Congressman John Rose contrasts experiences in presumptive 2026 governor’s race

Congressman John Rose (left) at Saturday’s event (Photo by the Davidson County Republican Party)

U.S. Congressman John Rose does not currently have a declared opponent in next year’s Republican gubernatorial primary, but Saturday he took the opportunity to contrast his experience with presumed opponent U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn at the 2025 GOP Nashville Summer Picnic.

Rose announced his run for governor last March and told attendees at the event that Tennessee needs a governor who’s an “energetic executive” with “real experience” running an organization.

“I’ve appreciated the lessons I’ve learned as a legislator over the last six and a half years but being a legislator representing the 6th District of Tennessee is very different than managing an organization,” said Rose. “I know what it’s like to start an organization from one or two people and build it into something, realizing a vision, motivating people to achieve that vision, finding the right people to accomplish the goals of an organization, knowing when to make the tough decisions to take someone out of a position because they’re not getting the job done. Those are the skills that we need in our next governor.”

Rose runs a family farm and IT business and has served in his congressional seat since 2019.  It’s the only elected office he’s held, though Rose did serve nearly 6 months as Tennessee’s Agriculture Commissioner.

Senator Blackburn also owns a business, Marketing Strategies, but has held elected public office much longer than Rose. She held a Tennessee State Senate seat from 1999 to 2003, then won Tennessee’s 7th district Congressional seat and served until 2019 when she moved to the U.S. Senate.

Blackburn has not officially announced she’s running for governor though that announcement is expected later this summer.

Senator Marsha Blackburn speaking at Saturday’s event (Photo by the Davidson County Republican Party)

The U.S. Senator also spoke at Saturday’s event but chose to instead focus on her support for President Trump’s work on illegal immigration along with the tax cuts and other economic components of his so-called Big Beautiful Bill.

“President Trump is sending power money and authority back to the states and the people where it belongs and we know that Tennessee is well positioned to be that conservative leader that our nation needs to see.  When it comes to innovating for healthcare delivery, education, energy, regulation, and benefits all of that is coming back to our states,” said Blackburn. “Tennessee has been a conservative leader. I think our future is very bright and we are positioned to pave the way for other states on how to be a conservative beacon of light for our country,”

More than 540 attendees at the event additionally took part in the GOP Nashville Straw Poll, won by Blackburn.  She received 345 votes (63.7 percent) to Rose’s 195 votes (36.0 percent).

U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett also received one write-in vote.