Current, former Chattanooga congressmen make competing U.S. Senate endorsements

A Chattanooga congressman and his predecessor are making competing endorsements in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Former Rep. Zach Wamp is giving the nod to Vanderbilt surgeon Manny Sethi, while current Rep. Chuck Fleischmann is getting behind Bill Hagerty.

Wamp joined fellow former Rep. Ed Bryant (R-Jackson) in endorsing Sethi:

“Dr. Manny is the real deal, the real conservative, and the right choice for Tennessee. He shares our Tennessee values: faith, family, and freedom.” – Zach Wamp pic.twitter.com/q5aPX5X5ZS

— Dr. Manny For Senate (@DrMannySenate) June 24, 2020

Fleischmann won the 3rd Congressional District seat when Wamp gave it up to run for governor in 2010. Wamp had first been elected to the seat in 1994.

I’m proud to join President @realDonaldTrump in support of my good friend @BillHagertyTN for U.S. Senate. Bill is the trustworthy conservative businessman we need in the Senate to help get our economy going again & get Tennesseans back to work.https://t.co/DJKF8MvNrG

— Chuck Fleischmann (@chuck4congress) June 24, 2020

Wamp endorsed Bill Lee in the 2018 gubernatorial primary, giving a boost to the Franklin businessman’s campaing. There was a personal backstory to that endorsement, as political operative Chip Saltsman was advising rival Republican Randy Boyd’s campaign. Saltsman had also run Fleischmann’s successful campaigns against Weston Wamp, the congressman’s son, in 2012 and 2014.