Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) secured Tennessee&#8217;s Republican gubernatorial nomination Thursday, prevailing over two conservative rivals even though President Donald Trump stayed out of the race.
With more than 90% of the vote in, Blackburn led four-term U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts with 43.5% of the vote. <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2085537742864138332?s=20">Decision Desk HQ</a> called the race at 9:24 p.m. ET.
The Daily Wire&#8217;s Lynden Blake was at Blackburn&#8217;s victory party, where a cheering crowd greeted her.
&#8220;The real work begins right now,&#8221; Blackburn told supporters. &#8220;We have to unite. We have to defeat the Democrats in November. We&#8217;ve got to send a message loud and clear, we&#8217;re a solid red conservative state, and all of these socialist, communist policies end at the Tennessee state line.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Senator Marsha Blackburn takes the stage for her victory speech in the TN Governor GOP Primary. <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a>. <a href="https://t.co/kk95jU8xD6">pic.twitter.com/kk95jU8xD6</a>
— Lynden Blake (@LyndenBlake) <a href="https://x.com/LyndenBlake/status/2085546775201378662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
In the Tennessee legislature, Blackburn helped lead the charge to eliminate the state&#8217;s income tax. Following her election to the U.S. Senate, she became a close ally of  Trump and has been a leading Republican voice on issues including immigration, China, election security, and restricting transgender athletes from competing in women&#8217;s sports.
The longtime Republican, who just won a second Senate term, is expected to coast to victory over Shelby County Public Defender Jerri Green (D-TN) this fall in an overwhelmingly red state that has backed Trump in all three of his presidential runs and has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2006. 
Leading up to Election Day, Rose campaigned on his rural farming roots while attacking a $30 million incentive package for a <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/06/17/john-rose-starbucks-ad-tennessee-dei/">Starbucks corporate expansion</a> in Nashville, arguing the funds should instead support local small businesses and core state services. Fritts, meanwhile, raised little money and centered his campaign on religious issues, vowing to find a First Amendment workaround to <a href="https://www.actionnews5.com/2026/07/28/tenn-governor-candidate-calls-ban-mosques-non-christian-religions/">ban mosques</a> and other non-Christian religious groups.
Strong early voting turnout reflected heightened interest on both sides, driven by the open race to replace Republican Gov. Bill Lee and the legislature&#8217;s elimination of Tennessee&#8217;s last Democratic congressional district. Polls leading up to the primary also suggested a <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/07/30/tennessee-republican-primary-poll-blackburn-rose/">tightening</a> race as Blackburn came under fire for <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/07/14/republican-gubernatorial-debate-dodged/">skipping debates</a>, limiting media access, and releasing a <a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2074953981957194064?s=20">viral campaign ad</a> in which she crushed a fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant.
“How hard am I gonna crack down on China? Well, here’s a clue,” Blackburn says as she smashes fortune cookies. “It doesn’t take a fortune cookie to figure it out: here in Tennessee, we’re going to stop Communist China and protect Tennessee land.”
Blackburn has voiced her views on China in Congress since <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/taking-on-china-since-day-one-senator-blackburn-s-record">2003,</a> when she recognized the threat of Chinese intellectual property theft. In the ad, Blackburn promises to work with the Trump administration to continue the fight.
“As I’ve said from the beginning, Tennessee should be America’s conservative leader, and one of the places that we can — and should — lead is in showing the rest of America how to stand up to and confront Communist China,” Blackburn had told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marsha-blackburn-crushes-chinese-fortune-cookies-in-first-ad-of-gov-campaign">The Daily Wire</a>. “As governor, I’ll work with the legislators to tighten up those loopholes and hunt down every adversary who tries to get a foothold in our state.” 
The MAGA firebrand has also pledged to partner with the Trump White House to deport illegal immigrants, combat violent crime, expand school choice, and govern in a way that keeps Tennessee a <a href="https://marshablackburn.com/issue/ensuring-tennessee-remains-a-safe-haven-for-conservatives/">&#8220;safe haven&#8221;</a> for conservatives.
If Blackburn wins the November general election, her Senate seat will become vacant, setting up a closely watched appointment and likely a competitive special election for one of Tennessee&#8217;s two U.S. Senate seats.
<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479601">The Cook Political Report</a> rates the Tennessee governor&#8217;s race as Solid Republican.

