Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., secured the Republican nomination for Tennessee governor on Thursday, positioning herself as the likely successor to outgoing Gov. Bill Lee. Blackburn, a conservative figure known for her critiques of the Chinese Communist Party, won a three-way GOP primary and will face Democrat Jerri Green, Memphis City Councilwoman and Chief Public Defender, in the November general election.
Tennessee has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006. Lee, who is term-limited after serving since 2019, did not endorse a candidate in the primary but acknowledged his long-standing relationship with Blackburn. "I’ve been friends with Marsha for a long time, and she served as my congressman and representative in the General Assembly. I’m proud we have really good people running for governor in this state," Lee stated.
Blackburn campaigned on issues central to the Republican platform, including immigration and trade. She vowed to address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and cartel activity, stating, "As governor, I’ll deport illegals, stop the flow of drugs and drug money. We will crack down on Cartels, restrict cash transfers to drug havens and hit criminals and illegals where it hurts — in their wallets." Additionally, she pledged to prevent Chinese entities from purchasing Tennessee land, a stance highlighted in a viral campaign advertisement where she depicted crushing a fortune cookie. "It doesn’t take a fortune cookie to figure it out. Here in Tennessee we’re going to stop communist China and protect Tennessee land," she said.
President Donald Trump did not issue an endorsement in the race, noting his ties to one of Blackburn's primary opponents, Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn. Rose, an 8th-generation farmer and founder of the IT certification company Transcender Corp., pitched himself as a homegrown candidate focused on local issues, emphasizing education, infrastructure, healthcare, energy, and economic development. The third candidate, State Rep. Monty Fritts, ran on a small-government platform and advocated for reducing state spending and increasing parental involvement in education. Fritts also faced controversy for calling for a ban on mosques, which he described as a political movements rather than religious expressions incompatible with the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions.