Americans for Prosperity (AFP) State PAC endorsed U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the 2026 Tennessee governor’s race.
“We are proud to endorse Sen. Marsha Blackburn as the next Governor of Tennessee. Marsha Blackburn has put Tennesseans first and always led with strong conservative principles,” AFP State PAC Senior Advisor Tori Venable said in a statement.
“As Governor, we know she will continue to cut taxes for Tennesseans, expand educational freedom for every child, and slash bureaucratic regulations that hold our state back. Marsha Blackburn is the proven conservative Tennesseans can count on,” Venable added.
As I run to serve as the 51st Governor of Tennessee, I'm incredibly grateful to have the support of @AFPTN!
Join our campaign today: https://t.co/kOa9cvyoy2 pic.twitter.com/hBfo5Mztj1
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) February 26, 2026
Blackburn said she was “grateful” for AFP’s endorsement and the organization’s “tireless work for freedom, free markets, and free people.”
“Together, we’ll make Tennessee America’s conservative leader,” Blackburn added.
Michael Lotfi, AFP-Tennessee’s deputy director, said the organization is “beyond excited to deliver a massive victory” for Blackburn in the governor’s race, pointing to Blackburn’s “total command over policy.”
“I’m a policy guy. I don’t care much for personalities & platitudes. When we interviewed Marsha for a this endorsement, I’ve never before heard a candidate with such total command over policy. She knows the issues. She knows how to solve for them. And most importantly, she knows what it takes to deliver and WIN! I left that meeting genuinely excited for Tennessee’s future under her leadership,” Lotfi posted on X.
Blackburn thanked Lotfi for his comments, adding, “I’m ready to deliver the kind of conservative leadership that will ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader for this generation and the next.”
AFP’s endorsement comes as Blackburn continues to align herself with a coalition of conservative organizations backing key policy initiatives in the Volunteer State.
Blackburn recently joined AFP, Beacon Impact, the Tennessee Farm Bureau, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce in urging lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly to pass the Regulatory Freedom Act.
In addition to regulatory reform, both Blackburn and AFP have been vocal advocates for expanding school choice in Tennessee.
Blackburn’s policy stances have resonated strongly with Republican primary voters, according to recent polls.
A poll conducted last month by Tennesseans for Student Success showed Blackburn commanding 60.6 percent support in the GOP primary, compared to 8.1 percent for U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06) and 5.1 percent for State Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston), with just over 26 percent undecided.
Furthermore, a poll released last month by the Nashville-based think tank Beacon Center of Tennessee showed Blackburn with a 47-point lead over Rose and a 49-point lead over Fritts.
The Republican primary for the 2026 governor’s race is scheduled for August 6.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Sen. Marsha Blackburn” by Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
