Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn
Born	Mary Marsha Wedgeworth 6 6, 1952
Birthplace	Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businesswoman
Known for	First woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee
Education	Mississippi State University (BS)
Children	2
Website	[https://www.blackburn.senate.gov Official site]

Mary Marsha Blackburn (née Wedgeworth; born June 6, 1952) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the senior United States senator from Tennessee. A member of the Republican Party, Blackburn has built a political career spanning more than two decades in Tennessee politics, from her early days in the state senate to sixteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives and, since 2019, in the U.S. Senate. In November 2018, she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee, defeating former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen. During her time in the House, the National Journal rated her among the chamber's most conservative members. A supporter of the Tea Party movement and a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, Blackburn has been a prominent voice on issues including opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and the Affordable Care Act. She became Tennessee's senior senator in January 2021 upon the retirement of Senator Lamar Alexander, and upon the retirement of Congressman Jim Cooper in 2023, she became the dean of Tennessee's congressional delegation. Blackburn won reelection to a second Senate term in 2024 against Democratic nominee Gloria Johnson. In August 2025, she announced her candidacy for governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election cycle.

Early Life

Marsha Blackburn was born Mary Marsha Wedgeworth on June 6, 1952, in Laurel, Mississippi. She grew up in the southern United States and would later relocate to Tennessee, where she established her political career. Details about her parents and upbringing in Laurel remain limited in publicly available sources, though her Mississippi roots would later be reflected in her educational choices.

Education

Blackburn attended Mississippi State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Her time at Mississippi State provided the foundation for her later career in business and public service. The university has recognized her as a notable alumna through its Congressional and Political Research Center.

Career

Early Career and State Government

Before entering elected office, Blackburn worked in the private sector as a businesswoman. Her first significant role in Tennessee state government came when Governor Don Sundquist appointed her as Executive Director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission, a position she held from February 1995 to June 1997. In this role, she worked to promote Tennessee's entertainment industry and attract film and music productions to the state.

Tennessee State Senate (1999–2003)

Blackburn was elected to the Tennessee State Senate in 1998, representing the 23rd district. She succeeded Keith Jordan and served from January 12, 1999, to January 3, 2003. Her tenure in the state senate provided her with legislative experience and a platform from which to launch a campaign for federal office. She was succeeded in the state senate seat by Jim Bryson.

U.S. House of Representatives (2003–2019)

Election to Congress

In 2002, Blackburn ran for Tennessee's 7th congressional district seat being vacated by Ed Bryant, who was running for the U.S. Senate. She won the Republican primary and the general election, beginning a sixteen-year tenure in the House of Representatives. The 7th district encompassed suburban areas of Nashville and Memphis along with rural communities in western and central Tennessee.

Blackburn was reelected multiple times by comfortable margins. Election results from Tennessee's Secretary of State confirmed her continued dominance in the district through the 2014 cycle.

Legislative Record and Ideology

During her time in the House, Blackburn established herself as one of the most conservative members of the chamber. The National Journal rated her among the House's most conservative members, a distinction she maintained consistently over her years of service.

Blackburn was a supporter of the Tea Party movement that gained prominence during the Obama administration. In March 2010, she was among the Republican lawmakers who positioned themselves against the Affordable Care Act, which she opposed as government overreach into the healthcare system.

Abortion and Planned Parenthood

Blackburn was a vocal opponent of abortion throughout her congressional career. In 2013, she was among the Republican House members who continued to pursue anti-abortion legislation despite the party's losses in the 2012 elections.

In October 2015, following the release of controversial undercover videos related to Planned Parenthood, House Speaker John Boehner selected Blackburn to lead a new select committee focused on investigating Planned Parenthood and fetal tissue research practices. The House fetal tissue research investigation under Blackburn's leadership continued into 2016, drawing both praise from anti-abortion advocates and criticism from opponents who viewed it as politically motivated.

Telecommunications and Technology Policy

Blackburn was active in telecommunications policy during her House tenure. She introduced legislation that would have blocked the Federal Communications Commission from preempting state laws that restricted municipal broadband networks. Her bill was characterized by critics as favoring established telecommunications companies over efforts by local governments to provide internet service to their communities.

In March 2017, Blackburn was among the members of Congress who voted to overturn Obama-era online privacy rules that had required internet service providers to obtain consumers' permission before sharing their browsing data with advertisers. The vote drew significant public attention and debate over digital privacy rights.

Support for Trump Administration

Blackburn aligned herself as a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. In January 2017, she was among the Republican lawmakers who publicly defended Trump's executive order restricting travel from several majority-Muslim countries.