GOP Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Town Hall in Warren, MI

Marsha Blackburn Cruises To Big Primary Win In Tennessee Gov Fight

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Politics

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A new proposal from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) seeks to keep gender-confused boys off of girls&#8217; sports teams and out of their locker rooms.  
The <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/files/9DB266B1-2A2D-4FCF-B948-A031AC31AB5C">bill</a> introduced Tuesday by Blackburn and 10 other GOP senators would tie federal funding to whether schools protect girls from discrimination based on biological reality. The bill seeks to codify language into federal law that makes it clear that discrimination protections under Title IX are based on sex and not sexual orientation or so-called gender identity. 
“The Biden administration weaponized Title IX to force women to compete with men in sports and allow men to invade women’s spaces,” Blackburn told The Daily Wire. “Thankfully, President Trump restored common sense in Title IX, and now Congress must codify these protections for women into law to prevent future abuse.”
Blackburn’s proposal, called the “Title IX Clarification Act,” would ensure that discrimination under the provision is based “on the biological reality of sex” and would make federal funding contingent on recognizing that understanding. 
The bill’s introduction comes amid a nationwide controversy fueled by WNBA player Sophie Cunningham’s stance on keeping gender-confused boys out of girls&#8217; sports. 
“I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” Cunningham said in a recent interview with ESPN, drawing backlash from fellow WNBA players and coaches.
Her comments have angered WNBA fans and even led to pro-trans advocacy from Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-coach-protests-sophie-cunningham-with-pro-trans-shirt?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=WNBA+Coach+Protests+Sophie+Cunningham+With+Pro-Trans+Shirt">recently</a> wore a “Trans Kids Belong” shirt during a game. 
The Biden administration attempted to <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/11/2021-05200/guaranteeing-an-educational-environment-free-from-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-sex-including">expand</a> the traditional understanding of Title IX to include “gender identity” as being protected under the definition of sex. Critics argued that interpretation would force schools from keeping sports teams, bathrooms, and locker rooms separate on the basis of sex. 
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump officially <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/initial-rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions/">rescinded</a> Biden’s interpretation of Title IX and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/">directed</a> federal agencies to protect from sex-based discrimination, not gender identity. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-protects-womens-sports-in-landmark-ruling">recently held</a> in a landmark decision that states did not violate Title IX if they had laws in place keeping boys out of girls’ sports. 
“They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex,” Justice Kavanaugh wrote. “The Constitution and Title IX do not require an overhaul of women’s and girls’ sports throughout America.”
Blackburn said her legislation would bring common sense back to federal discrimination law. 
“The Title IX Clarification Act would ensure that common sense, not leftist ideology, governs federal education funding tied to Title IX requirements to protect young women,” she said. 
Other lawmakers backing the proposal are Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Jim Justice (R-WV), Ted Budd (R-NC), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).
A House version of the proposal was introduced in May 2026 by Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and advanced through the Committee on Education and Workforce. It is backed by conservative groups like the Family Research Council, Alliance Defending Freedom, and the American Principles Project.

Indiana Fever v Golden State Valkyries

Sophie Cunningham’s Trans Sports Stance Could Become Federal Law

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Joe Biden

Sophie Cunningham

Supreme Court

Title IX

Transgender Athletes

WNBA

Women's sports

When Marsha Blackburn visited The Daily Wire earlier this month, she laid out her vision for Tennessee.
“Tennessee is a conservative state — we don’t have a state income tax, we don’t allow illegals to run our state, we fight to protect faith, family, freedom, hope, and opportunity,” Blackburn said. “And I want to keep it that way.”
“That’s why I’m running for governor. We have the potential to be America’s conservative leader.”
It’s a message you hear a lot from the senator. But I’ve lived in Tennessee for three years now, and have heard it in person from Blackburn many times. It doesn’t get old, because it validates my decision to be one of the thousands of Americans to leave a blue city and move here.
My family was tired of worrying about how our kids were being indoctrinated at school. We dreaded paying into a tax system that would spend our money on things we hate. We wanted to live in a state that America’s best companies <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tennessee-paramount-1236648159/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are flocking to</a>, not <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-leaving-california-list-2025-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running away from</a>. I work for a company that ran here from California. I want what Marsha Blackburn is promising: to make sure Tennessee remains America’s conservative leader.
Why trust that Marsha Blackburn will deliver? Simply put, I’ve seen her do it. The first time I ever stepped foot in Tennessee was in 2018, to cover the Senate race between Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen, a popular former governor. It was one of the Democrats’ big targets for the cycle, with a longtime Republican incumbent retiring and a great recruit in Bredesen. Most prognosticators rated it a toss-up. Weeks out, polls in the state had Bredesen winning.
It was a tough cycle for Republicans. Democrats won 41 seats in the House, handing the gavel back to Nancy Pelosi. It was a different story in Tennessee: Blackburn smoked Bredesen by 10 points. Six years later, she smoked her Democrat opponent by 30 points.
It’s because Tennessee sees what Blackburn is doing. Before she was in Congress, she was in the state legislature leading the charge to get rid of the state income tax. In Washington, she’s established herself as an influential member of President Donald Trump’s inner circle, bringing the president’s attention to our state. She’s also been at the forefront of the fight to protect women’s sports from liberal insanity.
It was Blackburn, in fact, who first asked a Supreme Court nominee the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-not-a-biologist-supreme-court-nominee-says-she-cant-define-the-word-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">question the Left still can’t answer</a>: What is a woman?
I had the chance to be a fly on the wall for a site visit that Blackburn took to the massive xAI complex Elon Musk is building in Memphis. She was not in campaign mode — she was digging in on the issues that make Tennessee a magnet for big business looking to succeed, and knew the issues on a granular level. The company is building the largest supercomputer in the world, and informed leaders like Blackburn helped convince Musk to build it in Tennessee.
Others have thrown their hat in the ring to challenge Blackburn. Republican Congressman John Rose has been largely self-funding his campaign, which is buoyed by $7 million in spending — compared to just $1 million from Blackburn.
He’s running as a successful Tennessee businessman, but his business record has been a problem. Oddest was the snafu regarding his campaign ad promising that he wouldn’t let “woke” companies like Starbucks come to Tennessee to “push DEI.”
It was a good ad, until it was revealed that the software<a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/06/17/john-rose-starbucks-ad-tennessee-dei/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> company where he’s CEO posted about Black Lives Matter</a> on Instagram in 2020. His company deleted the post; he said he had no idea.
There are also questions over whether he’s overstating his business record. In his campaign posts, he talks about being the founder of an IT training company. But he has also said to the press, prior to his political career, that he actually wasn’t the founder at all. He joined the company two years after it was founded, he told The Tennessean.
“Well, actually I was not the founder of the business,” the paper quoted Rose as saying. “A friend of mine who was in law school with me at Vanderbilt started Transcender Corp. in &#8217;92. In fact, he pretty much ran the business in the apartment until 1994, and I joined him full-time at that point.”
It’s an odd thing to misrepresent.
Then there’s Monty Fritts, a one-term state lawmaker who says he’ll “be surprised” if he doesn’t win. He says Tennessee is sick of politicians like Blackburn, a claim undermined by her electoral success.
It’s unclear what exactly we should be sick of in Tennessee. We’ve been at the forefront of every national victory, because of leaders like Blackburn. Tennessee is growing because people and some of the most successful corporations in the world want to be part of it.
Marsha Blackburn is the leader who will keep that momentum going, and make it undeniable that Tennessee is America’s conservative leader. Early voting starts on Friday.

