Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the race to become Tennessee's next governor on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Jerri Green.
With 95% of the expected vote counted, Blackburn led Green 45% to 43%. Independent David Hatley siphoned off nearly 10% of the vote. The senator will succeed Governor Bill Lee, who is term-limited.
Blackburn's move to the governor's mansion will open her Senate seat, to which she will appoint an interim replacement.
The longtime Republican official was expected to coast to victory over Green in the overwhelmingly red state, which has backed Trump in all three of his presidential runs and has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2006. Blackburn entered the general election as the heavy favorite after winning the Republican primary with 44% of the vote against Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts in August.
Blackburn was elected to the Senate in 2018 after representing Tennessee's 7th Congressional District from 2003 to 2019. She aligns closely with President Donald Trump and has remained a leading voice in Republican politics, focusing on issues including immigration, China, election security, and protecting women's sports.
Green, on the other hand, is a first-term city council member and a Shelby County public defender. Born and raised in Memphis, she campaigned on affordability, childcare, health care, and climate-smart policies. Green pledged to support "common-sense" gun legislation, issue an executive order advocating for a statewide data center moratorium, and end Tennessee Highway Patrol cooperation with ICE.
In an interview with The Daily Wire this summer, Blackburn said she was running for governor because she believes Tennessee has the potential to be "America's conservative leader."
"Tennessee is a conservative state — we don't have a state income tax, we don't allow illegals to run our state, we fight to protect faith, family, freedom, hope, and opportunity," Blackburn said. "And I want to keep it that way."
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