Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn announces run for governor
WBIR 10 News
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced her plans to run for governor of Tennessee Wednesday morning.
“Here in the Volunteer State, we always led the way, and that’s why I am announcing my candidacy for governor,” Blackburn said in a YouTube video posted on her social media.
Blackburn highlighted plans to make the state America’s “Number one job creating energy producing powerhouse,” delivering a “world-class education” by empowering parents and not the “deep state,” and to deport “illegal aliens” whether it’s by “planes, trains or starships.
“This is Tennessee,” Blackburn said. “We’ll honor the Constitution, value life and we’ll define our boys and girls the way God made them.”
Blackburn said she wants to ensure Tennessee is “America’s conservative leader for this generation and the next.”
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs publicly endorsed Blackburn for governor back in January, praising her for her work as both a Senator and congresswoman while announcing his “full support” for her potential campaign. At the time, the senator had not announced a plan to run.
U.S. Reps. Chuck Fleischmann and Tim Burchett have both voiced support for Blackburn, with Burchett calling her a “strong governor” and Fleischmann saying she’s a “conservative champion in the US Senate.”
Tennessee Republican Congressman John Rose announced back in March his plans to run for governor.
The 60-year-old Cookeville native has represented the 6th Congressional District since 2019. The district stretches from around Gallatin, Tenn., in the central part of the state, east through to the Plateau and over to parts of East Tennessee, including part of Scott County.
Mark O’Gorman, a political science professor at Maryville College, says the two could use their different backgrounds to their advantage.
“I think Rose can position himself because of his business background. “He can maybe speak about a pro business set of issues that maybe Blackburn may not be as easy to do.”
O’Gorman also said there is one thing they both will most likely not deviate from, their support of President Trump.
“Tennessee is a fiercely loyal state to President Trump. They’ve been one of his most loyal and conservative bulwarks in the last decade.”
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) released a statement supporting Blackburn and teased the possibility of running for Senate.
“I have worked alongside Senator Blackburn since our days together in the state senate, and I believe she will make a strong governor,” he said “My priority is Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District, but if there was an opportunity to serve in the US Senate, I’d be honored to make that move.”
The Knox County Democratic Party Chair, Stuart Hohl, released a statement Wednesday afternoon in response to Blackburn’s announcement.
“Marsha Blackburn works harder for lobbyists than she does for Tennesseans,” Hohl said. “Blackburn has had decades to improve the lives of her constituents, but instead she abandoned Tennesseans during the ongoing opioid crisis, abandoned Tennesseans trying to modernize broadband, and abandoned Tennesseans on Medicaid. She has sold her soul to for-profit prisons and pharmaceutical companies. Marsha and her MAGA minions have already squeezed the Tennessee economy this year, and it will only get worse if she becomes governor.”
In 2018, Blackburn became the first woman elected to represent Tennessee in the United States Senate. Last year, she was reelected into the Senate after securing 89.5% of the Republican primary vote and 63.8% of the Republican vote in the general election.