Tennessee’s two Republican gubernatorial candidates are taking different tacks on campaign funding with a year to go until the primary election.
U.S. Rep. John Rose of Cookeville gave his campaign a $5 million personal loan and has raised $1.1 million in a state account to gear up for the race. Most of those donations came from Tennessee residents.
In contrast, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Franklin hasn’t filed reports yet with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance to open an account, even after announcing her candidacy in early August. But she has plenty of name recognition after nearly three decades in the Tennessee Legislature, U.S. House and Senate.
Rose, who lives in Cookeville but often talks about his family farm in Temperance, is a former Tennessee agriculture commissioner and third-term member of Congress. He held his campaign kickoff at the Tennessee Fairgrounds in Wilson County in March, drawing a large contingent of farmers.
Campaign finance laws have always been complicated, but they’ve never been this complicated. It’s a system that rewards creativity because the laws are so complicated people get very adept at being able to maneuver through them
– Kent Syler, Middle Tennessee State University
To continue bolstering her position, Blackburn is depending on two federal political action committees, Making A Responsible Stand for Households in America and Tennessee Victory Fund, both of which dole out money to some of the same consultants and firms. They are separate from Blackburn’s U.S. Senate campaign account, which has $4.4 million, none of which can be used to run her state election because of laws that govern campaign fundraising.
Blackburn appears to be using cash she has in federal accounts to her “maximum benefit while keeping it inside the law,” said Middle Tennessee State University political science professor Kent Syler, chief of staff for former Democratic U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon.
“Campaign finance laws have always been complicated, but they’ve never been this complicated,” Syler said. “It’s a system that rewards creativity because the laws are so complicated people get very adept at being able to maneuver through them.”
Neither can expect help from Gov. Bill Lee.
Lee is close to Blackburn, in part because they both hail from Williamson County. The governor introduced her before her 2024 Senate victory speech.
But Rose is using Lee’s former campaign advisor, Chris Devaney, to run his race, giving him a connection to the governor. Thus, Lee is refusing to endorse a candidate in the primary.
“I’ve said I believe we will have a very strong governor for the 51st governor of our state to move us forward,” Lee said this week, reiterating his stance against picking a favored successor.
How they’re spending there money
Blackburn’s Making a Responsible Stand for Households in America brought in $369,031 during the first half of 2025 and spent $553,868, leaving it with $156,344. The PAC had $341,000 on hand at the start of the year.
She disbursed $70,000 to longtime political consultant Ward Baker, $17,500 to O’Donnell and Associates and more than $22,500 to Strategic Victory Solutions.
The political action committee, which is allowed to make contributions, sent $105,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and is garnering support from Tennessee political leaders, giving $10,000 each to campaigns for Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson, Sen. Brent Taylor of Shelby County, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson of Franklin, state Rep. Mark Cochran of McMinn County, $2,500 each campaigns for Sen. Bobby Harshbarger, Sen. Mark Pody and Sen. Adam Lowe, and $1,000 to Rep. Rick Scarbrough. Another $5,000 went to New Orleans Saints game tickets, and multiple disbursements went to county Republican parties across Tennessee.
During the last six months, Blackburn’s Tennessee Victory Fund PAC took in $3.8 million and spent $3.6 million, leaving it with $371,547. Some $65,000 went to the Making a Responsible Stand for Households PAC, $90,000 to Baker, $150,371 to Strategic Victory Solutions, and $1.9 million to Targeted Victory.
Over the same period, Blackburn’s U.S. Senate campaign disbursed $270,240 to Baker, $15,000 to O’Donnell and Associates and $48,800 to Strategic Victory Solutions.
Rose’s PAC, Republicans Offering Solutions for Everyone, wasn’t as active as Blackburn’s PACs this year, bringing in only $10,000, compared to $83,345 in 2023-24 and disbursing $104,640, leaving it with $19,600.
The PAC donated to Republican candidates across the country, including $6,600 to Blackburn’s Senate race against Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson in 2023. Another $2,000 went to U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado.
Rose’s Tennessee campaign account is bereft of legislative leaders, though it received $2,000 from Republican state Rep. Sabi Kumar of Springfield. Many of the donors are business owners or have agriculture connections. For instance, $10,600 came from Robert McCall, president of D.T. McCall & Sons furniture company for primary and general races, and $10,600 from Rhedona Rose, vice president of Tennessee Farm Bureau.
Rose has spent $237,650 from the state account, the biggest item costing $49,000 for research and polling by McLaughlin & Associates.
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