Redistricting

Tennessee's congressional districts were subject to redistricting following the 2010 census. The redistricting process affected the boundaries of the 7th district that Blackburn represented.

Potential Gubernatorial Campaign (2009)

In early 2009, there was speculation about whether Blackburn would run for governor of Tennessee. Reports at the time indicated she had not yet made a decision on a gubernatorial bid. Ultimately, she chose to remain in the House of Representatives at that time.

U.S. Senate (2019–present)

2018 Senate Election

In 2018, Blackburn ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Bob Corker. The race attracted national attention as one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the cycle. Blackburn faced former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, a moderate Democrat who was considered a strong candidate in the increasingly Republican-leaning state. On November 6, 2018, Blackburn won the election, becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. She took office on January 3, 2019, succeeding Corker.

Senate Tenure

Blackburn serves alongside fellow Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, who was elected in 2020. In January 2021, following the retirement of Lamar Alexander, Blackburn became Tennessee's senior senator. Upon the retirement of Congressman Jim Cooper in 2023, she also became the dean of Tennessee's congressional delegation, the member with the longest continuous service.

In the Senate, Blackburn has continued to focus on conservative policy priorities. She has been active on technology and social media issues, particularly concerning children's safety online. In February 2026, she authored an opinion piece in the Knoxville News Sentinel arguing that Congress needed to act if technology companies would not protect children from the harms of social media, referencing legal proceedings involving Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Blackburn has also pressed technology companies on issues of perceived political bias. In February 2026, she sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook questioning the company about reports that Apple News had systematically suppressed articles from conservative publications, calling the practice "a disservice."

On immigration issues, Blackburn has advocated for election security measures. In February 2026, she called for the passage of the SAVE America Act, legislation aimed at ensuring only U.S. citizens could vote in federal elections. She has also been involved in local immigration enforcement matters, working to address concerns about a potential ICE facility in Lebanon, Tennessee.

2024 Reelection

In 2024, Blackburn ran for reelection to her Senate seat. She faced Democratic nominee Gloria Johnson, a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives who had gained national attention as one of the "Tennessee Three" in 2023. Blackburn won reelection, securing a second six-year term in the Senate.

2026 Gubernatorial Campaign

In August 2025, Blackburn announced her candidacy for governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election. Polling conducted in early 2026 showed Blackburn with a commanding lead in the Republican primary, with a survey indicating 61% support for her candidacy, well ahead of competitors including John Rose and Monty Fritts. Her gubernatorial campaign has drawn attention from national political figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who criticized Blackburn during a tour stop in Nashville in February 2026.

Personal Life

Blackburn resides in Tennessee, where she has lived for much of her adult life after growing up in Mississippi. She has two children. Her personal life has remained largely private compared to her public political activities.

In her political career, Blackburn has been noted for her communication style and media presence. A 2013 appearance on a television news program drew attention after she struggled to answer a question directly, prompting media commentary.

Blackburn has been involved in civic activities in Williamson County, Tennessee, where she has been based for much of her political career.

Recognition

Blackburn's election to the U.S. Senate in 2018 was a historic milestone, as she became the first woman to represent Tennessee in the Senate. This distinction has been frequently noted in coverage of her career and in discussions of women's representation in American politics.

Her conservative voting record earned her recognition from various conservative organizations throughout her career. The National Journal's rating of her as one of the most conservative House members reflected her consistent alignment with right-of-center policy positions during her time in the lower chamber.

As the first woman from Tennessee to serve in the U.S. Senate, and later as both the state's senior senator and the dean of its congressional delegation, Blackburn has held a position of prominence within Tennessee's federal representation. Her selection by Speaker Boehner to lead the House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives in 2015 represented a significant leadership role within the Republican conference during her House tenure.

Legacy

Blackburn's political career, spanning from the Tennessee State Senate to the U.S. Senate and a gubernatorial campaign, represents one of the more prominent trajectories of a conservative woman in American politics. Her status as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee in the state's history marks a significant point in Tennessee's political record, regardless of ideological perspective.

Her work on telecommunications policy, though controversial, placed her at the center of important national debates about municipal broadband, internet privacy, and the role of government in regulating technology companies. Her later focus on social media regulation and children's online safety in the Senate represents a continuation of her engagement with technology issues, albeit from a different regulatory direction than her earlier House positions on broadband and privacy.

Blackburn's consistent conservatism and alignment with the Tea Party movement and later with the Trump wing of the Republican Party has made her a representative figure of the rightward shift within the party during the 2010s and 2020s. Her long tenure in Tennessee politics — from state senator to congresswoman to senator and prospective governor — has made her one of the defining political figures in the state during the early 21st century.