Marsha Blackburn Wins GOP Primary, Set to Run for Tennessee Governor

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, secured her victory in the GOP primary for the gubernatorial race. This primary win marks the next step in her journey to potentially succeed outgoing Governor Bill Lee, who is limited by term constraints. Tennessee has not had a Democrat elected as governor since 2006.

Bill Lee, who has served since 2019, received strong support in his last election. He defeated Democratic challenger Jason Martin with a significant margin, tallying 64.9% of the votes compared to Martin’s 32.9%. Lee did not publicly endorse any candidates in the GOP race for the 2026 nomination, although he acknowledged his longstanding friendship with Blackburn.

I’ve been friends with Marsha for a long time, and she served as my congressman and representative in the General Assembly.— Bill Lee addressing local media

Blackburn’s campaign focuses on core issues prominent in the GOP platform, especially targeting immigration. Her campaign video outlined clear strategies, such as deporting illegal immigrants, halting drug trafficking, and curtailing financial operations of cartels.

She also emphasized preventing the purchase of Tennessee land by Chinese entities. She dramatized her stance with a campaign ad featuring her breaking a fortune cookie, reinforcing her dedication to protecting state assets.

Former President Donald Trump, while not endorsing anyone in this race, noted his connections to one of Blackburn’s contenders, Representative John Rose, also a Republican from Tennessee. Rose, an experienced farmer and founder of Transcender Corp., has been an active legislator since 2019. In his campaign, Rose promised local solutions focused on areas like education, infrastructure, healthcare, energy, and economic growth.

Another contender, State Representative Monty Fritts, campaigned with a small-government approach. His priorities included reducing the state’s budget, defending citizen rights, and enhancing parental involvement in education. However, Fritts attracted criticism earlier for his controversial views on banning mosques, which he described as political rather than religious.

“Islam is a little different story than perhaps other religions are, in that it’s not necessarily a religion; it’s a political movement,” Fritts expressed to local media.

With her primary victory secured, Blackburn will now compete against Democrat Jerri Green, a Memphis City Council member and Chief Public Defender. The general election is scheduled for November 3.

Leo Briceno, who reports on politics for Fox News Digital, contributed to this report.