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Why Marsha Blackburn Is The Right Choice For Tennessee

DW Opinion

Tennessee

Marsha Blackburn&#8217;s first appearance on the Tennessee airwaves as she ramps up her run for governor features her literally crushing Chinese fortune cookies.
The longtime Republican lawmaker who just over a year ago was reelected to the U.S. Senate dropped her first statewide ad in her campaign for governor on Wednesday, and is using the spot to promise voters that she will fight to &#8220;protect Tennessee land from Chinese front companies.&#8221;
&#8220;How hard am I gonna crack down on China? Well, here’s a clue,&#8221; Blackburn says as she smashes fortune cookies revealing her campaign promises. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t take a fortune cookie to figure it out: here in Tennessee we’re going to stop Communist China and protect Tennessee land.&#8221;
Blackburn has voiced her views on China in the House of Representatives since <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/taking-on-china-since-day-one-senator-blackburn-s-record">2003</a> when she recognized the threat of Chinese intellectual property theft. In the ad, Blackburn promises to work with the Trump administration to continue the fight.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J_0yvB16y4M?si=MZG8BCszAVKNnJBb" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This video is reminiscent of her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YCw15PHHLQ">campaign ad</a> for re-election as Senator, where she broke “China” plates, asserting that China was buying up land.
Blackburn told The Daily Wire that she views Tennessee as &#8220;America&#8217;s conservative leader&#8221; and wants to lead the way on the important issue of cracking down on Chinese incursions into the country.
“As I&#8217;ve said from the beginning, Tennessee should be America’s conservative leader, and one of the places that we can — and should — lead is in showing the rest of America how to stand up to and confront Communist China,” Blackburn said. “As governor, I&#8217;ll work with the legislators to tighten up those loopholes and hunt down every adversary who tries to get a foothold in our state.” 
Blackburn’s focus on preventing the CCP from controlling Tennessee land stems from issues dating back to 2023. Tennessee <a href="https://wpln.org/post/a-new-tennessee-law-blocks-some-immigrants-from-buying-property/">created legislation</a> to stop foreign governments from buying agricultural-land if they are a country sanctioned by the U.S. government. 
The concern over foreign ownership of land was sparked by the fact that the company Walton Tennessee LLC, a &#8220;shell company&#8221; with no significant assets or operations, has bought around 500 acres. Loudon County Mayor <a href="https://www.wate.com/news/top-stories/east-tn-leaders-raise-concern-over-foreign-owned-land-in-loudon-county/">Buddy Bradshaw had said</a> that “it’s not like it’s half-acre lots, we’re looking at a 500-acre tract of some pretty good real estate right there.” The acres run alongside land adjacent to military bases like the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base.
Walton Tennessee has sold over 100 parcels of land for as cheap as $10 to foreign entities over the past few years. Nationwide, the CCP holdings of U.S. agricultural-land has risen by over <a href="https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/fact-sheet-chinese-communist-party-ccp-ownership-of-agricultural-land-is-a-threat-to-tennessee">5,300% </a>from 2010 to 2020, owning “352,140 acres of U.S. land valued at $1.9 billion.” 
Blackburn is the heavy favorite to be the Republican nominee, with a primary election set for the beginning of August. She was reelected to the U.S. Senate in 2024 by nearly 30 percentage points, and is overwhelmingly popular in the state.

Screenshot

Marsha Blackburn Crushes Chinese Fortune Cookies In First Ad Of Gov Campaign

On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court sided with fairness and the rule of law in its opinion in Louisiana v. Callais, which returned the Voting Rights Act to its original intent: to protect against intentional racial discrimination. This decision doesn’t discriminate; it says we are all Americans. It restores equal protection under the law, which should be easy for all of us to celebrate. The court sided with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision for a colorblind society and said that racial preferencing doesn’t belong in our elections, just as it doesn’t belong in college admissions.
Following the ruling, I immediately called for our Tennessee state legislature to reconvene as soon as possible to redraw our map — this should yield another conservative seat. From hosting campaign schools to supporting strong conservatives up and down the ballot, I&#8217;ve worked to keep Tennessee a red state, and now we have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure Tennessee has nine solid Republican congressional seats by revisiting the state’s Ninth Congressional District, home to the solidly Democratic area of Memphis.
As governor, I&#8217;ll work tirelessly to make this map a reality, but the fact of the matter is, we can’t wait that long. The legislature must reconvene as soon as possible to pass a new map for it to be in effect for this year’s elections.
I was encouraged when President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116494706928688681">posted on Truth Social</a>: “I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee. Likewise, all of the other Political Representatives of Tennessee have promised to do so.”
Since the ruling, liberals have bemoaned that redrawing the lines would create a “lack of representation,” but it’s funny, I’ve never heard a liberal bemoan the lack of conservative representation in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Hawaii, or Delaware.
There is no doubt: Tennessee is a conservative state — we don’t have a state income tax, we don’t allow illegals to run our state, we fight to protect faith, family, freedom, hope, and opportunity, and I want to keep it that way. In fact, that’s why I’m running for governor. We have the potential to be America’s conservative leader. But this is bigger than the Volunteer State; the trajectory of our country is at risk.
If we are to make Tennessee America’s true conservative leader, this is where it begins.
As Donald Trump himself said, this will &#8220;help Save our Country from the Radical Left Democrats, and their Country destroying Policies of High Tax, Open Borders, Transgender Mutilization[sic], Defunding the Police, ICE, and Border Patrol, No Voter ID, Soft on Crime, and so much more.”
Immediately passing a new, 9-0 map is essential to cementing President Trump’s America First agenda and America’s Golden Age. I will do everything I can to support the legislators who take up this mantle and help us secure the future of our state and of our great nation.
***
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is the state’s senior senator. She is also running for governor.

