NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is making a nine-stop tour of Tennessee this week to discuss the nation's fiscal and foreign policy challenges.

Corker is a former Chattanooga mayor who is now the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The tour begins Tuesday in Alcoa, Dandridge and Johnson City. On Wednesday, Corker will speak in Kingsport and Knoxville, followed by Thursday events in Chattanooga and Sewanee.

On Friday, Corker begins his day in Gallatin before heading to Nashville to make opening remarks to the National Rifle Association's annual meeting

More than 75,000 people are expected to attend the NRA event being held at Nashville's new convention center. Several likely presidential candidates are scheduled to attend the first day of the meeting.