Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee for Tennessee governor, is running on a platform of low taxes, school choice and immigration enforcement.
Blackburn, a U.S. senator since 2019 and a Williamson County resident, won the Republican primary on Aug. 6 with 43.6% of the vote, according to WSMV. She defeated U.S. Rep. John Rose, who received 33.0%, and Monty Fritts, who received 23.4%.
Blackburn was the first woman elected as a U.S. senator from Tennessee, according to WSMV. At 74, she would be the state's oldest and first female governor if elected, the Nashville Banner reported.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Tennessee governor
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Residence: Williamson County, Tennessee
- Education: Bachelor's degree in home economics, Mississippi State University
- Family: Blackburn said she attended college on a 4-H scholarship, was born and raised in Mississippi and moved to Williamson County, where she and her husband raised two children. She said she has four grandchildren.
Experience and public service
- U.S. senator, 2019–present
- U.S. representative, 2003–2018
- Co-founder, Williamson County Young Republicans
- Tennessee state senator, 1998
- Executive director, Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission, 1995
- Platform committee chair, 2024 Republican National Convention
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Blackburn's campaign website and public statements during the race. They reflect the candidate's own claims.
Taxes and spending: Blackburn said she led the fight against a state income tax while serving in the Tennessee State Senate. She said she would keep taxes low, cut government waste and reduce regulations to attract companies and jobs to Tennessee. She said she supports maintaining federal tax cuts signed by President Donald Trump.
Education and school choice: Blackburn said she would expand the Education Freedom Scholarship program so that no parent has to, in her words, "win the lottery" to have a say in their child's education, according to the Nashville Banner. She said she also supports expanding charter school options and making homeschooling easier.
Immigration and public safety: Blackburn said her top priority as governor would be keeping Tennesseans safe and enforcing immigration law. She said she would fight illegal drug trafficking and support first responders. At a Hamilton County rally, she said she plans to focus on deportation of unauthorized immigrants, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
Energy and agriculture: Blackburn said she wants to grow nuclear energy in Tennessee, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. She said she would push for a complete ban on Chinese ownership of land in the state.
Infrastructure: Blackburn said she would close the digital divide by expanding broadband access to rural communities.
Endorsements
Six organizations have endorsed Blackburn, according to the Nashville Banner and election-data site BallotReady:
- Tennessee Chamber of Commerce
- Americans for Prosperity
- Stand With Crypto
- Value In Electing Women Political Action Committee (VIEW PAC)
- Turning Point Action
- Club for Growth
Other candidates in the race include Jerri Green (Democratic), Charles Van Morgan (Independent), Dave Seeman (Independent), David Hatley (Independent), Dean Brewer (Independent), Eddie Lee Murphy (Independent), Karl Knox Smithson (Independent), L. Webb Taylor (Independent), Lauren Pinkston (Independent), Misam Abidi (Independent), Ray Brown (Independent), Robert C. Vick (Independent), Victor L. Scoggin (Independent) and Wendell Jackson (Independent), according to BallotReady.
Candidate positions were drawn from Blackburn's campaign website, public statements and news coverage. The Franklin Beacon did not interview the candidate for this profile.
