# Lamar Alexander Calls It Quits

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [December 17, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278 "2018-12-17T17:55:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/1 "2018-12-17T17:55:58Z")

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[No word yet on his reasons:](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/17/sen-lamar-alexander-will-not-run-for-reelection-1067254)

> [@](#):
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> Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will not run for another term in the Senate, a decision that represents a body blow to the institution and comes as a surprise to many of his colleagues on Capitol Hill…

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### Author: ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/2 "2018-12-17T19:20:28Z")

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Because he’s getting old?

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### Author: ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/3 "2018-12-17T19:33:27Z")

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Tennessee has gotten pretty red, as the last Senate election showed. He probably figures that at best the Republicans hold onto a narrow Senate majority with a Democratic House and President.

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### Author: ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/4 "2018-12-17T19:41:28Z")

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Well, he’s 78 and may be that rare Senator who would prefer to depart the chamber on his own two feet rather than on a gurney. As the article says, he’s always been pretty conservative but also someone amenable to working across the aisle on occasion and cutting a deal. He’s almost certain to be replaced by somebody worse.

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### Author: ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/5 "2018-12-17T19:44:05Z")

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I don’t know which class he’s in, but “will not seek re-election” at this point just means, at the minimum, that he’s still on the job for two more years.

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### Author: ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/6 "2018-12-17T20:08:50Z")

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The seat’s up in 2020.

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### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamar-alexander-calls-it-quits/826278/7 "2018-12-17T22:22:47Z")

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I live in TN.  
He’s a plague.