Thread by @HeidiNBC

After 17 years in the Senate, a single vote may define retiring Sen. @SenaAlexander's legacy.

W 1 more R needed to hear witnesses at Trump's impeachment trial, his good friend, Keel Hunt (Alexander was best man at his 1981 wedding), spoke with @NBCNews

Here's what Hunt said:

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews “If I had to guess right now … I wouldn’t be surprised if he says, ‘yeah let’s hear them. I think there’s a point when you think, how long can you keep a straight face,” Hunt said on Jan. 28.

The senator’s entire career has been about “looking for a middle ground,” said Hunt.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews Even so, Hunt said he hasn't spoken w Alexander in weeks and has no idea how the senator will actually vote; he may be projecting what he thinks his friend *should* do.

Alexander, revered as a principled lawmaker and institutionalist, is caught between strong political winds.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews On the one hand, Alexander is under intense pressure not to undercut his longtime friend, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who wants a quick acquittal this week.

He's also "going home" soon. Here's what's going on in Nashville:

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews Virginia Shepherd, an emeritus professor who retired a year ago from Alexander’s alma mater, Vanderbilt University, said there is a “salon” of at least 125 local and state individuals sending letters, emails and placing numerous phone calls to his office last week and this week.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews Shepherd, whose children attended high school w Alexander’s children, said she’s troubled there’s doubt about how he’ll vote on witnesses.

“Many of us know Lamar and have known him for years and just don’t quite understand where he is right now and what’s happened to him."

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews “He’s just been that kind of solid senator who would look at the Constitution and say ‘this is what we need to do,'" said Shepherd.

Hunt is a Tennessean columnist who wrote a book titled “Crossing the Aisle.”

#ImpeachmentHearings @NBCNews @NBCPolitics

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews .@SenAlexander is also under intense pressure not to undercut his longtime friend, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who wants a quick acquittal this week.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews After 17 years in the Senate, a single vote may define retiring Sen. @SenAlexander's legacy. (correcting handle)

W 1 more R needed to hear witnesses at Trump's impeachment trial, his good friend, Keel Hunt (Alexander was best man at his 1981 wedding), spoke w NBC

Hunt said:

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander “If I had to guess right now … I wouldn’t be surprised if he says, ‘yeah let’s hear them. I think there’s a point when you think, how long can you keep a straight face,” Hunt said on Jan. 28.

The senator’s entire career has been about “looking for a middle ground,” said Hunt.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander Even so, Hunt said he hasn't spoken w Alexander in weeks and has no idea how the senator will actually vote; he may be projecting what he thinks his friend *should* do.

Alexander, revered as a principled lawmaker and institutionalist, is caught between strong political winds.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander On the one hand, Alexander is under intense pressure not to undercut his longtime friend, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who wants a quick acquittal this week.

He's also "going home" soon. Here's what's going on in Nashville:

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander Virginia Shepherd, an emeritus professor who retired a year ago from Alexander’s alma mater, Vanderbilt University, said there is a “salon” of at least 125 local and state individuals sending letters, emails and placing numerous phone calls to his office last week and this week.

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander Shepherd, whose children attended high school w Alexander’s children, said she’s troubled there’s doubt about how he’ll vote on witnesses.

“Many of us know Lamar and have known him for years and just don’t quite understand where he is right now and what’s happened to him."

@SenaAlexander @NBCNews @SenAlexander “He’s just been that kind of solid senator who would look at the Constitution and say ‘this is what we need to do,'" said Shepherd.

Hunt is a Tennessean columnist who wrote a book titled “Crossing the Aisle.”

#ImpeachmentHearings
@NBCNews

@NBCPolitics