WASHINGTON – Republican Sen. Bob Corker says he and probably many other GOP senators would consider raising the top tax rate paid by the wealthiest Americans if it meant reforming big entitlement programs such as Medicare.

Such a compromise would represent some movement in the postelection negotiations between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans to avert the "fiscal cliff" set to kick in by month's end.

Corker is a solid fiscal conservative and bellwether for what other rank-and-file Republicans might support. The Tennessee lawmaker told "Fox News Sunday" that raising the top tax rate to 39.6 percent could be done so that negotiators could shift their focus on entitlement spending.