The Signal · Issue #45
Blackburn Puts Education, Affordability on Early Agenda
Good afternoon. Tennessee has a governor-elect, and she's already talking about what comes next. The state also has a Senate caucus pick for lieutenant governor, a role that controls which lawmakers hear education bills and when they come up for a vote.
In this week's Signal, we have coverage of Marsha Blackburn naming her early priorities one day after winning the governor's race, and Jack Johnson winning the Republican caucus nomination to become the Senate's next speaker. We also have a county-by-county analysis of how Tennessee voted on November 3, including the statewide shift that narrowed the margin in every corner of the state.
The Lead
Blackburn Puts Education, Affordability on Early Agenda
By Jacob Holley
Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn said school choice, property taxes, workforce housing, and childcare will be early priorities.
Read the full story →Also in this issue
Senate Republicans Nominate Jack Johnson to Be Tennessee’s Next Lieutenant Governor
The full Senate formally elects its speaker on January 12, and the new speaker appoints the committee that hears the state’s education bills.
Firefly Staff
How Tennessee Voted in 2026
All 95 of Tennessee’s 95 counties moved toward Democrats. Marsha Blackburn won the governor’s race by 2.6 points, down from 32 for Bill Lee in 2022. A county-by-county, minute-by-minute analysis of the November 3 results.
That's it for this week. Election results are in, and the transition to a new administration has begun. Thanks for reading.
The Signal