NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Lamar Alexander won the Republican nomination to a third term in the U.S. Senate, while a challenge to scandal-plagued U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais was too close to call Thursday.
Alexander, a former two-term governor who also ran for president twice, defeated tea party-styled state Rep. Joe Carr. In his victory speech, Alexander touted his ability to craft compromises in the Senate.
“If we want to change Obamacare, we’re going to have to pass something. If we want to fix the debt, we’re going to have to pass something,” Alexander said. “And to do that we’re going to have to work with other people to get it done.”
Carr, on the other hand, struck a defiant tone in his concession speech.
“While this battle was lost tonight … it wasn’t the first battle, and it won’t be the last battle,” Carr said.