Tensions between Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and President Donald Trump have boiled over and have been thrust into the public eye.
On Sunday, Corker referred to Trump’s White House as an “adult daycare center” and later said Trump treats the presidency like a “reality show.”
The latter comments came during an unfiltered interview with The New York Times hours after Trump criticized Corker. He called out the senator on Twitter, claiming Corker “begged” him for an endorsement, but he ultimately declined.
Corker’s denied Trump’s allegations that he asked for his endorsement and to be secretary of state, saying that’s simply not true.
Corker has served in the Senate since 2007 and is the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. After owning a construction company, he ran for office in Tennessee in 1994 but lost. He served one term as the mayor of Chattanooga from 2001-2005 and subsequently announced his intentions to run for a vacant Senate seat. He prevailed narrowly against Democrat Harold Ford, Jr. and was reelected in 2012.
On September 26, he announced that he wouldn’t run for reelection next year. Corker’s been married to Elizabeth (Lizzy) for over 30 years, and the couple have two children.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Couple Got Married in 1987
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Sen. Bob Corker poses with Daughter Emily Corker, left, wife Elizabeth Corker, second right, and daughter Julia Corker 19, right, while watching the election results with supporters November 7, 2006 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Corker told Fortune in a feature article that when he asked Elizabeth out on their first date during the 1980s, she hesitated and told him, “If I have time.” He had a bold response, saying “You have time.”
Elizabeth ended up going on that date, and they started a romantic relationship with each other afterward. They got married on January 10, 1987 and have two daughters: Emily and Julia. Although he’s busy on Capitol Hill a lot, Corker said during an interview with City Scope Magazine that there is “no one (he) would rather spend time with than Elizabeth.”
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2. They Live in a Mansion built by Coca-Cola heirs
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The Corker family lives in Chattanooga, where he served as mayor before winning his Senate election. While they own multiple homes, a historic mansion they own in the area has gotten some publicity for its history and price tag. He owns the Anne Haven Mansion, which was originally built by Anne Lupton and Frank Harrison. The residence has a value of $8.9 million.
Corker told City Scope in its profile on him that one of his favorite things to do near their home on the weekends is ride bikes with Elizabeth.
3. Their Daughter was Carjacked in 2009 in D.C.
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US. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), left, poses for photographers as his wife Elizabeth, center, and Vice President Dick Cheney, right, look on during a mock swearing-in ceremony January 4, 2007 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
The couple says they are “so proud” of their two daughters. Elizabeth at one time worked in New York as the head of product development for a company called Feed Projects and their other daughter, Julia, works in Nashville and sells real estate. He said that even though the family lives far apart, “even the distance draws (them) closer.”
In 2009, though, Julia was carjacked by a man who asked her for directions. According to a CBS News article, she was driving to an apartment in Washington D.C. where the family was living at the time around 9:30 p.m. when a man walked up to her and asked her for directions. While she was giving the directions, another person opened the passenger door and forced her out of the vehicle. She was thrown to the ground as the car sped away, but didn’t sustain any injuries.
In a statement released one day after the ordeal, Sen. Corker said his daughter was doing “remarkably well,” although she was shaken up from it. Her Chevy Tahoe was found later in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and two people were taken into custody for the theft.
4. Bob & Elizabeth Have Over $50 Million in Assets
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) participates in a reenacted swearing-in with his wife Elizabeth Corker and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol January 3, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
A 2014 article by The Tennessean revealed that Corker held assets in 2013 worth somewhere between $19.02 million and $89.7 million. The article referenced Senate financial disclosure forms, which stated he held assets between $18.67 and $91.55 million the year before in 2012. Congressional rules allow for lawmakers to list the values of assets in dollar ranges, and they don’t have to list the value of their primary residence or personal vehicles.
According to the article, his wealth included 38 assets, some which were held by Elizabeth.
5. In Deciding Not to Seek Re-Election, Corker Thanked Elizabeth
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Republican Sen. Bob Corker and his wife Elizabeth Corker appear at his final campaign event before Election Day November 6, 2006 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Corker announced in late September that he didn’t want to seek re-election in 2018, becoming the first senator to announce his intent to retire ahead of next year’s election cycle.
“I also believe the most important public service I have to offer our country could well occur over the next 15 months,” Corker said in a statement. “And I want to be able to do that as thoughtfully and independently as I did the first 10 years and nine months of my Senate career.”
Corker also said in the statement that he had careful, thought-out deliberations with Elizabeth before coming to the decision, and thanked her and their daughters for allowing him to serve in the Senate for so long.
After much thought, consideration and family discussion over the past year, Elizabeth and I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires at the end of 2018.
When I ran for the Senate in 2006, I told people that I couldn’t imagine serving for more than two terms. Understandably, as we have gained influence, that decision has become more difficult. But I have always been drawn to the citizen legislator model, and while I realize it is not for everyone, I believe with the kind of service I provide, it is the right one for me.
I also believe the most important public service I have to offer our country could well occur over the next 15 months, and I want to be able to do that as thoughtfully and independently as I did the first 10 years and nine months of my Senate career.
Serving the people of Tennessee in this capacity has been the greatest privilege of my life. And as I spent the month of August traveling across our great state, I was reminded that we live in a unique place full of people who care deeply about the direction of our country.
I am grateful to the people of Tennessee for the opportunity to serve my state and country. I have been fortunate to do so with an extraordinary staff, and I want to thank them for their incredible dedication. I know that we will continue to have an impact for the remainder of our term, and I look forward to finding other ways to make a difference in the future.
Finally, I want to thank my wife, Elizabeth, and our family, who have made many sacrifices in allowing me to serve. Nothing I have done would have been possible without their love and support.