Flag of the US State of Tennessee

Marsha Blackburn: Redraw Tennessee’s Lines Now

Redistricting

Tennessee appears poised to redraw its congressional map in a move that could eliminate the state&#8217;s lone deep-blue district in the Memphis area, currently represented by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), following Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling narrowing the scope of the Voting Rights Act.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday afternoon that he had communicated with Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee about the possibility of a redraw.
“I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116494706928688681">posted</a> to Truth Social.
“Likewise, all of the other Political Representatives of Tennessee have promised to do so. This should give us one extra seat, and help Save our Country from the Radical Left Democrats, and their Country destroying Policies of High Tax, Open Borders, Transgender Mutilization, Defunding the Police, ICE, and Border Patrol, No Voter ID, Soft on Crime, and so much more. Thank you Governor Lee — PUSH HARD!” Trump added.
The comments come after Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called for a redrawing of the Volunteer State’s map. Blackburn is running for governor as Lee is termed out, encouraging lawmakers to act.
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement [Trump’s] agenda and the Golden Age of America,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/2049515547910381782">wrote</a> in an X post.
“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a reality,” she added.
In response to the president’s Truth Social comments, Blackburn posted, “Fantastic news. Thank you, [Trump] and [Lee]!”
The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision in Louisiana v. Callais hinged primarily on a majority-minority district in Louisiana, which Justice Samuel Alito wrote was “an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.”
The ruling&#8217;s broader implications are likely to be tested beyond Louisiana. Tennessee and other states, including Mississippi, have majority-minority districts created under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In her dissent, liberal Justice Elena Kagan warned that the decision could effectively gut those protections.
“After today, those districts exist only on sufferance, and probably not for long,&#8221; Kagan wrote. &#8220;If other States follow Louisiana’s lead, the minority citizens residing there will no longer have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. And minority representation in government institutions will sharply decline.”
Louisiana has already moved to suspend its May congressional primaries as its maps are redrawn in accordance with the ruling, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-louisiana-suspends-primaries-after-major-supreme-court-ruling?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Louisiana%E2%80%99s+Election+Calendar+Just+Got+Blown+Up+After+Supreme+Court+Ruling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported Thursday morning.
Potential redistricting changes could shape the battle for control of the House of Representatives in November.

US-GERMANY-POLITICS-TRUMP-MERZ

Red State Could Wipe Out Deep-Blue House Seat After Trump’s Big Move

Bill Lee

Congress

House of Representatives

Senator Marsha Blackburn warned Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Tuesday not to impede the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on crime after data suggest his office released dozens of violent criminals in December 2025. 
“President Trump and his administration are working around the clock to make Memphis the safest city in America,&#8221; the Tennessee Republican wrote in a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/3.10.26-Follow-up-Letter-to-DA-Mulroy2.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire, cosigned by Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor. &#8220;It is your obligation as Shelby County’s District Attorney to enforce Tennessee’s criminal code and hold violent criminals accountable — not to allow them to be released back onto the streets to reoffend.&#8221;
Data from the <a href="https://memphiscrimebeat.org/">Memphis Crime Beat</a>, a citizen-run website that tracks crime in the city, showed that only 84 defendants received prison time for the 514 “resolved” cases in December 2025. At the same time, Mulroy admitted to Blackburn in a March 6 <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/2026-03-06-SM-Response-to-Senate-Letter1.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire that 166 of the cases resolved in December were classified as violent offenses.
The rebuke comes amid a back-and-forth between Blackburn and Mulroy over the Democrats&#8217; “soft-on-crime” policies. Mulroy has long faced pressure from state and local Republican officials over his handling of crime. In recent years, Memphis has been ranked as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country, with consistently high murder rates. The Trump administration has surged law enforcement to the city to assist in a federal operation to reduce crime in Memphis.  
The data team from Memphis Crime Beat found that in December 2025, there were 514 total cases resolved, including 144 cases where there was no prosecution. Of the other 370, 178 received a combination of suspended sentence and probation or probation, 84 received prison time, 63 received diversion, and 45 were released with time served, Memphis Crime Beat Executive Director Leslie Taylor noted in an analysis of the data.
“It would logically follow that, if there were only 84 defendants who received prison time in December 2025, but there were 166 violent cases in that same month, there appear to be dozens of violent criminal defendants — based on your own admission — that received no jail time in December 2025,” Blackburn and Sen. Taylor wrote.
Mulroy told Blackburn on March 6 that 166 of the 514 cases were “designated as ‘violent’ in our system.” He added that there were a total of 187 “serious” cases closed counting Class A, B, and C felonies. In Tennessee, a Class A felony has a prison range of 15 to 60 years, while a Class C felony has a range of three to 15 years. 
&#8220;Most of the cases the letter lists as receiving probation or diversion are either nonviolent cases, cases involving defendants without significant criminal histories, cases where defendants have already spent time (often significant time) in jail, or cases in which judges granted such relief without our agreement,&#8221; Mulroy added.
Blackburn’s letter asked for more information on how many of the 166 violent defendants were released onto the streets and how many of the violent or serious felony cases got diversion or probation. 
“We have made significant progress in making Memphis the safest city in the United States, and we will not allow you to stall the tremendous progress that the city of Memphis has made,” Blackburn said.
Mulroy has denied Blackburn&#8217;s claims that he is a George Soros-backed DA, despite the evidence that Soros <a href="https://www.actionnews5.com/2024/02/08/billionaire-behind-curtain-da-steve-mulroy-denies-funding-claims-after-billionaire-george-soros-revealed-possible-campaign-donor/">contributed</a> to a political action committee that backed his campaign. Senator Taylor, a Republican from Memphis, has attempted to remove Mulroy from office through the legislature.
Leslie Taylor, who said that crime data is often difficult to obtain, told The Daily Wire that what happens after someone is arrested is at least as important as the initial detainment 
“The most recent data from the Shelby County Jail shows that 80% of those booked into jail have been there before, and 49% have been in jail 6 or more times,” she said. “We are concerned that if criminals aren&#8217;t effectively prosecuted, we will be back to square one when federal resources are withdrawn.”

