Bill Frist May Consider Tennessee Governor Run

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has left the door open for a run at the Tennessee governorship.

If Sen. Bill Frist decides to run for governor of Tennessee in 2010, he would be a formidable candidate — and likely the only Republican in the field who has won statewide office, several political insiders and observers said. Frist left the door open Monday when responding to a question about the governor’s office, saying it’s something he’d “consider for the future,” though he hadn’t given it much thought.

It may well be his best shot at rebuilding his image and rescuing his presidential ambitions. His resume is sparkling but his image took a beating during his stint as Majority Leader. A win in 2010 and a strong start as governor could reposition him as a strong leader.

Frist is still a young man. He turns 55 in February. If a Republican wins the presidency in 2008, he would have to wait until 2016 to run, at which point he’d only be 64.

via Taegan Goddard

FILED UNDER: The Presidency, Uncategorized, , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.