The Redemption Project Newsroom
Editor’s note: This article is part of TRP’s side-by-side series on Tennessee’s Republican and Democratic primaries for governor. Each installment applies the same civic question to both races while recognizing that the two primaries are not the same kind of contest.
Every campaign is trying to define the race before voters define it for themselves.
In Tennessee’s Republican primary for governor, the candidates are not only competing over policies. They are competing over identity, trust, experience and frustration with government.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is leaning into national conservative credentials, Trump alignment, China, immigration and parental rights. U.S. Rep. John Rose is presenting himself as a conservative outsider, businessman and farmer who can gain ground when voters compare candidates. State Rep. Monty Fritts is running in a grassroots, constitutional-conservative lane built around frustration with the system and a willingness to appear in side-by-side formats.
Those are not just slogans.
They are campaign narratives.
Blackburn’s message begins with trust and familiarity. She entered the race with statewide name recognition, two recent statewide Senate victories and a national conservative profile. AP reported when Blackburn entered the race that she could become Tennessee’s first female governor and could run without risking her Senate seat after winning reelection in 2024
Her campaign also leans heavily on national conservative themes. Reuters reported that Blackburn launched as a Trump-aligned candidate, with messaging tied to immigration, conservative social policy and national Republican priorities.
In the final stretch, Blackburn’s campaign also moved toward China and land ownership. Her campaign released a July 8 television ad focused on China, communism and foreign ownership of Tennessee land. The ad drew national criticism over its imagery, including coverage from Yahoo and The Daily Beast.
That controversy should not swallow the whole race.
But the ad shows how Blackburn’s campaign is trying to define threat, identity and strength quickly. Campaign ads are not built to explain every policy detail. They are built to tell voters what to fear, whom to trust and what kind of leader the candidate wants to appear to be.
Rose is selling a different story.
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