A Republican gubernatorial primary, meaning a party's nominating contest to select its candidate for governor, closed in Tennessee on Thursday. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a two-term senator and former longtime congresswoman known for regular cable news appearances, entered the night as the frontrunner to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Bill Lee. Tennessee last elected a Democratic governor more than two decades ago, which means Thursday's Republican result will carry most of the weight heading into November.
Why Blackburn is the name to know
Blackburn has a national profile built over years in Congress and a high-visibility presence in conservative media. She is running alongside four-term Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts. Rose, like Blackburn, has been a consistent Capitol Hill supporter of President Donald Trump.
The most unusual element of the race: Trump sat it out. He handed out endorsements in other Republican gubernatorial primaries this cycle but stayed neutral in Tennessee. In January, Trump said he had urged Blackburn to stay in the Senate, telling her the party didn't want to lose her in Washington. He also noted that Rose had been a loyal supporter. What he did not do was pick either one.
Blackburn moved forward anyway. On the eve of the primary, she posted on social media alongside a photo with Trump, framing her campaign as a vehicle for delivering the president's agenda at the state level.
The Democratic side and what it's up against
Five Democrats entered their own primary for governor, including Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green. Whoever wins that contest will face a structurally difficult general election. Tennessee hasn't sent a Democrat to the governor's office in two decades.
The state's other Senate seat tells a similar story. Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, seeking a second six-year term, is unopposed in the GOP primary. Five Democrats are competing to challenge him in November. The last time Tennessee chose a Democrat for Senate was Al Gore's re-election bid, 36 years ago.
A redrawn congressional map reshapes the House races
Tennessee's U.S. House contests are running on a new congressional district map drawn by Republicans, one that created an extra right-leaning seat. The map effectively ended the career of longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, who represented Memphis and chose not to seek re-election.
In a separate and expensive House primary, two-term Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, who has Trump's backing, is facing a challenge from Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. Gov. Lee endorsed Hatcher earlier this week. Outside groups have poured significant money into that contest.