Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District Rep. John Rose officially launched his 2026 gubernatorial campaign on Thursday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon.
Rose touted his Tennessee roots and support for President Donald Trump. He also made several campaign promises, including “to appoint a commissioner of education who has Tennessee teaching experience” and to “lead the effort to make sure that all interstates in Tennessee are at least eight lanes and to have four lane highways to every county seat in Tennessee.”
He also pledged “to do everything in my power to ensure that no Tennessean is more than 30 minutes away from emergency medical care,” to work with the state legislature to take “every possible measure to always protect life in Tennessee” and to “work daily to support our vulnerable children with the responsive and capable Department of Children's Services,” as well as planned investments in nuclear energy.
The Lee era will end in 2026. Who might vie for the state’s top office?
The Cookeville native and third-term congressman was first elected in 2018. In February, Rose previewed his gubernatorial bid at a Republican Women of Williamson County luncheon in Franklin.
“I think we're at a crossroads for our state, where we need to be more selective in the industry that we bring here and choose jobs that are going to be the right jobs for the future of Tennessee, and not bring employers to our state that are going to try to change the nature of our state,” he said, speaking exclusively to the Williamson Scene in February.
Rose is the first candidate to jump into the race, while Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is expected to also run for the state’s top office.
“I know that anything is achievable in Tennessee, because I have lived it,” Rose said to supporters on Thursday. “Now I'm asking for you to give me the chance to help bring opportunity to all Tennesseans.”
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Williamson Scene.
