Marsha Blackburn wins Republican nomination for Tennessee governor

Blackburn is running to replace Republican Gov. Bill Lee who is term limited. Her victory comes exactly one year after she announced her gubernatorial campaign.

By Misty Severi

Published: August 6, 2026 9:35pm

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn, won the Republican nomination Thursday night for Tennessee governor, defeating Tennessee GOP Rep. John Rose for the party's nomination.

Blackburn is running to replace Republican Gov. Bill Lee who is term limited. Her victory comes exactly one year after she announced her gubernatorial campaign.

The senator defeated Rose 43.9% to 32.7%, while state Rep. Monty Fritts came in third with 23.3% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.

Blackburn was only reelected to the Senate in 2024, meaning her full-term is not up until 2031. But if Blackburn wins in November, Lee will select a replacement to fill the seat until the state's next general election.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.