U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, does not fit the mold of the state’s Republican senators over the last 50 years — men like Howard Baker, Lamar Alexander, Bill Frist and Bob Corker — but why should she? She’s living in the Trump era, and she fits that mold better than any of the aforementioned men.
Yet, while Blackburn — seeking her second term in the November election — is a passionate partisan and an enthusiastic supporter of the former president in his attempt to reclaim the office, she’s also not afraid to work across the aisle for legislation she believes is necessary.
Just in recent months, she has worked with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, on the Kids Online Safety Act, requiring social media platforms to provide minors options to protect their information and giving parents additional controls to help protect their children; with U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, on the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act to help address the sexual assault and harassment of Federal Bureau of Prisons employees by inmates; and with U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, to urge Chinese automakers to make their ties to the Chinese Communist Party clear amid concerns about the potential of their vehicles being imported to the U.S.
Yes, Blackburn’s also out front on the red-meat issues many previous Tennessee senators were quieter about — issues such as illegal immigration, trans men in women’s locker rooms and abortion — but those issues are predominant in the Trump era and also register for many Volunteer State voters.
She is opposed by state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, who is hoping her status as one of the Tennessee Three — the trio that exhorted protesters from the state House floor during a discussion about gun safety following the March 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville — will propel her to higher office.