September 27, 2017 - 3:15 PM
NASHVILLE - The Latest on Bob Corker's retirement from the U.S. Senate (all times local):
5 p.m.
Football star Peyton Manning is ruling out a bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Bob Corker, saying in a sports radio interview that he is giving "zero consideration" to running.
The former NFL and University of Tennessee quarterback tells WGFX-FM that while he has an interest in politics he has "zero interest in being a politician."
Corker told reporters in Washington earlier Wednesday that he hopes Manning will consider public service in the future.
Manning's political future has long been a source of speculation, especially after a highly publicized golf outing with President Donald Trump and Corker earlier this year. Manning also attended a Republican congressional retreat.
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4 a.m.
Few people in Tennessee thought Bob Corker wouldn't run for a third term next year.
That's in part because he was sitting on the largest sum of campaign money among Republicans facing re-election to the Senate next year. His surprise announcement Tuesday that he will retire from Congress set off a frenzy of speculation about who will try to succeed him.
Attention quickly turned to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, a close family friend of Corker's. Haslam can't run for governor again next year because of term limits.
Haslam's spokeswoman praised Corker's service, but didn't respond to questions about Haslam's future plans. Tom Ingram, a campaign strategist for both Corker and Haslam, said he expects the governor to give a Senate bid some serious consideration.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017