Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Thursday endorsed Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander’s re-election bid in Tennessee.
“We need Lamar’s experience and shrewdness to fix Washington,” Mr. Gingrich said in a statement released by the Alexander campaign.
Mr. Gingrich, a Georgia Republican and 2012 presidential candidate who remains popular with tea party activists, provides a boost for Mr. Alexander among Tennessee conservatives headed toward the state’s Aug. 7 primary election.
Mr. Alexander does not face the fierce conservative challenge overcome this week by fellow Republican Sen. Thad Cochran in Mississippi. But GOP incumbents are not taking any chances following the surprise primary loss by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican.
The most potent primary challenger to Mr. Alexander is state Rep. Joe S. Carr, who has garnered more attention since the relatively unknown Dave Brat defeated Mr. Cantor.
“Lamar Alexander fights for lower taxes, less bureaucracy in Washington, more jobs in Tennessee, more take-home pay in your pocket and more freedom for you and your children,” said Mr. Gingrich. “As a committee chairman next year, he will play a vital role in ending the Obama era in health and in education.”
Mr. Alexander said he was grateful from Mr. Gingrich’s endorsement and associate himself to what he called Mr. Gingrich’s “proven record as a creative, conservative leader.”
“The best way to resurrect the energy Newt brought to the conservative movement — and move the country in the right direction — is to elect a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate,” said Mr. Alexander. “As a member of that majority, I will fight to bring to Washington the principles of low taxes, balanced budgets and job growth that I helped to establish in Tennessee.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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