Examining the Live Entertainment Industry

Marsha Blackburn Warns Dem DA: Stop Releasing Dangerous Criminals

Crime

Memphis

Violent Crime

When a crippling ice storm hit Nashville leaving hundreds of thousands in the cold and dark, customers could rest assured knowing that the utility company tasked with restoring power made sure its employees were trained to recognize their &#8220;implicit biases&#8221; and had a diverse friend group.
In January 2026, winter storm Fern slammed into Nashville, leaving a heavy coat of ice that took out trees and powerlines throughout the city. The resulting damage left 230,000 residents without power for days amid frigid temperatures. During the storm, the Nashville Electric Service (NES), a public-private utility responsible for powering the city, was lambasted by residents and elected officials alike for its confusing communication about its preparation and response to the historic storm.
Amid the chaos, Democrat Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell attempted to shift blame away from his office while top Republicans pointed to the utility&#8217;s documented focus on DEI and climate change. Republican officials questioned whether the utility had become more focused on politics rather than competency.
<div id="attachment_1052805" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052805" class="size-full wp-image-1052805" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2257840500.jpg" alt="Damaged ice-covered trees and downed power lines during a winter storm in east Nashville, Tennessee, US, on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. US power grids are expected to grapple with unprecedented seasonal demand and the threat of blackouts after a damaging winter storm coated parts of the South and Mid-Atlantic in ice - leaving brutal cold in its wake." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2257840500.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2257840500-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2257840500-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2257840500-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photographer: Kate Dearman/Bloomberg via Getty Images.</div>
While previous reporting highlighted NES boasting about its DEI trainings, new documents obtained by The Daily Wire through public record requests reveal the actual trainings.
One training called &#8220;Building a Culture of Trust&#8221; focused on the concept of &#8220;implicit bias,&#8221; a theory that people are unintentionally prejudiced against others based on their identity. A training slide defined implicit bias as &#8220;a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1052633" style="width: 2054px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052633" class="size-full wp-image-1052633" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM.png" alt="" width="2044" height="1146" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM.png 2044w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM-1024x574.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM-768x431.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.20-PM-1536x861.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 2044px) 100vw, 2044px" />NES slide obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
The training was facilitated in 2023 by Chandra Jarrett of the Nashville-based Joy Consulting Group, according to a schedule of trainings obtained by The Daily Wire. It was required for all supervisors and managers. The training did not appear on the schedule for the 2024-2025 training schedule provided to The Daily Wire.
The objective of the training was to &#8220;identify and create a culture of trust&#8221; and to &#8220;identify implicit or unconscious bias to become more aware of the impact on coworkers and customers.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1052625" style="width: 2068px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052625" class="size-full wp-image-1052625" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM.png" alt="" width="2058" height="1178" srcset="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM.png 2058w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM-300x172.png 300w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM-1006x576.png 1006w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM-768x440.png 768w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.00.40-PM-1536x879.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 2058px) 100vw, 2058px" />NES training obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
Another slide says that implicit bias can be &#8220;thoughts or feelings we have without our conscious knowledge,&#8221; &#8220;can be stereotypes about others,&#8221; or can be &#8220;negative attitudes or opinions about others.&#8221;  To combat implicit bias, employees were told to &#8220;intentionally&#8221; pursue &#8220;diversity in relationships.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1052679" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052679" class="size-full wp-image-1052679" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-53-AM-1619-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />NES slide obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
Employees were asked to consider whether they were &#8220;connected&#8221; to people of different races and sexual orientations than themselves.
<div id="attachment_1052687" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052687" class="size-full wp-image-1052687" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-10-56-AM-4043-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />NES slide obtained by The Daily Wire.</div>
Later in the presentation, employees were given multiple examples of &#8220;implicit bias in the workplace.&#8221; One of the examples of &#8220;sexual orientation bias&#8221; included a fictional scenario where a woman was fired for asking for time off for a &#8220;Pride&#8221; event.
“A woman tells her boss she would like to take off for Pride weekend. Her coworker says, &#8216;You shouldn’t have told him that because he’s not into that.&#8217; A few weeks later the woman is terminated,&#8221; the scenario read. 
<div id="attachment_1052701" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052701" class="size-full wp-image-1052701" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-04-AM-813-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />NES training slide obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
An example of &#8220;gender and professional bias&#8221; in the workplace was the common cultural assumption that men will provide for their families.
&#8220;Men are often seen as &#8216;providers&#8217; for their families, many times receiving higher pay and opportunities for promotion,&#8221; the slide says. &#8220;Women are not given the same opportunities, sometimes considered as inexperienced or unable to complete the same projects/tasks as men.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1052707" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052707" class="size-full wp-image-1052707" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-09-AM-3965-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />NES training slide obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
Another slide says that a hiring manager did not hire a Muslim woman because of her faith, even though the manager determined she did not have the skills for the job.
&#8220;A woman in a hijab applies for a position but she’s not considered because of your belief about Muslims,&#8221; the slide said. &#8220;Your assessment says she was not hired because of skills but the truth is that she was denied because of her ethnicity and faith.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1052713" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1052713" class="size-full wp-image-1052713" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-11-12-AM-9309-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />NES training slide obtained by Daily Wire.</div>
Another slide appeared to be a personal story from the training administrator claiming that a white man told her she would make a &#8220;good maid&#8221; and that a judge confused her son as a criminal defendent because of his hair.
&#8220;A few years ago, my son entered the court room with his client and the judge assumed he was the client because of his locs. My son is an attorney,&#8221; the slide said. &#8220;Early in my engineering career, while working in a production plant, I was told by a White man that I would make a good maid.&#8221;
The presentation concluded by telling employees to &#8220;be curious by asking questions of people who can teach you about your implicit biases&#8221; and &#8220;courageous in admitting your implicit biases with a willingness to grow and change.&#8221;
Several of the slides from the presentation have the logo of the GiANT consulting group. GiANT told The Daily Wire it was not involved in crafting the training and did not create the slides.
&#8220;As part of our Culture of Civility and Belonging Training Series, we implemented these comprehensive professional development programs designed to enhance interpersonal dynamics and operational excellence,&#8221; a spokesman for Nashville Electric Service told The Daily Wire. &#8220;These modules were completed by employees in 2023-2025. We are proud of our employees&#8217; commitment to these principles as they continue to serve our customers.&#8221;
Other trainings obtained by The Daily Wire showed that employees were trained in various leadership and communication styles, team dynamics, conflict resolution, and ways to increase &#8220;belonging&#8221; at the utility.
According to its 2024 Community Investment <a href="https://www.nespower.com/-/media/project/nes/common/pdfs/annual-reports/2024/nes-esg-2024-report-interactive.pdf">report</a>, Nashville Electric Service held 102 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) themed training sessions in 2023 and into 2024.
&#8220;These courses are the first step in a multi-year training series to foster DEIAB values throughout the organization,&#8221; the report boasted. The trainings were not mentioned in the 2025 community investment report.
As the historic storm left Nashville reeling, the Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/politics/nashville-electric-service-receives-consulting-for-dei-projects-and-initiatives-from-field-superintendent-who-recruits-new-employees/tpappert/2026/01/29/">reported</a> that the board of Nashville Electric Service was considering the contract of a DEI consultant. That prompted backlash from locals and Republican lawmakers who questioned why the utility was discussing DEI amid the disaster.
A spokesman for NES told The Daily Wire that it does not do DEI training.
&#8220;We hire, train and promote employees in accordance with laws governing non-discrimination, merit-based promotion and overall qualification to execute a job&#8217;s duties. We have had a long-standing commitment to maintaining a workplace culture rooted in mutual respect, civility and trust,&#8221; the company said. 
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), currently running for governor, sent a <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/files/7D81B642-E140-4ABA-86C0-CD46005EBDCD">letter</a> to NES on January 30 demanding answers about the utility&#8217;s handling of the storm. In a post on X, Blackburn questioned its DEI initiatives.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024,&#8221; Blackburn said. &#8220;They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve.&#8221;
In the meantime, NES has <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2026/02/17/nashville-electric-service-lobbyists.html">hired</a> numerous lobbyists to combat the criticism.

