Rep. John W. Rose on Thursday became the first major candidate to formally announce a bid for Tennessee governor, setting the stage for a potential Republican primary matchup against Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
“Today, as the grateful descendent of fearless Tennessee pioneers and as an eighth generation Tennessee farmer, I humbly announce my candidacy for Governor of the State of Tennessee,” Rose wrote on social media.
In a state that has not sent a Democrat to the governor’s mansion since 2006, Rose’s biggest challenge in his quest to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Lee is likely to come in the primary.
