Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is running for state Governor in a bid to turn her home state into America’s “conservative leader.”
The lawmaker’s announcement adds to the growing trend of Congress members seeking election for positions in their home state, away from the nation’s capital. With today’s announcement, Blackburn joins fellow Republicans Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Rep. John Rose, her opponent in the race. Across the aisle, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado is also running for Governor in his home state.
Blackburn, 73, has only grown in prominence due to her fierce loyalty to President Donald Trump, a status which she appears to be touting in her campaign launch. “Trump is back, America is blessed—and Tennessee—better than ever,” the elected official said in a video shared online on Wednesday. “Here in the Volunteer State, we always lead the way. And that’s why I am announcing my candidacy for Governor.”
Blackburn made history in 2018 when she was elected as the first woman to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate, securing her Congressional seat in spite of vocal opposition from critics including megastar Taylor Swift. If she wins this next race, Blackburn could again break the glass ceiling as the state’s first female Governor.
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The Republican primary is set to take place in August 2026, followed by a general gubernatorial election that November.
In light of her run for Governor, here’s what to know about Blackburn:
Blackburn’s career origins include a stint with the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission
The Mississippi State University alum started her career in public service as a member of the Tennessee State Senate, where she served for four years and worked to defeat a proposed state income tax. Blackburn later won the election to represent Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in 2002, ten years after her first attempt to win a seat was unsuccessful.
Before her role as an elected official, Blackburn served as the executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission.
Conservative values are a hallmark of Blackburn’s voting record
Blackburn is known for her strong anti-abortion stance and her calls for greater border security and stronger fiscal responsibility. The Tennessee native has introduced legislation “requiring 1%, 2%, and 5% across-the-board cuts to non-defense, non-veterans, and non-homeland security spending,” according to her Senate biography.
In July, Blackburn voted in favor of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which, among a slew of changes, proposed cuts to funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. It also cut funds for Medicaid, potentially impacting the more than 70 million Americans who are insured through the program.
Elsewhere, Blackburn advocated to repeal the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2022, and in 2024 voted against advancing the Right to IVF Act, which would have expanded and protected access to in vitro fertilization in the country. Blackburn earned an A+ by the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization, which ranks elected officials based on their votes on bills and other actions. The ranking pointed to Blackburn’s introduction of the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would have prohibited the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from awarding grants to organizations that perform or fund abortions. (The bill did not pass.)
Blackburn’s allegiance to Trump
As mentioned, the MAGA Republican has a strong connection to the President and served on the executive committee of his transition team during his first presidential term.
Blackburn has leveraged her strong allegiance to Trump in recent years, and appears to be making it a prominent part of her campaign. Footage of voters with signs reading “Women for Trump” at a local rally mark the start of her campaign video, and multiple images of the pair are sprinkled throughout the clip.
“President Trump is ushering in a new Golden Age of America marked by strong, innovative, and fearless leadership, which stands in stark contrast to four years of weakness and failure under Joe Biden,” Blackburn said in an April statement commemorating Trump’s first 100 days of his second term. “The lives of Tennesseans and Americans are made better because of President Trump’s willingness to put America first at every turn, and I congratulate him on a remarkable start to his Administration.”
A look at Blackburn’s early campaign promises
While Blackburn’s fully-fledged plan for the state has yet to be unveiled, the Senator teased some campaign promises on Wednesday. Among them were vows to make Tennessee the number one state for job creation and energy production, plus an intention to deliver stronger education for children “by empowering parents, not the deep state.”
The Tennessee lawmaker has also already established a strong focus on immigration matters, a hallmark of Trump’s second term in the White House. Blackburn has so far proposed to deport undocumented immigrants whether it takes, “planes, trains, or starships,” stating that “respect for the law starts with enforcing it.”
Blackburn also shared her anti-abortion views once more in her campaign launch, and spoke out against the use of pronoun-inclusivity, seemingly taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community. “We’ll define our boys and girls the way God made them,” she said.
During the 2024 Senate election, during which Blackburn was endorsed by Trump, she picked up more than 63% of the vote. Prior to her announcement about running for Governor, Blackburn earned the endorsement of Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.