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Marsha Blackburn
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Marsha Blackburn is the senior U.S. Senator from Tennessee, serving since January 3, 2019, and is a candidate for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election 1. She announced her campaign on August 6, 2025, becoming the third sitting U.S. senator to enter a 2026 gubernatorial race, and is considered the frontrunner in a Republican primary field that also includes U.S. Representatives John Rose and Mark Green, state Rep. Monty Fritts, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett; the primary is scheduled for August 6, 2026 23. She remains the sitting senator while running for governor.
Background and education
Blackburn was born Mary Marsha Wedgeworth on June 6, 1952, in Laurel, Mississippi 4. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in home economics, attending on a 4-H scholarship and serving as president of the Associated Women Students 5.
Career
While at Mississippi State, Blackburn worked as a student sales manager for the Southwestern Company 5. She later founded Marketing Strategies, a promotion and event-management firm, in 1978 4. She founded the Williamson County Young Republicans and chaired the county Republican Party from 1989 to 1991, then lost a 1992 bid for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District to incumbent Bart Gordon 4.
Office history
Blackburn served in the Tennessee State Senate representing the 23rd district from 1999 to 2003, rising to minority whip 4. She represented Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House from January 3, 2003, to January 3, 2019, winning reelection seven times 4. She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, defeating former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen 54.7%-43.9%, and was reelected in 2024, defeating Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson 63.8%-34.2% 67. Her committee assignments in the 119th Congress include Commerce, Science, and Transportation (chair, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy), Judiciary (chair, Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law), Finance, and Veterans' Affairs 8.
Family
Blackburn is married to Charles "Chuck" Blackburn; they have two children, Chad and Mary Morgan, and live in Brentwood, Tennessee 9.
Sources
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
Tennessee — campaign finance (search)
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State offices (Governor, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee, statewide judiciary) —
Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Blackburn”, and submit.
US House, US Senate, and Presidential candidates file with the FEC — see the federal section below. - County and municipal offices (County Mayor, Commissioner, Sheriff, School Board, court clerks, municipal alderman, etc.) — most major TN counties use the EasyVote portal. Select the relevant county and search by candidate name (“Blackburn”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Blackburn”and, if needed, select the applicable position.