U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) leads a field of potential appointees to replace U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) if she wins the 2026 gubernatorial election, according to a new statewide poll of likely Republican voters.
The poll of 900 likely Republican general election voters, conducted by Spry Strategies from August 23-25, found Burchett receiving 31.6 percent support when respondents were asked which of six Republicans they would most like Blackburn to appoint to the Senate. Former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs finished second with 10.2 percent.
The remaining candidates included former CEO of Tennessee-based private prison operator CoreCivic Damon Hininger at 1.3 percent, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) at 2.8 percent, Deputy Governor and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Stuart McWhorter at 2.9 percent, and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) at 4.2 percent.
Nearly half of respondents (47 percent) were unsure or declined to choose.
When voters were required to select a candidate, Burchett’s lead grew. Among the 423 respondents who initially were unsure or refused, 44.7 percent selected Burchett, followed by Jacobs at 16.4 percent, Fleischmann at 13.2 percent, McWhorter at 10.4 percent, Sexton at 8.6 percent, and Hininger at 6.7 percent.
Burchett also had the strongest favorability numbers of the potential appointees. He was viewed favorably by 45.7 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 15.3 percent, giving him a 30.4-point favorable margin. Jacobs ranked second with 24.2 percent favorable and 9.9 percent unfavorable.
The poll’s findings come as Blackburn’s prospects of becoming Tennessee’s next governor remain strong. A separate poll released Thursday found Blackburn leading Democratic nominee Jerri Green by 21 points (55 percent to 34 percent) among likely voters.
The possibility of a Senate appointment has been publicly discussed by Burchett himself. In October 2025, the congressman said he would “love the opportunity” to serve in the Senate if Blackburn appointed him.
“I think I would enjoy the fight,” Burchett told The Tennessee Star’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy at the time.
The Spry Strategies poll showed that nearly 70 percent of respondents said they would rather have a conservative willing to challenge Washington insiders, including leaders in his own party, while 78.8 percent preferred a senator who “speaks plainly and asks tough questions” rather than one who takes a more “measured,” “behind-the-scenes” approach.
Strong conservative values were the top quality (30.4 percent) voters wanted in a senator, followed by honesty and integrity at 25.9 percent and putting Tennessee’s interests first at 16.3 percent.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Image “Tim Burchett, Marsha Blackburn, and Glenn Reynolds” by Glenn Jacobs.
