Key facts
- U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn won the Republican primary for Tennessee governor.
- Blackburn defeated fellow Trump ally U.S. Representative John Rose.
- Memphis City Councilor Jerri Green won the Democratic nomination for governor.
- State Representative Justin Pearson secured a Democratic nomination for a U.S. House district.
- Tennessee is considered a Republican stronghold.
In Tennessee, a state strongly favoring Republicans, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has won the Republican primary election for governor, defeating fellow Trump ally U.S. Representative John Rose. Memphis City Councilor Jerri Green secured the Democratic nomination for governor, while State Representative Justin Pearson won a Democratic nomination for a U.S. House district.
Blackburn, 74, and Rose, 61, were vying to succeed two-term Governor Bill Lee, who is departing due to term limits. The winner is widely expected to win the general election in November, given President Donald Trump's significant victory margin in the state in 2024. A third Republican candidate, state representative Monty Fritts, 62, could have influenced the outcome.
The primary also included the first U.S. House election since Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature redrew congressional maps. Four Democrats competed for the nomination in a redrawn, majority-Black district in Memphis, including state representative Justin Pearson and state senator London Lamar. Four Republican candidates ran for the House seat, including state senator Brent Taylor, who has Trump's endorsement.