Bill Hagerty — Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee, 2026

Senator Bill Hagerty advocates for strict enforcement of U.S. immigration law, supporting actions to remove individuals he believes should not be in the country, citing concerns about pressure on social services and law and order. He reintroduced the Equal Representation Act to prevent counting non-citizens for congressional apportionment and electoral votes, arguing this practice artificially boosts political power in some states. He also supports the SAVE Act, emphasizing the importance of requiring citizens to prove their citizenship to vote.

“I support whatever it takes to get people who shouldn’t be here out of our country. Period. Full stop.” — Senator Bill Hagerty, Squawk Box on CNBC, January 9, 2026.”

Senator Bill Hagerty criticizes the Affordable Care Act as a floundering system leading to unaffordable insurance and rising premiums for constituents. He voted against extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which resulted in increased costs for some. Hagerty advocates for Republican solutions to lower benchmark premiums, save $30 billion, and empower patients. He also supports preventing federal funds for abortions and restricting credits for illegal immigrants.

““The solution to this floundering Obamacare system – created by the Democrats without a single Republican vote – is certainly not what Democrats proposed today—to continue wasting Americans’ hard-earned dollars… I hope my Democrat colleagues will stop playing their political games and work with Republicans to actually lower the cost of healthcare for the American people.” — United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Senate floor, December 11, 2025”

Senator Bill Hagerty sponsored S. 3451, which became law and restricted environmental review and public input opportunities for large projects under the FAST-41 Act, curtailing the National Environmental Policy Act process. He opposed the Inflation Reduction Act. Additionally, he introduced the PROTECT USA Act of 2025 to shield U.S. companies from certain climate-related disclosure rules, aiming to replace what he termed "outdated Biden-era spending priorities" with core government functions.

““I’m pleased that this fiscally responsible legislation, which prioritizes only the core functions of government, fulfills our responsibility to uphold the rule of law, and makes targeted investments to strengthen public safety, is heading to President Trump’s desk,” said Senator Bill Hagerty, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. “This bill replaces outdated Biden-era spending priorities and implements the current needs of our country. President Trump and his administration will be able to continue carrying out their mission of enacting policies that best serve the interest of hardworking Americans across the country with this critical legislation.””

Senator Bill Hagerty supports restrictive measures regarding abortion and reproductive rights. He was a sponsor of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act in 2025, which aims to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise proper care for a child surviving an abortion. He also opposes the Women's Health Protection Act, which would entrench abortion access in federal law. Hagerty vehemently opposes taxpayer funding for abortion and supports parental notification laws.

Senator Bill Hagerty advocates for increased defense cooperation with Japan and other regional allies, supporting Japan's commitment to boost its defense expenditures. He also introduced the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act to address foreign nationals funding election-related activities. Hagerty has expressed concerns over arms control agreements perceived as unfavorable to the United States, calling for China's inclusion in such discussions.

“It’s an incredible show of strength at a very important time. President [Donald] Trump is hugely popular in Japan. The fact that he endorsed Prime Minister Ochi ahead of this election, I think, showed great unity. I think it gave her a huge lift. And now she has a super majority in the lower house there in Japan that’s going to give her the momentum and the impetus to make needed economic reforms, and importantly, to step up defense expenditures to levels well beyond anything that we’ve seen in the past. It’s going to strengthen our reliance and our relationship there with Japan and in the region." — Senator Bill Hagerty, Mornings with Maria on Fox Business, February 9, 2026”

Research pending more substantial sources.

Senator Bill Hagerty opposes the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938). He re-introduced the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act to block the use of Merchant Category Codes for tracking gun store purchases, citing concerns about civil liberties and the Second Amendment. He has also stated openness to considering red flag laws and previously supported legislation to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

““Merchant category codes should never be used to track and surveil gun store customers,” said Senator Hagerty. “If this alarming overreach isn’t stopped, radical leftists won’t just target gun owners—they’ll weaponize the financial system against anyone who makes a purchase that doesn’t conform to their agenda. This legislation is critical to preventing the politicization of MCC codes and securing the civil liberties of law-abiding Americans and the Second Amendment.” (Senator Hagerty, Hagerty.senate.gov, May 15, 2025)”