Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced a campaign for Tennessee governor, Politico reports.
Said Blackburn: “In his first six months, President Trump has made historic strides in Making America Great Again, but as he sends power back to the states, he’s going to need strong conservative governors who can bring that revolution home.”
She added: “Trump is back. America is blessed. And Tennessee, better than ever.”
Rep. John Rose (R-TN) will throw his hat in the ring for governor in 2026, becoming one of the first candidates to enter the race, WKRN reports.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has signaled to donors she may run to replace term-limited Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) in 2026, and Knox News has learned Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) also is weighing his options.
“Hagerty’s foray into the race follows weeks of speculation about Blackburn. Though she hasn’t announced her candidacy and was just reelected to the Senate, much of Tennessee’s political community has assumed she will be a candidate in the 2026 race.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) would the “clear frontrunner” in the 2026 GOP primary for governor if she decided to run, Donald Trump’s longtime pollster tells Axios.
“The fact that Tony Fabrizio is polling for Blackburn indicates that she’s seriously thinking about leaving the U.S. Senate next year in a bid for the governor’s mansion in Nashville.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been making calls and telling people she is likely to make a bid for governor, Axios reports.
First Read: “In Tennessee’s marquee primary contest last night, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) — who tied herself to President Trump in TV ads — finished a disappointing third in the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary. Businessman Bill Lee was first at 37%, businessman Randy Boyd second at 24% and Black in third at 23%.”
“By our count, Black becomes the fifth House Republican to lose a bid for statewide office, following Luke Messer (Indiana), Todd Rokita (Indiana), Evan Jenkins (West Virginia) and Raul Labrador (Idaho).”
Tennessean: 5 most important takeaways from the Tennessee primaries.
“After months of campaigning and more than $50 million in spending, Tennessee voters head to the polls Thursday decide who will be the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial nominees,” the Tennessean reports.
“Also on the ballot are primaries for the U.S. Senate, Congress, the state legislature and a host of local contests across the Volunteer State.”
Politico: Why is Tennessee’s primary on a Thursday?
Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
More about Taegan Goddard →