Tennessee appears set to have a woman sitting in the governor’s chair next year for the first time, regardless of which party wins in November.¶
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, and Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green both won their respective gubernatorial primaries last night.¶
Olive Branch to Opponents
Blackburn received more than 43 percent of the vote in the GOP primary, to Congressman John Rose’s, R-TN, 32 percent and State Representative Monty Fritts’, R-Kingston, 23 percent. The race had become more heated in recent weeks, but Blackburn extended an olive branch to supporters of her opponents at a speech in Knoxville, saying they have to unite in November.¶
“Come join our team. You know, really, our work is much bigger than any one candidate or any one campaign. We absolutely have to unite as a party and defeat the Democrats in November,” Blackburn said. “The Democrats are running to destroy our state and our nation. We can not let them get one smidge of momentum in the great state of Tennessee.”¶
Blackburn also used her victory speech to make the case for educational freedom policies, including the Education Freedom Scholarship that allows families to use tax dollars for private school expenses, sometimes called vouchers.¶
Green Wins Big Opposing “Vouchers”
Democrats across the state ran opposing the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, including Green, who won 69 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary.¶
Green sent a press release this morning promising to “fully fund public schools” by ensuring tax dollars stay in classrooms. She also contrasted her background as a “kitchen-table problem-solver” with Blackburn’s.¶
"Tennesseans are tired of being treated as an afterthought by a political establishment that looks backward and protects the wealthy while working families get left with the bill,” Green said. “While Marsha Blackburn carries water for AI billionaires and big pharma, our campaign is rooted right here at home—fighting to fully fund our public schools instead of defunding them with vouchers, expanding rural healthcare instead of blocking it, and protecting women's freedom to make their own healthcare decisions."¶
Putting Students First a Big Issue in the General Assembly
This year’s election featured more open seats than usual, including 10 in the House, plus an 11th that seems likely to open in November following Representative Joe Towns’, D-Memphis, win in the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk’s race.¶
Education played a critical role in four of those open GOP primaries. Jordan Henderson in House District 8, Andy Swafford in House District 31, Brian Stewart in House District 45, and Perry Keenan in House District 78 all won by running on platforms that support policies providing all children with access to quality public education, including support for charter schools and open enrollment.¶
“I am humbled by your trust and grateful for every person who helped make this victory possible,” wrote Swafford on social media following his victory. “This campaign has always been about the future of District 31. We've shown that a new generation of conservative leadership is ready to step up and serve.”¶
Relatedly, multiple incumbents facing well-funded challengers also won by running on similar policies, including Representatives Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, and Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, and Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun.¶
The Education political action committee Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) Action supported each of these candidates and issued a release Friday morning, making the case that the results show candidates can run to the left or right but will lose if they don’t put students first.¶
"The candidates who won may have come from a diversity of backgrounds and political positions, but they all share the same focus on setting students up for success," said Lana Skelo, TSS President and CEO. "In primary after primary, the candidates who shied away from student-first policies lost while those who boldly supported providing all children with access to a quality public education won. Voters demand leaders who will prioritize the right policies that ensure accountability in the classroom and produce better outcomes for kids."¶
The Tennessee Firefly and TSS Action are both projects of and supported by Tennesseans for Student Success.¶
Incumbents Defeated
Three incumbents lost their seats Thursday night, including Representatives John Crawford, R-Bristol; Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro; and Gabby Salinas, D-Memphis.¶
Sullivan County Commissioner Jessica Means beat Crawford, earning 61 percent of the vote; commercial airline pilot Noah Smith beat Powers with 67 percent; and Moving Memphis Forward leader Dr. Telisa Franklin beat Salinas with 55 percent.¶
