KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has secured the Republican nomination for Tennessee governor, winning a statewide primary race that saw support divided among three major candidates but ending with Blackburn capturing a majority of the state’s counties.
According to unofficial final results from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office, Blackburn received 311,329 votes, accounting for 43.6% of ballots cast in the Republican gubernatorial primary on Aug. 6.
The results show Blackburn’s strongest support came from portions of southwest Tennessee and other areas across the state, helping her win 68 of Tennessee’s 95 counties.
Rose Finishes Second
Republican candidate John Rose finished second in the race with 235,512 votes, or 32.9% of the statewide total.
Election data shows Rose performed particularly well in Middle Tennessee counties, including Smith County and Putnam County, while carrying a total of 22 counties statewide.
Although Rose fell short of winning the nomination, his county-by-county performance demonstrated significant regional support and made the race competitive in several areas of Tennessee.
Fritts Earns Strong Support in East Tennessee
State Representative Monty Fritts placed third with 167,971 votes, representing 23.5% of ballots cast.
Fritts’ strongest performances came in East Tennessee, particularly in Roane County and Morgan County, where he received some of his highest vote percentages. Overall, Fritts carried five counties statewide.
Political observers noted that Fritts’ support highlighted continuing strength for grassroots conservative candidates in several East Tennessee communities.
County Breakdown Highlights Regional Differences
The election results reveal clear regional voting patterns across Tennessee.
Blackburn dominated much of the western and southern portions of the state, giving her a decisive county advantage. Rose found support in portions of Middle Tennessee, while Fritts drew some of his strongest backing from counties in East Tennessee.
The final county count showed:
- Marsha Blackburn: 68 counties
- John Rose: 22 counties
- Monty Fritts: 5 counties
The results ultimately gave Blackburn a comfortable statewide victory and the Republican nomination.
Historic General Election Ahead
Blackburn now turns her attention to the November general election, where she will face Democratic nominee Jerri Green.
The race is expected to be historic regardless of the outcome. Because both major-party nominees are women, Tennessee voters are guaranteed to elect the state’s first female governor when ballots are counted in November.
Political analysts expect the governor’s race to remain a major focus across Tennessee through the fall campaign season as both candidates work to build statewide coalitions ahead of Election Day.
