The Tennessee Senate race took a strange turn on Wednesday when retiring Republican Sen. Bob Corker lauded the Democratic candidate running to replace him.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner’s editorial board later that day, National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Cory Gardner, R-Colo., expressed displeasure with Corker. Arguing the Democrat Corker praised, Phil Bredesen, is a supporter of former President Barack Obama — an alignment that puts him at odds with the state — Gardner said, “No, it’s not helpful when you have Republicans say that they’re going to get out of the way of an Obama acolyte.”