Former Democratic Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen didn’t rule out a bid for Senate, but he certainly didn’t sound like a man itching for a run.

In an interview with The Tennessean newspaper’s editorial board, Bredesen said he didn’t think he would mount a bid against Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander.

“I’m always careful to never say ‘never, never, never, never.’ But I’m not doing anything remotely that you would expect me to be doing at this point if I were to be interested in doing that,” he said, according to the paper. “As I’ve told some of the recruiters, I don’t think I’d like it, and I don’t think you’d like me.”

If Alexander, up for his third term in 2014, is vulnerable at all, it’s probably from a primary challenge. And the senator has already been working to shore up his right flank. During the weekend, he made a show of strength, announcing that just about every important statehouse and Tennessee federal official was supporting him.

Roll Call rates the race as Safe Republican.