people like lamar alexander, bill haslam, from that corne of the state, howard baker from that cornerad a robust conservativ democratic wing, in the wester part of the state, well gues what, it's all nationalized. it's all polarized now it's a red state and the republican party i that state is in a deepl conservative state you're seeing it play ou today. but i can tell you from talkin to folks today in nashville, it's sadly ironic that it' happening there, they did no know that this kind of politic in their state up until te years ago. >> i would argue that somethin happened in 2016, that radicalized at least one of th parties. you know, in terms of th movements here and the onl republican governor to stand u to business when it takes stand on social issue is rhond santas and disney. it has not, nationally, it has not looked that great for ro desantis i wonder the degree to which you think other republican governors are looking at his example in saying, yeah, it' not the play i'm gonna run >> i think it's state by state i think some of them believe the populism that they tal about, al

for decades effectively the two parties would change the governorships back and forth you had lamar alexander sundquest and going back for decades you had robust competition in the congressional delegation you had basically a half and half gop delegation in that state for a long time up until really 2010. and historically you had a very strong moderate wing of the gop anchored in east tennessee, people like lamar alexander and bill haslum, howard baker from that corner of the state and you had a robust conservative democratic wing in the western part of the state. well, guess what it's all nationalized, it's all polarized now. it's a red state, and the republican party in that state is deeply conservative state, and you're seeing that play out today. i can tell you from talking to folks today in nashville it's sadly ironic it's happening there because they did not know this kind of politics in their state up until ten years ago >> i would argue, you know, something happened in 2016 that certainly radicalized at least one of the parties you know, just in terms of bill lee's movements here the

the a i hook i remember way back in the early 90s, i had a long shot candidate for president, lamar alexander, and when we announced that we are the firs candidate in american histor to announce on company serve compuserve - when we did that at school i knoxville. so, the republicans are goin to be 100% grievance they are going to try to kee raising biden's negatives, which they have some success with but when the swing voters show up, i think you're going to se a more adult message biden's numbers are so wea right now that if they do no fix them, he's incredibl beatable but he has a secret weapon, th republicans, who, if the nominate trump again, which actually don't think they will -- but if they do, they get biden even with his troubles, a very easy reelect so the republicans are reall going to be where the action i for the next year, to see if that process can put out a candidate who is not trump who can take advantage of th opportunity versus can biden w fix his weak numbers that is the core of this race. we do not know yet but the nrcc video was silly and that's not a step in the right

that is the a i hook i remember way back in the early 90s i launched a candidate for president, lamar alexander, and when we announced that we are the firs candidate in american histor to announce on comp you serve, the future is here of course we are getting all kinds of - when we did it at a school i knoxville. so the republicans are going t be 100% grievance, they ar going to try to keep raising biden's negatives, which the have some success with but when the swing voters show up, i think you're going to se a more adult message biden's numbers are so wea right now that if they do no fix, then he's incredibl beatable but he has a secret weapon, the republicans. who is a nominate trump again, which i don't actually think they, will but if they, do the give biden, even with hi troubles, a very easy reelect. so the republicans are reall going to be where the action i for the next here to see wha that process can put out a candidate that is not, trump who can take advantage of th opportunity versus can biden w fix is weak numbers. that is the core of this rac and we do not know yet the republican

and write another mistake that that so i hope the governor will get involved and we don't have lamar alexander's and jim haslam surrounding more bill has ones. to deal with these issues. bob corker's we've had some great leaders have been republicans as well as democrats over the years , but the republican moderates, the bob corker's alexander's, that happens, they're gone. right and, i guess simply put congressman was this an embarrassment for your state? definitely embarrassment. prostate have been many people contact me through emails and phone calls, saying how they i never thought tennessee was this type of state that we were different now. they put us in the bottom rank of states, and they just find this to be objectionable that asked, it certainly has a racist appearance. i think it was more of a control issue that racist, but it was. it was just too heavy handed. i wrote the speaker in its suggestion that that they had committed a wrong and that they had violated the rules. but that it should be dealt with by a censure or by committee assignment restrictions or something to that effect,

as our friend, lamar alexander, a the former senator from tennessee, liked to say, it's not easy to get here. and it's not easy to stay here because we have elections every six years. but while you are here, you might as well do something important. you might as well make a difference. i fear we are not doing that, mr. president, by the sort of agenda-setting and political messaging that the majority leader is endorsing. but it's something that i would dare say the vast majority of senators would relish in doing exactly that kind of work and solving real problems for the american people. mr. president, i yield the floor. and i'd note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: >> welcoming back our friend leader mcconnell. we're all happy to see he's recovering well. i want to welcome our colleague from pennsylvania center fetterman. p sending a message that asking for and getting help works. now on the debt ceiling is the start of a consequential work period in, but instead of getting to work in our nations capital house republican leaders

tennessee republicans, da, da, da well, it wasn't so long ago that tennessee republicans were lamar alexanderessful legislatures. senate majority leader howard baker. bob corker but these were republicans who were conservative but also were the type of people that tennessee republicans produced who would go up to washington, d.c., and have a large say in how the country ran itself now, you look and see what's happened this is the most extreme of extreme legislators. >> yeah, you know, it is not just nostalgia to look back at that period of time. that's a period of time when colleagues were colleagues, when there was a decency amongst them that's human nature. what has happened to us is the question i think we need to ask. but i do have a plbelief, and i think this is where history can help us. when you have peaceful protests and it is met with extreme actions, as it was in voting rights, as it was in segregation, the country then is fired. its conscien jn science food cop that's why the sicivil rights at and voting act was passed. the majority of the country said, this isn't right this isn't