On a Friday, just over a week ago, the two main competitors for the Republican nomination for governor in Tennessee were in Chattanooga.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn was meeting with officials about the location of the long-awaited — but still being debated — new federal courthouse.
U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, was speaking to the Civitan Club and pressing the flesh there. He also spent a few minutes with us talking about his candidacy.
(IN THE NEWS: US Rep. John Rose vies to be governor, or as he calls it, the ‘CEO of Tennessee.’)
The conventional wisdom is the state’s next governor will be one of the above two. Oh, the primary ballot will have several other names but none with the financial ability to compete. The November ballot also will have a Democratic candidate — at this point likely to be Memphis Councilwoman Jerri Green — and several independents, but national election analysts see 2026 as another Republican year.