Rep. Rose challenges Sen. Blackburn to debate in Tennessee governor race, touts Trump loyalty
Congressman John Rose appears on Inside Politics and makes his case for Governor
Ben Hall
September 5, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee will elect a new governor next year.
Current Governor Bill Lee is term-limited and is not running again.
The race to find his successor came into sharper focus last week when United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R), announced she is running.
Her opponent in the Republican primary is Representative John Rose (R) from Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.
Rose came on Inside Politics on NewsChannel 5+ and touted his business experience as a reason he would be a better governor.
“My opponent is a career legislator. That’s the experience she has,” Rose said.
Early polls show Blackburn with a commanding lead, but Rose said those numbers are based on name recognition.
He said he will have the resources to get his message out.
Rose said he hoped Senator Blackburn would agree to one or more debates, but so far, she has been non-committal.
“The people of Tennessee deserve to know what she would do as governor. Why does she want to be governor? And I think a debate or debates would be the way to get at that,” Rose said.
