William Francis Hagerty IV is an American politician, businessman, and diplomat serving as the junior United States senator from Tennessee since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 30th United States ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019 under President Donald Trump. He earned his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1981 and his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1984. Bill Hagerty's career experience included working as the managing director of and founding Hagerty Peterson & Company; an economic advisor to President George H. W. Bush, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, and Mitt Romney; on the domestic policy staff of the George H. W. Bush administration; a White House fellow with the NASA administrator and the Office of the Vice President; the national finance chairman of the Mitt Romney 2008 presidential campaign; and the Tennessee commissioner of economic development with the Governor Bill Haslam administration. Hagerty stated: "My lifelong business experience, which gave me firsthand exposure to the crippling overreach of the administrative state, provides unique perspective to the critical debates and lawmaking that takes place in the Senate. I've fought to secure our southern border, support our small businesses, strengthen our national security, and ensure Tennessee's voice is heard in Washington."
Hagerty began his career in private equity. Hagerty is the co-founder of Hagerty Peterson & Company, a private equity investment firm; he is a former managing director of the firm. From 2011 to 2014, Hagerty served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. He led a successful effort to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Nashville.
Pro-border security
Hagerty has a strong track record on border security.
Voting History: Not available
Pro-business, anti-administrative overreach
Hagerty's lifelong business experience gave him firsthand exposure to the crippling overreach of the administrative state.
Voting History: Not available
Strong Trump ally
Trump appointed Hagerty as ambassador to Japan during his first term and then endorsed his candidacy for the Senate in 2020.
Voting History: Not available
From Jan 2021 to Mar 2026, Hagerty missed 136 of 2,362 roll call votes, which is 5.8%. This is much worse than the median of 2.8% among the lifetime records of senators currently serving. Heritage Action gave him a lifetime score of 87%.
| Bill | Title | Vote | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electoral College Certification 2020 | 2020 Electoral College Vote Count Certification | Changed from planned Nay to Yea | 2021-01-06 | Bill Hagerty announced on January 2, 2021, that he would object to the electoral votes from certain states. Hagerty initially planned to object to certifying the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count over unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. But after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, he changed his mind and voted to certify the count. In the days leading up to January 6, 2021's congressional certification of the election by counting electors, Hagerty announced his intent to object to the inclusion of some states in the count based on debunked accusations of mass fraud or a legal theory which was already rejected. (He ultimately did not vote to exclude any states from the Electoral College, however.) |
| S. 4265 | Freedom to Build Act | Yea | 2026-03-26 | S.4265 — A bill to require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a Freedom to Build designation for certain localities. Introduced in Senate. |
| S. 4198 | Federal Deposit Insurance Act Amendment | Yea | 2026-03-25 | S.4198 — A bill to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to provide deposit insurance for noninterest-bearing transaction accounts, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate with 6 Cosponsors. |
Official campaign messaging emphasizes Trump alignment, border security, and America First agenda.
Hagerty supports extreme policies and Trump's agenda over Tennessee values
Democrats have challenged Hagerty's alignment with Trump but have struggled in a deeply Republican state.