Sen. Richard Lugar defeat could place Sen. Bob Corker into Senate leadership position
Tuesday's primary defeat of Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., potentially has big ramifications for Sen. Bob Corker.
Lugar, a 36-year veteran of the Senate, serves as the top Republican member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which oversees matters of foreign policy and legislation. His defeat opens up the committee's ranking GOP position, making Corker, the next Republican in line, a probable replacement.
Although Corker's ascension is by no means guaranteed, a Washington Post report called the senator and former Chattanooga mayor "the most likely choice" to replace Lugar. And if Republicans were to take control of the Senate in November, Corker could potentially find himself in the committee's chairman position, currently held by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
Other senators whose names have been mentioned as possible replacements for Lugar on the committee include Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Corker's move to the top slot could be inhibited by his work on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, for which he has also been mentioned as possibly being tapped as the ranking Republican. Senators cannot chair or be the ranking member of two committees.
In a recent interview with Nashville Public Radio, Corker shied away from speculating on his future, only hinting at his plans to continue working on both committees.
"Most human beings have the ability to do more than one thing, so I certainly, regardless of what may or may not happen down the road, will absolutely continue to be a voice regarding our out-of-control spending here," Corker said.
