candidate's own statements.
Economy and technology: Hagerty said he wrote the GENIUS Act, which he described as a conservative initiative to restore American leadership in next-generation technologies, strengthen domestic capital formation and counter what he called the growing threat from Communist China.
Taxes and budget: Hagerty said he supports making the tax code "simple, fair, low, and permanent" and backs a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. He said he would fight to cut federal spending and oppose what he called reckless spending.
Infrastructure: Hagerty said he would work across party lines to close the digital divide and ensure all Tennesseans have reliable internet access.
Energy and environment: Hagerty said he opposes the Green New Deal and supports fossil fuel exploration and development. He said he would work to repeal renewable fuel standards and scale back environmental regulations.
Drug policy: Hagerty said three Tennesseans lose their lives each day to the opioid epidemic. He said all levels of government must work together on prevention, enforcement, treatment and recovery programs.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are attributed to their stated sources:
- Donald J. Trump (according to Hagerty's campaign website)
- Senate Conservatives Fund (according to BallotReady)
Candidate responses were collected through BallotReady and the candidate's campaign website. The Hendersonville Register did not interview the candidate for this profile. This content is AI-curated and human-edited.
