Editor’s notebook: The silence of Tennessee’s ‘statesmen’

By: J. Holly McCall

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: June 1, 2026

Words: 958

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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Politically interested Tennesseans of a certain era often invoke the ghost of Howard Baker, longtime Republican U.S. senator, when they talk of statesmen and trends in the Tennessee GOP.

Baker, who served in the Senate from his 1966 election through 1984, was known as the “Great Conciliator” for his skill in brokering bipartisan deals and his commitment to civil discourse. He served as the ranking minority member on the committee investigating President Richard Nixon’s …

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