Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs endorsed Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) campaign for governor on Monday.
Blackburn officially launched her campaign for Tennessee governor last week, becoming one of three Republicans who have declared themselves as candidates in the 2026 gubernatorial race at this point.
In a video message amplified by Blackburn’s campaign, Jacobs credited Blackburn’s work in the Tennessee General Assembly as a state senator in the early 2000s to lead the fight against then-Governor Don Sundquist’s plan to impose a state income tax in the state.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I hate taxes. I love living in Tennessee because we have the lowest state and local tax burden in the country. Marsha Blackburn is a large part of the reason why– she helped lead the fight against a state income tax. That’s one of the reasons that our economy is booming here in Tennessee, and a booming economy means more opportunity for our people,” Jacobs said.
Pointing to Blackburn’s time serving at the state level before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 and the U.S. Senate in 2018, Jacobs said Blackburn has a record of fighting for “common sense.”
“She will bring that same leadership, determination, and experience to her role as governor. That’s why I’m on Team Marsha, and I urge all Tennesseans to join me in supporting Marsha Blackburn for governor,” Jacobs added.
Blackburn said she was “honored” to have the support of Jacobs, who she called an “unshakable conservative.”
“In a world where the woke Left puts politics over people, Glenn is a strong leader, a champion for Tennesseans, and a fierce defender of the conservative values we share. There’s no one like Glenn, and I’m grateful to have him on the team,” Blackburn added.
While once considered a contender in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race, Jacobs has consistently voiced his support for Blackburn and encouraged her to run.
Jacobs’ support for the senator has since evolved into the mayor taking on the role of serving as Blackburn’s gubernatorial campaign treasurer.
Watch Jacobs’ video endorsing Blackburn’s campaign:
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Glenn Jacobs” by Marsha Blackburn.