MixCollage-03-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8402

EXCLUSIVE: Before Historic Storm, Embattled Electric Service Asked Workers If They Had Gay Friends

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Implicit Bias

Nashville

I’ve been fortunate to build a career as a working musician in the music industry for more than thirty years now.
Over the course of my career, I’ve experienced the music business from the inside on every level. I&#8217;ve written, produced, and performed chart-topping songs not only for myself, but many other platinum artists.
What I’ve seen is simple: the system isn’t working the way it should for the people who actually perform the music.
Because of a loophole in the law, terrestrial radio has managed to avoid paying artists for the use of their music for more than a century. Today, American performers are being asked to give their work away under outdated rules, while everyone else in the chain gets paid. That imbalance doesn’t just hurt artists — it devalues the very creativity that sustains our culture. When music plays on the radio, songwriters and publishers are paid, but performers receive absolutely nothing.
Meanwhile, Big Radio corporations like iHeart, Cumulus, and others pull in nearly $14 billion each year, selling advertising wrapped around the performer&#8217;s talent and work. They’ve built their entire business on the backs of American artists, yet still tell us we should be grateful for the “exposure” that comes from being played on the radio. &#8220;Shut up and be happy that we&#8217;re playing your music! You have no right to the income stream.&#8221; This is their mantra.
Don’t get me wrong: radio has played an important role in my career as a country artist, and I appreciate the foundational place it holds in American music. There’s no better feeling than hearing your song on the radio for the first time. But gratitude for the radio’s role doesn’t mean we should accept a system that only lets one side of the table participate in the success.
As of today, the United States is the only major democracy that does not pay artists when their music is played on terrestrial radio — putting us in league with countries like Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. So would it be fair to say we have a &#8220;Communist business model when it comes to terrestrial radio in America?&#8221;
This question answers itself.
What’s more, many nations that do pay artists are now withholding hundreds of millions of dollars owed to American performers because our own system refuses to recognize their rights. Money that should be coming home to American artists is instead being held overseas.
To me, this issue is just common sense: If you use the music and leverage it to make money for your company, you should pay the artist. That’s how things work in this country. If you work hard, your work deserves to be honored with fair pay. That’s a core American value — AM/FM radio knows this, but they have the benefit of antiquated rules allowing them to take a free ride. 
So they do.
They’ve protected that free ride for decades with armies of lobbyists and political contributions designed to keep the system just the way it has always been. But now, we have a President who understands this fight.
President Trump knows the entertainment business because he’s worked in it, and he has been a true friend to American artists. In 2018, he signed the Music Modernization Act to improve compensation and copyright laws for the digital era. Now, he’s supporting the next step: a bill that will finally ensure artists are paid fairly when their music is played on terrestrial radio.
The American Music Fairness Act, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the Senate and Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) in the House, would require AM/FM radio corporations to start paying performers, just as digital radio already does. Royalties would go directly to artists.
What about the mom and pop stations? Well, small, independent broadcasters would pay only a few hundred dollars a year for unlimited access to music, and Big Radio would finally pay its fair share.
It’s no surprise this bill is already supported by conservative policy groups, more than 300 major recording artists, and community broadcasters alike. In December, Gene Simmons of Kiss testified before the Senate on behalf of the American Music Fairness Act, telling lawmakers, “If you are against this bill, you are un-American.” I believe he’s right.
All of us deserve an America where hard work still matters, and fair pay still means something. Passing the American Music Fairness Act would send that message clearly. It would tell the world that we stand with artists — not with the Big Radio companies that continue to profit by exploiting them.
It’s time for Congress to take action and finally right this ship. No more delays. Send the American Music Fairness Act to President Trump’s desk and deliver a victory for every American who believes that hard work and fair pay go hand in hand.
* * *
John Rich is an American country music songwriter, artist, and producer, best known as one half of the duo Big &amp; Rich.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Editor&#8217;s note: The title of this article has changed.

