OAN Commentary by: Marsha Blackburn
Thursday, October 23, 2025
When I first entered public service, I did so because I believed Tennessee could lead the way better than any other state – not by mimicking Washington, but by leading with conviction, courage, common sense, and the Tennessee values we all cherish.
That belief still drives me today. We should be America’s conservative leader.
We know that Tennessee can be America’s conservative leader, and that’s why I’m running for governor. President Trump has reminded the country that power belongs to the people, not the bureaucrats in Washington.
He’s not just making America great again; he’s making the states great again. That gives states like ours a remarkable opportunity to show what strong, conservative leadership can accomplish when we’re not shy about consistently acting on principle.
Every year, I visit each of our 95 counties– from Memphis to Mountain City– listening to the people who give this state its character and strength. Farmers are gravely concerned about federal overreach and rising costs. Parents tell me they want schools that teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, not this woke nonsense that has infiltrated too many classrooms.
They want their kids to be safe and our communities to be free of crime. Their message is simple: Keep us safe, keep us free, and give our kids a fighting chance. We want them to live their American dream.
Spirit, self-reliance, and freedom define Tennessee. It’s that spirit which carried us through one of the most pivotal moments in Tennessee history: the state income tax battle. When the Republican governor proposed a state income tax to pay for the test case for Hillarycare, I stood up and fought back. I’d made a promise to the people I served in the State Senate that I would never support a state income tax, and so I took on Democrats and tax-supporting Republicans.
We were told we’d lose. We were told it was inevitable that we were getting a tax. But Tennesseans wouldn’t accept that; they rallied around our fight, and together, we won. That victory didn’t just stop a state income tax; it set the tone for two decades of economic strength. Today, we’re one of the lowest-taxed, lowest-debt states in America. That’s conservative leadership in action.
But our work isn’t done. As President Trump sends power back to the states, the next chapter will decide whether Tennessee stays strong or drifts toward being a follower rather than the leader. Tennessee is positioned to lead America’s comeback, and I’m asking Tennesseans to allow me to serve them and lead our state through this conservative reset.
A strong Tennessee defends parents’ rights in education, stands for conservative values, protects children from online exploitation, sides with law enforcement over illegal aliens and criminals, keeps taxes low, and ensures that every small business, from a family farm to a tech startup, can thrive right here at home.
That’s the Tennessee I want for my grandchildren, and yours. That’s a Tennessee worth fighting for.
Tennessee doesn’t need a manager; it needs a leader who can chart a pathway when it matters most. I’ve dedicated my life to fighting for Tennessee’s values, and now, I’m running to be the 51st governor of Tennessee to show the rest of the nation that the path to President Trump’s Golden Age of America is orange and white and runs through the Volunteer State.
(Views expressed by guest commentators may not reflect the views of OAN or its affiliates.)
Senator Marsha Blackburn is the senior United States Senator from the great state of Tennessee, and a candidate for Governor of Tennessee in 2026.
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