Burchett eyes Blackburn’s Senate seat if she wins the governor’s mansion

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., is eyeing the seat of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., should she win the governor’s race, joining a long list of politicians hoping to receive the appointment to finish her term.With the midterms set for Tuesday, lawmakers are already eyeing their next gig, hoping to notch key committee assignments or enter the battle to move up the ranks as ousted or promoted lawmakers leave vacancies.
Blackburn is expected to win the gubernatorial contest on Tuesday, which will render her seat in the upper chamber vacant. But several heavy hitters have already started jockeying for the position, including Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., and reportedly Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
It will fall to Blackburn to choose her successor, but that appointment will only last through 2028 and Burchett plans to run for the seat, regardless of whether he receives the nod, Punchbowl News reported. Speaking to the outlet on the issue, Burchett opined that his existing network across the state would help him carry the day.
“We’ve got a very good, positive network throughout the state of grassroots people,” he said. Burchett also suggested he could play a role as mediator between the House and Senate GOP, should he enter the upper chamber. He also expressed considerable frustration with the upper chamber’s failure to move on bills the House sends to it.
Tennessee is a reliably Republican state and recently redistricted to eliminate its last Democratic-leaning House district.
Appointed senators have typically struggled in general elections. In this cycle alone, both Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., are facing unexpectedly close contests.
Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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