Tennessee senator Blackburn joins 2026 governor's race

Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn announced Wednesday that she is entering the open Tennessee governor’s race in 2026, setting up a primary clash with U.S. Rep. John Rose.

Blackburn’s announcement makes official what had been expected for some time. She had made no secret that she was planning on running for the position.

It sets up a Republican primary clash in 2026 to replace GOP Gov. Bill Lee, who is hitting his limit of two consecutive four-year terms in office.

Blackburn became the first woman to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. If elected, she would be the state’s first female governor, as well.

Blackburn won her Senate seat in 2018 by nearly 11 percentage points over Democrat Phil Bredesen, a popular former governor. That victory marked a rightward shift from previous Republican senators who have represented the state. She then won reelection against Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson by more than 29 percentage points last November.

First elected to the U.S. House in 2002, Blackburn aligned with the tea party movement and regularly appeared on Fox News. Before that, the Brentwood resident made a name for herself as a state lawmaker who helped lead the revolt against a proposed Tennessee income tax in the early 2000s.


(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)