Tennessee Polls Close in 2026 Governor Primary as Marsha Blackburn Leads GOP Field
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 7
Tennessee Polls Close in 2026 Governor Primary as Marsha Blackburn Leads GOP Field
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 7
Summary
Polls closed Thursday in Tennessee with Sen. Marsha Blackburn the clear front-runner in the Republican primary to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee.
Blackburn entered the race with a statewide profile built over years in the House and two Senate terms, outpacing a GOP field that includes Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts.
Trump stayed neutral despite endorsing in other gubernatorial primaries, saying he wanted Blackburn to remain in the Senate even as he called her potentially a good governor and praised Rose's loyalty.
The primary tops a broader slate in a state where Democrats have not won a governor's race in 20 years, with Bill Hagerty unopposed in the GOP Senate primary and Rep. Andy Ogles facing a costly House challenge.