Republican senator and Trump ally Marsha Blackburn announced on Wednesday that she will contest for the post of governor in Tennesse.
A strong supporter of Donald Trump, Blackburn represents a state he won by almost 30 percentage points; if successful next year, she would be the first female governor in Tennessee’s history
BLACKBURN’S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Blackburn took it to her social media handle on X to formally announce her bid to run for the post of governor in Tennessee.
It establishes a Republican primary showdown in August 2026 with John Rose, another supporter of Trump. They will contend to succeed GOP Gov. Bill Lee, who is reaching his maximum of two back-to-back four-year terms in office.
In her video campaign, she promised leadership in the arena of job creation, energy production and rendering world class education to children. She also made her comment on “deporting illegal aliens”.
PREVIOUS POLITICAL JOURNEY
First elected to the US House in 2002, Blackburn aligned with the tea party movement and made regular appearances in Fox News. Prior to that, the Brentwood resident made a name for herself as a state lawmaker who aided to lead the revolt against a proposed Tennessee income tax in the early 2000s.
Blackburn was the first female to serve Tennessee in the US Senate. In 2018, Blackburn secured her Senate position by almost 11 percentage points against Democrat Phil Bredesen, a well-liked former governor.
That win signified a rightward shift from earlier Republican senators who had served the state. Last November, she secured reelection against Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson by over 29 percentage points.
The primary election for governor is scheduled for Aug 6, 2026.
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With inputs from Associated Press
