Blackburn Launches Long-Rumored Bid for Tennessee Governor, Maintaining Alliance with Trump

While Blackburn has been rumored to be running since the beginning of the year, the video serves as her official announcement, and launches a race to the right between her and Rep. John Rose, two Tennessee lawmakers closely aligned with President Donald Trump seeking to replace outgoing Gov. Bill Lee.

In the video, Blackburn kicks off her campaign by doubling down on her familiar campaign strategies: aligning herself with Trump and staking her claim as the conservative choice.

She touches on several of her perennial platforms, targeting immigration, education and gender identity.

“We’ll make Tennessee America’s number one, job-creating, energy-producing powerhouse,” Blackburn says, “deliver a world-class education for our children by empowering parents, not the deep state.”

Later she adds that the state will “honor the Constitution. We’ll value life. And we’ll define our boys and girls the way God made them.”

Blackburn also renews her commitment to tough-on-crime immigration policy, with a bizarre twist.

“And whether it takes planes, trains, or starships, we’ll deport illegal aliens, because respect for the law starts with enforcing it,” she says.

In an accompanying release, Blackburn doubled down on her appreciation of Trump.

“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.

“I’m running to serve as Tennessee’s next governor to ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader,” she continued.

While Blackburn is known close ally of the president, Rose is running in a similar lane, and both have been endorsed by the president in past elections, meaning both will likely vie for Trump’s endorsement in the primary.

It’s unlikely that many other Republicans will enter the race given both Rose and Blackburn’s name recognition and spending power. Several once-rumored candidates, including Sen. Bill Hagerty and Knox County Mayor Glen Jacobs, have already made it clear that they will not enter the race. Hagerty is launching a re-election campaign for the Senate, and Jacobs has pre-endorsed Blackburn, following the rumors of her campaign materializing.

Between Blackburn and Rose’s gubernatorial candidacies, plus Rep. Mark Green’s July retirement from Congress, Tennessee’s federal delegation could be facing a significant shake-up in 2026, especially as national Democrats spend uncharacteristic amounts of money targeting Green’s 7th district seat and other Republican-held seats with weak spots across the south.

Rose’s seat will be on the ballot in 2026 at the same time as the governor’s race, while Blackburn would be able to appoint her own replacement if elected, as she would take office just two years into her six-year term.

An internal poll conducted earlier this year found that Blackburn was a clear favorite in the Republican primary, with 82 percent of likely GOP primary voters viewing her favorably and just 12 percent viewing her unfavorably.

Trump’s approval rating has taken a substantial hit since then amid aggressive immigration enforcement, questions around the Epstein files and cuts to services in his controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which could stunt some MAGA-aligned Republicans, but both Rose and Blackburn have hitched their wagons to the president, likely making his controversies a wash in Tennessee’s Republican primary.

Similarly, while double-digit blue shifts in special congressional elections in red districts during the second Trump administration bodes well for hopeful Democrats — particularly in races like Tennessee’s District 7 — that kind of bump is unlikely to move the needle in the general election for governor, making the Republican primary the race to watch in 2026.