Sen. Bob Corker to his successor: 'I will be cheering you on each step along the way'

Sen. Bob Corker | The Tennessean

Editor's note: The USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee reached out to Sen. Bob Corker for an open, nonpartisan letter to his successor, whoever that will be come November. Think of it as a letter a governor or president might place on his or her desk when leaving office.

Dear senator-elect,

I never dreamed of being a United States senator. I dreamed of building a business, and after graduating from the University of Tennessee, I built a construction company from scratch.

By my late 20s, our company was operating around the country and growing rapidly. I had worked hard, sure, but I also knew that I was blessed beyond measure and that I needed to give back to the community I still to this day call home.

One day, I was looking at our church bulletin and saw that they were organizing a mission trip to Haiti and needed someone who knew something about construction. Working with people in such need touched me in ways you cannot imagine.

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I began to focus on the inner city in Chattanooga and saw that people there had similar needs. And that is where my foray into public service began — not as a political endeavor, but a civic one, on a mission to help thousands of families have the opportunity for a decent home so they could have a better life.

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That is how I have tried to approach each job along the way.

It is how I approached my time as commissioner of finance and administration for the state of Tennessee, telling newly elected Governor Don Sundquist on my first day exactly how long I would serve.

It is how I served as mayor of Chattanooga, working with our citizens to reimagine our city, and after checking off every item on our agenda, stepping down after one term.

And it is how I have approached my service in the Senate, telling Tennesseans when I ran in 2006 that I could not imagine serving more than two terms.

I think when you approach public service that way and are willing to walk away from “power” it allows you to serve in a different capacity.

It allows you to get your uniform dirty on every play and to call ‘em how you see ‘em. It allows you to think big and tackle major issues without thinking about the next election. And it allows you to focus on what unites rather than what divides. Our state has been served in the Senate by individuals who have played outsized roles on the national stage because of their focus on solving problems and on appealing to our country’s better angels.

In my 11 years and six-and-a-half months in the Senate, I have done my best to serve in the same vein and move the ball forward on the issues that matter most to our state and country. And in our form of government, the only way to do that successfully is by working with members on both sides of the aisle.

Serving the people of Tennessee in the United States Senate has been the greatest privilege of my life, and I know it will be for you too.

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The people of Tennessee are special. They are passionate, proud people who are always willing to lend a hand to their neighbors. They love their families and strive to provide a better life for their children. They are people of faith, in God and country. They work hard and will expect you to as well.

In Genesis 12, God tells the Jewish people that they are blessed so that they can be a blessing to others. That is a verse I have often thought of throughout my Senate tenure. It has helped ground me during times of chaos and helped inspire me during times of sorrow.

This job will not always be easy, but it will be worth it because of the people I — and now you — have the privilege of serving. I will be cheering you on each step along the way. Congratulations and good luck.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker

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