Summary
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn officially enters the Tennessee governor race.
- Primary clash set with U.S. Rep. John Rose.
- Both candidates are closely aligned with Donald Trump support.
- Blackburn aims to make Tennessee conservative leadership stronghold.
- Race follows Gov. Bill Lee reaching term limits.
The long-awaited declaration from President Donald Trump's friend is now official thanks to Blackburn. The fact that she intended to run for the job had never been concealed.
It prepares Rose, a Trump supporter, for a Republican primary contest in August 2026. They will be vying to succeed Republican Governor Bill Lee, who is nearing the end of his two consecutive four-year term limit.
In 2018, Blackburn defeated Democrat Phil Bredesen, a well-liked former governor, by almost 11 percentage points to win her Senate seat. Compared to earlier Republican senators who served the state, the triumph indicated a tilt to the right. Last November, she defeated Democratic state representative Gloria Johnson by over 29 percentage points to win reelection.
Blackburn, who was a member of the tea party movement and frequently featured on Fox News, was first elected to the U.S. House in 2002. Prior to that, the Brentwood native gained notoriety as a state senator who spearheaded the uprising against a planned income tax in Tennessee in the early 2000s.
Blackburn praised Trump, pledged to lead in energy production and job creation, and tapped into current conservative themes in an opening campaign ad. These included empowering parents in education, defining "boys and girls the way God made them," and deporting illegal immigrants "whether it takes planes, trains, or starships."
“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,"
Blackburn said in an announcement news release.
"I’m running to serve as Tennessee’s next governor to ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader."
In a state that Trump has swept in the last three presidential elections, Rose, who declared his intention to run for governor in March, has also expressed strong support for Trump. Lee defeated a Democrat by 32 percentage points in 2022, while Trump carried Tennessee by over 30 points in 2024. The Republican primary will be fiercely competitive for the president's support.
Some well-known Republicans who would have otherwise ran for governor were deterred by Blackburn's earlier remarks that he was considering a run.
Through June, Rose, a farmer and businessman from Cookeville who has access to personal riches, received $1.1 million from donors and contributed $5 million to his campaign.
What are Blackburn's key differences from Rose in the primary race?
Blackburn is a sitting U.S. Senator with a long congressional career dating back to 2002, former state legislator, and high-profile conservative figure nationally. Rose is a businessman and farmer with experience as a U.S. Representative but with less statewide political prominence than Blackburn. Rose positions himself more as an outsider and a CEO-type leader.
Blackburn emphasizes her Washington experience and leadership, pitching herself as a seasoned conservative ready to make Tennessee "America’s conservative leader," focusing on job creation, energy production, education empowerment of parents, and strict immigration enforcement with strong Trump alignment.
Rose emphasizes his business background and outsider status, focusing on executive leadership skills and promising a different style of governance.