U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, kicked off her campaign for the 2026 Tennessee Governor’s Race in Nashville on Friday with a look back at the issue that helped launch her political career.¶
In the late 1990s, Blackburn helped lead the successful opposition to a proposed state income tax. Blackburn told an audience of supporters at the Loveless Café that the conservative economic policies that followed the income tax debate put Tennessee on solid financial ground.¶
She says she’s running for governor to protect the state’s economic position and use it to advance the opportunity presented by President Trump’s efforts to provide more power to states.¶
“We’ve got this solid foundation, and we are able to accept all of this responsibility that is coming back to the states, and it’s going to be important that we do something with it,” said Blackburn. “Tennessee does not need a manager. What Tennessee needs is a leader, and a leader who can chart the path. A leader that knows how to build a team in order to get the job done.”¶
Opportunity for Innovation¶
Blackburn told supporters she plans to do four things “extremely well” if elected governor - keep taxes low, simplify licensing requirements, ensure government regulation is light, and provide businesses with a well-trained workforce.
