Trump ally Sen. Marsha Blackburn launches bid for Tennessee governor

Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, an ally of President Donald Trump, announced Wednesday that she will run for governor in Tennessee next year.

The announcement from the stalwart conservative was not surprising — Blackburn, 73, has long entertained running to succeed Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who is term-limited. She told Fox News in January that she was “strongly considering” getting into the race. The Republican nominee will be heavily favored next year in a state Trump won by 30 points

Blackburn centered the president in her campaign announcement, emphasizing her allegiance to him and promising to deliver his agenda to Tennesseans.

“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 a statement. She followed that up with a campaign launch video that opened with images of Trump at a rally, surrounded by “Women for Trump” signs.

Blackburn has spent more than two decades in Washington after winning a House seat in 2002. She beat former Democratic governor Phil Bredesen in 2018 to win her Senate seat. She would be Tennessee’s first female governor if she wins.

She will face Rep. John Rose in the GOP primary.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also talked about running for governor in Tennessee. Hegseth owns property outside Nashville, but his candidacy could be challenged because of a state law that requires candidates to live in Tennessee for seven years to run for governor. Hegseth’s discussions about running were first reported last month by NBC News. His team has called the reporting “fake news.”

Blackburn will not have to give up her seat to run for governor. She became the third senator this year to announce a gubernatorial bid, along with Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) — a notable shift as some senators in both parties sour on Washington. They are the first sitting senators to run for governor since David Vitter, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for governor of Louisiana in 2015. Ten House members are also leaving Congress to run for governor, although that’s a more typical path.

Blackburn has confronted big-tech companies during her time in the Senate, drafting a bill with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) to force social media companies to take steps to protect children. She also played a leading role in stripping language from the Republicans’ tax legislation that would have barred states from regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years.

She has also proposed legislation to combat China’s influence on global affairs and most recently, sought to increase protections for law enforcement officers after some Democrats said immigration enforcement officials should identify themselves when carrying out their duties.

In her video, Blackburn included familiar talking points from the political right, including a vow to provide a “world-class education for children by empowering parents, not the deep state.” She also promised to deport undocumented immigrants “whether it takes planes, trains or starships,” and to define “boys and girls the way God made them.”