After a fraught primary, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has won the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. Blackburn will face Memphis Democrat Jerri Green in November’s general election.
The race demonstrated a fractured state GOP, with the primary vote split among Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston). Rose was expected to win some counties in rural Tennessee, running on his farming background and agricultural roots. Fritts — a self-proclaimed white nationalist who wants to ban some religions in the state — collected a piece of the party’s fringe voters.
Blackburn spent the final hours of her primary campaign traveling across the state by plane and car, from greeting diners at Jailhouse BBQ in Blountville to rallying with Republican voters and elected officials in Mountain City on Wednesday. On Thursday, she visited Memphis and Mt. Juliet before flying to Knoxville for a watch party at the Knoxville Convention Center.
The Memphis councilmember will face long odds in November’s general election
"I will continue to work with you and for you," Blackburn told supporters gathered at the Knoxville Convention Center. "I will continue traveling the state, listening to you. And working to build our conservative movement. All elections — every election is important. Because the Democrats aren’t running on different policies. They are running to destroy our state and nation."
Blackburn got her start in Tennessee politics as a state senator in the late ’90s and early 2000s. She represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District for 16 years before her current role as a U.S. senator. Her first big claim to state-government fame came when she stymied efforts to implement a state income tax 26 years ago.
During her tenure in Congress, Blackburn has been a staunch advocate for President Donald Trump, who has not endorsed any candidate in the Tennessee gubernatorial race. She traditionally has opposed gay marriage, abortion access, marijuana use — both medical and recreational — and expansion of the Affordable Care Act.
In recent interviews with Scene sister publication the Williamson Scene, Blackburn has touted her desire for a state-level DOGE, mirroring the federal program headed up by billionaire Elon Musk. The program cut thousands of federal jobs and programs — without much research or oversight — in the name of reducing government spending. Blackburn has also outlined her desire to see an expansion of the state’s voucher program, which started under current Gov. Bill Lee. The initiative takes public tax dollars and allocates them for private school tuition.
Blackburn has faced criticism in recent weeks for not participating in public debates despite her repeated line that she “talks to Tennesseans every day” — a quote she gave NewsChannel 5 multiple times during an awkward moment in July. The local outlet also attempted to hold a Republican gubernatorial debate, which fizzled when Blackburn declined to take part. Questions have also surrounded Blackburn regarding a Senate ethics probe examining the use of public tax dollars for campaigning. Rose asked Blackburn to release documents related to the probe, which Blackburn did not.
Hamilton Matthew Masters contributed reporting.
