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Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee announced she is running for governor after more than six years in the upper chamber.
Current Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican who has held the post since early 2019, is prevented from running for re-election in 2026 due to term limits.
Blackburn isn’t the only federal lawmaker eyeing the job — U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., launched a gubernatorial bid earlier this year.
“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. I’m running to serve as Tennessee’s next governor to ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader,” Blackburn said in a statement.
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Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn waves as she arrives for a town hall with Donald Trump at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, on Sept. 27, 2024. (JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Blackburn, who has served in the U.S. Senate since early 2019, won re-election to a second six-year term back in November 2024.
Tennessee state Rep. Lee Reeves, a Republican, issued a full-throated endorsement of Blackburn for governor, declaring in a post on X that she “has always been Tennessee’s conservative warrior” and “is the tip of the spear in the fight against the Left in our state, fighting alongside President @realDonaldTrump.”
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GOP state Rep. Jason Zachary described Blackburn as “A proven, conservative leader!” and noted that he supports her for governor.
Blackburn signaled earlier this year that she planned to run. “I am strongly looking at it,” she had told the Tennessee Journal, according to The Tennessean. “I intend to run. I will win, and we’ll make certain that Tennessee is the most conservative state in the country.”
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The Republican primary in the Volunteer State will take place exactly one year from today, on Aug. 6, 2026, with the general election being held on Nov. 3, 2026.
