Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn captured Thursday’s Republican gubernatorial primary, according to projections from the Associated Press and Decision Desk, defeating U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts to secure the GOP nomination for governor.
Blackburn, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 2002, has long been a prominent conservative figure within the Republican Party. In 2018, she made history as the first woman elected to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate, a seat she went on to win again in 2024.
Throughout the campaign, Blackburn emphasized a platform centered on extending Tennessee’s economic momentum, holding down taxes and consumer costs, and cutting what she describes as excessive government spending and red tape. Tennessee has gained more than 400,000 residents since 2020 and is regularly ranked among the nation’s most business-friendly states.
She has also made cultural issues a key part of her message, particularly her opposition to the Biden administration’s Title IX rules and her support for policies she says protect women’s sports.
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Blackburn entered primary day with a consistent polling advantage over her rivals. In December, she said her goal was to make Tennessee the “most conservative state in the country.”
“President Trump is sending power and authority back to the states every single day. Whether it is regulations or benefits or health care, education, energy, employment, I think this is going to be a great time to reshape how our states work,” she said during a December interview on – News Daily.
Blackburn will now advance to the general election against Democratic nominee Jerri Green, a Memphis attorney. The Republican remains favored in the race. If Blackburn wins the governorship, her U.S. Senate seat would become vacant, and under Tennessee law, the governor would appoint a temporary successor to serve until the 2028 general election, when voters would choose someone to complete the remainder of the term.
