Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said last week he will serve as Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)’s campaign treasurer for her gubernatorial run, according to WATE 6.
Jacobs threw his support behind Blackburn after she made her announcement last Wednesday.
“Tennessee doesn’t follow; we lead. With Marsha Blackburn as Governor, it will stay this way,” Jacobs said on X.
He added that the senator has a “proven record of defending Tennessee conservative values.”
As a campaign treasurer, Jacobs will need to ensure Blackburn’s campaign is complying with all federal campaign finance laws. According to the Federal Election Commission, a treasurer will need to file all committee reports and statements, observe contributions, and maintain records of receipts and disbursements for three years.
If Blackburn is successful at winning the gubernatorial race in 2026, Jacobs has not said whether he would run to replace her. The candidates who have expressed interest in running if this scenario occurred are Representatives Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).
Tennessee has not had a Democratic governor since 2011, so the likely winner of the Republican primary gubernatorial race will be the next governor.
The Beacon Center of Tennessee released a poll last week showing that Blackburn was beating Representative John Rose (R-TN-06) by 52 points. Rose announced his candidacy for governor in March.
This poll also found that if Blackburn or Rose gets the nomination, the Republican nominee would have a 19-point lead against a “generic Democratic candidate.”
A handful of Democrats have announced they will be running for governor, including Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green, Memphis community organizer Carnita Atwater, and musician Adam Kurtz.
The gubernatorial primary for both major parties will take place on August 6, 2026.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
Photo “Glenn Jacobs and Marsha Blackburn” by Glenn Jacobs.
Not a fan of the Knoxville mayor. I am tepid about Blackburn. There has just got to be a better candidate for governor than her.