U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander is optimistic about the Republican Party’s chances to retake the Senate from the Democrats.

And the Maryville native wants to be a part of the work that’s ahead.

“There’s a good chance we can have a majority in the Senate,” Alexander said, in front of guests Friday at Sullivan’s Downtown in Maryville. “We can make a difference.”

Alexander, who is the only Tennessean ever popularly elected both governor and U.S. senator, is being challenged by six candidates in the Republican primary.

‘Stakes are high’

“The stakes are high in this election,” he said. “They’re always high.”

Christian Agnew, Joe Carr, Joe Shea Flinn, John D. King, Brenda S. Lenard and Erin Kent Magee are challenging him in the Aug. 7 primary election.

Four other candidates — Terry Adams, Gordon Ball, Larry Crim and Gary Gene Davis — are running in the Democratic primary and will square off against the Republican primary winner in the Nov. 4 general election.

If elected, Alexander pledged to make it easier for Tennesseans to find jobs, complimenting Gov. Bill Haslam’s efforts to attract manufacturers such as SL Tennessee LLC. The South Korean automotive parts manufacturer announced Friday it would build a new 250,000-square-foot building to join its two existing facilities in Clinton, create 1,000 new jobs and invest $80.5 million into the economy.

SL Tennessee LLC’s announcement follows on the heels of Volkswagen’s July 14 announcement. The German manufacturer will create 2,000 new jobs in Chattanooga and make a $600 million investment in Tennessee.

“Tennessee is moving,” Alexander said. “We need to reverse the trend toward a national school board. Alcoa, Blount County and Maryville don’t need Washington trying to make decisions for them.”

The senator also pledged to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with a health care plan that emphasizes choice, freedom and lower costs. He said he has a track record of fiscal conservatism, building the “best possible roads” while governor and not incurring any road debt.

First stop

Alexander selected Sullivan’s Downtown as the first stop on a planned 35-stop bus tour inspired by the late Howard Baker Jr., who toured the state by train and bus during his re-election campaign. He will spend time in the state’s three grand divisions, spending considerable time in East Tennessee.

The county native split Friday morning between Anderson and Blount counties, participating in SL Tennessee LLC’s announcement ceremony and voting at the Blount County Courthouse. He planned to spend Friday evening in Hamblen and Washington counties, attending an ice cream social and barbecue, respectively, in get-out-the-vote efforts.

“I’m kicking off in Maryville where I’ve always started my campaigns,” Alexander said. “The values of Maryville and East Tennessee are what I try to put into Washington.”

He expressed concerns with the Senate. “I feel that it’s a little messy. It’s not working the way it should.”

The senator, who has been involved in education throughout his political career, also expressed displeasure with the federal government’s role in public education. “I don’t know anybody in Washington who knows more about standards, curriculum and evaluations (than local and state education officials). We don’t need it. We have good schools in Tennessee. We need to move decisions back to the state and local school boards. They need to set their own standards and evaluation.”

He served as the University of Tennessee’s president from 1988–91 and served as U.S. secretary of education from 1991-93.