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Economics

Entertainment

John Rich

Money

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Tennessee&#8217;s Republican congressman John Rose was originally a “no” vote on a move to get the spending package up for a final vote before going to the president to end the government shutdown. In the room with leadership, he switched his vote to “yes.”
It wasn&#8217;t due to a change in heart on the spending proposal, according to Republican congressman with knowledge of the conversation. Rose, according to the Republican colleague, planned to vote &#8220;no&#8221; in protest of positive comments that Trump made about his gubernatorial primary opponent, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn.
The congressman, who provided details of the situation on background, said Rose &#8220;was just mad because the president had not endorsed him.”
The congressman said that Rose was able to leverage his stance into a meeting with Republican leadership, which CNN also confirmed with Rose directly. Rose said the meeting centered on his frustrations that the SAVE Act not be tacked onto the package, but also said that the gubernatorial race was discussed.
“John is engaged in a tight race for the governorship of Tennessee,&#8221; House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
&#8220;He’s thoughtful about that and he wants a fair fight there and so that&#8217;s what we discussed, but no promises,” Johnson continued when reporters asked about Rose’s flip on Tuesday, according to a CNN clip.
&#8220;You can imagine what that means,” Rose told <a href="https://x.com/elliskkim/status/2018773546835546410?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> in response to Johnson’s “fair fight” comments.
A White House official confirmed to The Daily Wire on background that the president and Rose “did not speak” on Tuesday.
The president has yet to make an official endorsement in the race, but the recent positive comments about Blackburn fueled endorsement speculation, including in the <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/29/trump-praises-blackburn-for-governor-raising-speculation-of-endorsement/88398974007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=true&amp;gca-epti=z11xx65p118950c118950v11xx65d--39--b--39--&amp;gca-ft=203&amp;gca-ds=sophi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Knoxville News Sentinel</a>.
“Marsha Blackburn is an incredible person. Unfortunately, she is running for governor. She is running for governor of Tennessee,” the president said at the Trump Accounts summit last week.
“I’d love her not to, I begged her, I said Marsha, &#8216;Don&#8217;t, we don&#8217;t want to lose you in the Senate,’ but I have to say, they&#8217;re lucky. They&#8217;re lucky to get you. Because you&#8217;re a talent and a great person, and you&#8217;ve been with me all the way, and I appreciate it, and you&#8217;re a very special person. Marsha, stand up, please,” he continued.
The Republican congressman said Rose “took that as an endorsement.”
The procedural vote ended up squeaking by with just 217 votes, as Republicans hold a narrow 218 majority. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) voted against the rule, along with all Democrats. The actual spending package vote passed with 217, but with bipartisan support and opposition. Rose voted to reopen the government.
The Daily Wire reached out to Rose’s office and his campaign for comment.
A January poll of 559 Republican primary voters shows Blackburn leading Rose with 56% compared with his 9%, according to The Beacon Center of Tennessee. The Cook Political Report ranked the general election race as “Solid Republican.”
Rose was part of the group of GOP lawmakers that wanted the act included in the spending package as a way to get it up for a Senate vote. The legislation, which would require nationwide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, has already passed the House but has yet to be voted on in the Senate.
On X, Rose wrote that Senate Majority Leader John Thune “is already backtracking on what he reportedly told some House Republicans: that if we reopened the government, he’d keep his word and bring the SAVE Act to the floor.”
“House Republicans MUST hold the line and refuse to fold on something as fundamental as election integrity. The SAVE Act belongs on must-pass legislation,” he added.
The House voted to end the shutdown on Tuesday afternoon, as Congress gears up for a battle over Department of Homeland Security funding, which was only approved through Feb. 13.

TrumpJohn Rose Split (getty)

Tennessee Republican Threw Wrench Into Shutdown Vote Because He Was ‘Mad’ At Trump, Congressman Says

