Blackburn Projects Confidence as Early Voting Closes

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is projecting confidence as early voting closes in what she said is a “critically important” election.

The Brentwood Republican gubernatorial candidate was the center of state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson’s (R-Franklin) annual Boots and Jeans, BBQ and Beans fundraiser.

“I will tell you this: On Thursday, I will win,” Blackburn said to a cheering crowd of hundreds of supporters in The Factory at Franklin’s Liberty Hall.

Blackburn called the three-way primary race with U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts “critically important,” while offering a new “battle cry” dripping of McCarthyism.

“In 1776 the battle cry was ‘The British are coming.’ In 2026 the battle cry is ‘The communists are coming,” Blackburn said. “When you look at what has happened in some of these [congressional] districts, we are not going to let that happen in Tennessee. As your governor, I will make certain we never turn into California or New York.”

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett added, “What's gone on under [President Joe] Biden administration is purely demonic,” while vaguely speaking about Johnson’s state bill banning gender affirming care for minors that was heard before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025, resulting in a landmark decision and significant political win for Johnson and Republican states.

“If the Republicans lose the House, we will turn back everything — it'll be boys back in the girls' dressing rooms, that border will be open — we will lose every gain that we've had, every dadgum gain,” Burchett said.

Burchett also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the press, telling the crowd, “I wouldn't let my dog take a poop on those dadgum newspapers.”

“They're not your friend, all right, they are not our friend. They hate this country. They hate what's going on. They hate capitalism. They hate the Republican Party. They hate conservatism,” Burchett said (although he was warmer to the gaggle of reporters during the post-remarks press conference out of sight of the ticket-holding GOP voters).

During that press conference, Blackburn brushed off questions about her top opponent, Rose, who has gone on the offensive in recent weeks, calling her “ignorant” of state laws at a July 22 Spring Hill campaign event.

Rose has also criticized Blackburn’s unwillingness to debate him and Fritts on the issues, when she recently declined to participate in a now-canceled debate at Cumberland University, and has called on her to release information related to a 2025 Senate Ethics Committee investigation into her office, following NewsChannel 5 and Tennessean news reports.

When asked by the Williamson Scene if she would voluntarily release information related to the investigation, Blackburn did not say yes or no, instead saying, “There was a complaint made. It was investigated. Nothing happened,” adding, “There was no disciplinary action.”

Rose is touting the support from more than 300 farmers from across the state as well as a poll showing him closing in on Blackburn, while her camp released their own poll showing her with a strong lead.

That July 31 Blackburn poll details that 42 percent of the 800 polled Republican voters support the senator, with Rose at 25 percent and Fritts at 22 percent, with 11 percent undecided.

“Marsha has demonstrated time and time again that she has the grit, she's got the fight, she's got the determination, she's not apologetic about her conservative viewpoints,” Johnson told the crowd.

Other event speakers included 9th Congressional District candidate and current state Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs (Blackburn’s campaign treasurer), Gov. Bill Lee and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally. 

Lee and McNally praised Johnson, who is in the running to be the next lieutenant governor after McNally’s term ends. 

Retiring Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson was also recognized by Gov. Lee with Tennessee’s highest civilian honor, the rank of Colonel, Aide-de-Camp.