Marsha Blackburn has spent more than two decades in Washington, first in the House and then as Tennessee’s first female U.S. Senator. Now she wants to come home and run the state.
On August 6, 2026, she won the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. If she wins in November, she will make history twice and open up one of the safest Republican Senate seats in the country. Here is what to know.
Quick Answer
Senator Marsha Blackburn won Tennessee’s Republican primary for governor on August 6, 2026, with about 43.6 percent of the vote. She faces Democrat Jerri Green on November 3, 2026. If elected, she would be Tennessee’s first female governor. She is also the lead Republican sponsor of the Kids Online Safety Act.
Who Is Marsha Blackburn?
Blackburn grew up in Laurel, Mississippi, and attended Mississippi State University on a 4-H scholarship. She paid her way through school selling books door to door, then built a career in retail marketing and founded her own business.
She entered public service in 1995 as executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission. In 1998 she won a seat in the Tennessee State Senate, where she led a grassroots campaign against a proposed state income tax. The tax was defeated. In 2014, Tennessee voters went further and amended the state constitution to ban an income tax.
She represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District from 2003 to 2019. In 2018 she won a U.S. Senate seat, becoming the first woman to represent Tennessee in the Senate. She was reelected in 2024.
Marsha Blackburn's Age
Blackburn is 74. If she wins in November, she would be the oldest person elected governor in Tennessee history. She has dismissed concerns about her age in interviews, pointing to her energy on the campaign trail and her long record.
The 2026 Tennessee Governor Race
Governor Bill Lee is term-limited. Three Republicans competed for the nomination: Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose, and state Rep. Monty Fritts.
| Candidate | Vote Share (Aug. 6, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Marsha Blackburn | 43.6% |
| John Rose | about 33% |
| Monty Fritts | about 23% |
Neither President Trump nor Governor Lee endorsed in the primary. Trump said he had ties to Rose, a former state agriculture commissioner who also ran as a Trump ally. Blackburn won by roughly 11 points. That is a comfortable margin, though some analysts noted it showed some voter fatigue with candidates coming from Washington.
The General Election
Blackburn faces Democratic state Rep. Jerri Green on November 3, 2026. Either nominee would become Tennessee’s first female governor. In a state Republicans have dominated for years, Blackburn is the strong favorite.
What Happens to Blackburn's Senate Seat?
Blackburn’s Senate term runs through January 2031, so her seat is not on the ballot this year. If she becomes governor, she would have to resign from the Senate. Under Tennessee law the governor fills a Senate vacancy by temporary appointment, which means Blackburn herself would likely choose her successor. That appointment would be one of the first major decisions of her term.
Marsha Blackburn and the Kids Online Safety Act
Blackburn’s signature legislative effort is the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA. She and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut first introduced it in February 2022, following a series of hearings with social media companies.
KOSA would create a “duty of care” requiring platforms to take steps to protect minors from harms such as addictive design features and online predators. It would also give parents more control over kids’ online settings.
Where KOSA Stands in 2026
- Senate: The Senate passed KOSA 91 to 3 in 2024. The bill has 75 co-sponsors, according to Blackburn’s office.
- House: In late June 2026, the House passed its own package, the KIDS Act, which removed the duty of care. Blackburn and Blumenthal called it a weak substitute that leaves Big Tech’s business model intact.
- Committee: On August 5, 2026, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a clean version of KOSA by voice vote.
The House and Senate still need to resolve their differences before anything reaches the president’s desk. KOSA has drawn support from more than 240 organizations and, as of May 2026, from OpenAI. Critics, including some civil liberties groups and Senator Rand Paul, have argued the bill could lead to censorship. Blackburn has responded that it regulates product design, not content.
Related Breaking Battlegrounds Discussion
Blackburn joined Chuck Warren and Sam Stone on Podcast 162, recorded November 6, 2023. According to the episode summary, she discussed the Middle East, housing affordability, and her work on the Kids Online Safety Act. The interview came one month after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
The same episode featured bestselling author Richard Paul Evans on his children’s book My Son Lives in a Tree. For another Tennessee perspective, listen to Rep. Tim Burchett.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marsha Blackburn running for governor?
Yes. Marsha Blackburn won the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee on August 6, 2026, with about 43.6 percent of the vote. She faces Democrat Jerri Green in the general election on November 3, 2026. Governor Bill Lee is term-limited.
How old is Marsha Blackburn?
Marsha Blackburn is 74 years old. If elected governor in November 2026, she would be the oldest person ever elected governor of Tennessee. She was born in Laurel, Mississippi.
What happens to Marsha Blackburn's Senate seat if she becomes governor?
If Blackburn wins, she would resign her Senate seat, which runs through early 2031. Under Tennessee law, the governor appoints a temporary replacement. That means Blackburn would likely pick her own successor, who would serve until a special election.
What is the Kids Online Safety Act?
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is a bipartisan bill by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal. It would require platforms to protect minors from harms like addictive design and give parents more control. The Senate passed it 91 to 3 in 2024. As of 2026, the House has passed a weaker version without the duty of care.
Conclusion
Marsha Blackburn’s career has been built on anti-tax politics, technology policy, and a consistent conservative record. Her move to the governorship would cap that career with two historic firsts. It would also hand Tennessee Republicans an important Senate appointment.
For families following the kids’ online safety debate, her departure from the Senate raises a real question: who carries KOSA forward if its lead Republican author leaves Washington?
Related Reads
Sources
- Office of Senator Marsha Blackburn, “Blackburn & Blumenthal Statement on House Passage of the KIDS Act,” June 29, 2026
- Office of Senator Marsha Blackburn, “Blackburn & Blumenthal Celebrate Commerce Committee Passage of Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act,” August 5, 2026
- NBC News, “Sen. Marsha Blackburn wins the Republican primary for governor of Tennessee,” August 6, 2026
- WSMV, “Marsha Blackburn wins Tennessee GOP gubernatorial primary,” August 7, 2026
- Inside Elections, “Tennessee Primary Results,” August 2026
- Connecticut Public, “Senate panel approves Blumenthal’s Kids Online Safety Act,” August 5, 2026
- Breaking Battlegrounds, Podcast 162 episode page, recorded November 6, 2023
Editorial Note: This article is intended for informational and analytical purposes. Political developments, policies, polling, and public statements can change over time. Readers should consult primary sources and official government information for the latest details.