john rose

Mike Johnson

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is gunning for the Nashville Electric Service (NES) as thousands of Nashville residents remain without power — more than a week after Winter Storm Fern wreaked havoc on the area — and some may not see their power restored for another ten days.
Blackburn argued that NES had spent more time focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives than on the kind of preparation that could have helped them manage a massive winter storm more efficiently.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024. They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/2018009739926605839">posted</a> on Sunday.
Blackburn also sent a letter directly to NES demanding answers regarding the still unfolding situation in her home state — as well as a detailed plan explaining how the company planned to prevent anything similar from happening again.
&#8220;The failure to adequately prepare for Winter Storm Fern is precisely the reason line crews are working overtime and citizens are clearing limbs and debris at great risk to their own safety to help friends and neighbors,&#8221; Blackburn wrote in the letter. &#8220;This disruption (crew members in the field) are working to correct reflects a failure of leadership and planning, one that could have been mitigated with thoughtful preparation ahead of the storm. You owe your customers transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation of how this breakdown occurred and how you will prevent this from happening in the future.&#8221;
Blackburn gave NES a deadline of February 2 and laid out six key questions she wanted addressed. She posted the letter itself on X, adding, &#8220;By failing to properly prepare for Winter Storm Fern, @NESpower put Tennesseans in harm’s way. NES owes its customers transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation for why thousands of people remain without power. I’m demanding answers to ensure this can’t happen again.&#8221;
<ol>
<li>&#8220;According to reporting by The Tennessean, experienced linemen offered to aid with storm recovery, but Nashville Electric Service declined the offer, stating it already had sufficient resources. Why did NES turn down that offer for additional personnel during a widespread outage of this magnitude?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Given the lessons learned from past devastating storms, such as Nashville’s 1994 ice storm, why was NES not adequately prepared for Winter Storm Fern, despite ample warning and clear historical precedent?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Forecasts warned days in advance that this would be a generational severe weather event. Why were recovery operations and service restoration plans not fully prepared and mobilized ahead of time?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Why has there been such inconsistency in power restoration updates, with many customers being told their power has been restored when it has not, particularly given NES’s acknowledgment that it recently implemented a new outage notification and tracking system?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Residents in some areas have been told they may be without power for up to two weeks. How does NES consider that timeline acceptable, especially for residents who rely on electricity for life-sustaining medical equipment and other critical needs?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Due to extended outages, many residents had no choice but to seek temporary lodging. Will NES be reimbursing customers for expenses incurred during this period?&#8221;</li>
</ol>
NES responded to Blackburn&#8217;s letter on Saturday, and the Tennessee Senator posted that letter as well — and said that their answers were not good enough.
&#8220;@NESPower&#8217;s response to my letter is entirely insufficient. The company refused to take any accountability and is forcing Tennesseans to wait another week for full restoration of power. This is unacceptable. Whoever is responsible for this breakdown should be fired,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/NESpower?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NESpower</a>’s response to my letter is entirely insufficient. The company refused to take any accountability and is forcing Tennesseans to wait another week for full restoration of power.
This is unacceptable. Whoever is responsible for this breakdown should be fired. <a href="https://t.co/ptaDtZC9mi">pic.twitter.com/ptaDtZC9mi</a>
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/2017996925975609468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In the letter, NES explained that half of the people in their entire service area (about 230,000) had lost power when the storm first hit, and that power had been restored to all but 44,000 of them. The remaining homes without power, NES assured Blackburn, would be back online within another week.
But some individual cases may prove to be more difficult, as one local investigative reporter described a situation currently affecting a viewer who had written him: &#8220;Wow! From viewer regarding Nashville Electric Service issue: &#8216;We can’t report an outage at a single residence after others around us have been restored. We report it, and the system immediately responds that it has been restored. Neighbors have power, but we have not due to a line down in the back yard. If it doesn’t stay on the NES list as needing repair, we may never get power restored. We have been in our house for 6+ days without power, like the rest of Nashville. It’s 38-40 degrees in the house. We run a generator intermittently, and we are doing better than most. But to not be able to reliably report an outage is absurd.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wow! From viewer regarding Nashville Electric Service issue: “We can’t report an outage at a single residence after others around us have been restored. We report it, and the system immediately responds that it has been restored. Neighbors have power, but we have not due to a… <a href="https://t.co/bH9E6k7JLm">pic.twitter.com/bH9E6k7JLm</a>
— Phil Williams (@PhilNvestigates) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilNvestigates/status/2017399479444365402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Blackburn made it clear on Sunday that she was frustrated with the leadership at NES, not the rank and file employees.
&#8220;The linemen who are on the ground making repairs and working in the frigid temperatures to restore power are the unsung heroes of the response to this horrible winter storm. So grateful for these men and women,&#8221; she said.

Tennessee Senator Declares War On ‘Woke’ Nashville Power Company After Week-Long Outage

Electricity

Power

Wokeness

Country rock singer Kid Rock headed to Capitol Hill yesterday to testify on the topic of skyrocketing concert ticket prices and the role corporations and scammers play in it. As he <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/01/28/blackburn-live-nation-ticket-bots-hearing">put it</a>, “music fans and artists have been getting screwed by the ticketing system.&#8221;
Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was titled: “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry.”
“I’m in a unique position to testify, because unlike most of my peers, I am beholden to no one, no record companies, no managers, no corporate endorsements or deals,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told the committee. “To put it plainly, I ain’t scared, like many artists, managers and agents are, for fear of biting the hand that feeds them.”
He brought up how Live Nation and Ticketmaster merging was pitched as a benefit for artists and fans, but claimed the opposite has proven true.
“Let’s be clear—this is far from a new problem,” Ritchie said. “Thirty years ago, members of the rock band Pearl Jam sat in these same seats, warning Congress about ticketing abuse. In 2009, Congress was told—under oath—that merging Live Nation and Ticketmaster would benefit artists and fans.”
“The economic foundation that supported artists in the past is crumbling. Piracy is threatening their livelihood. Secondary ticketing is driving up prices for the fans with absolutely no benefit to the artist,” the singer continued, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/kid-rock-congress-ticketing-live-nation-ticketmaster-1236487577/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “Needless to say, that experiment has failed miserably. Independent venues have been crushed. Artists have lost leverage. Fans are paying more than ever and getting blamed for it.”
Kid Rock said there are “mountains of fraud” waiting to be discovered and suggested solutions including allowing performers to set their own prices and capping resale prices, to name a few. He also drew attention to bots that buy up large amounts of concert tickets to resell. Ritchie mentioned that the proposed reforms so far haven’t gone far enough.
“The problem is the ticketing lobbyists push these reforms as cover while fighting to keep tickets in an open market and let them exploit fans under the guise of capitalism,” Ritchie said.
Last year, the Senate Commerce Committee introduced the TICKET Act, a bipartisan bill which would require the total fees for an event ticket to be displayed clearly in advance. The bill passed the House in April, but has not yet passed the Senate.

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