Everyone is doing a great job of sharing clips of Francesca Hong, the current front-runner in the Democrat primary for Wisconsin governor. But what about the Tennessee governor? Some people are saying that Marsha Blackburn isn’t as conservative as John Rose or Monty Fritts. Are they right? Let’s take a look at the candidates and see who would be the most conservative governor of the great state of Tennessee.
Well, for Marsha Blackburn, there is a long track record, trending conservative. I get my “conservative score” from the Heritage Foundation, which is the largest and most respected conservative think tank. You might remember that we had a couple of their scholars – Jay Richards and Lora Ries – on our podcast.
And here is what they have for Marsha Blackburn:
- Session Score: 98%
- Lifetime Score: 88%
State Senator
When I think of Marsha Blackburn, I think of her leading the fight against an attempt to legislate a state income tax in Tennessee (they don’t have one).
U.S. House of Representatives
In the U.S. House (2003–2019), she ranked among the most conservative members, backed the Tea Party movement, supported tax cuts, a balanced-budget constitutional amendment, and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. I would say that her biggest concerns are tax cuts and pro-life. She also voted for the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and has pushed to make those cuts permanent while introducing bills for across-the-board non-defense spending reductions. I like non-defense spending reductions, because I am a peace through strength guy. For example, I love that we are replacing our 40-year-old Ohio class ballistic missile submarines and our 40-year-old Los Angeles class attack submarines with newer models. I use these things in wargames, and the old ones we are not great against China and Russia.
U.S. Senate
When she got elected senator (2019-present), she helped repeal the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Also good on border security and immigration enforcement. She supported requiring ICE to arrest and detain illegal immigrants who commit crimes. She has championed DNA/fingerprinting requirements at the border to combat child exploitation and trafficking. She voted to strengthen state and local law enforcement against criminal illegal aliens. And she has opposed CRT in schools, pushed to curb teachers’ unions’ political influence, and supported school choice. (More on the education issue in a minute – this is the big difference between the candidates)
John Rose and Monty Fritts
So, what about her rivals – John Rose and Monty Fritts. Well, I scanned the Tennessee Conservative and the Tennessee Star, and found some interesting new stuff has come out about John Rose this week.
Campaign finance records reviewed by The Tennessee Star reveal U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06) donated to multiple Tennessee Democrats who were in favor of establishing a state income tax during the pivotal political fight between 1998 and 2002 that culminated in Tennessee passing a constitutional amendment banning the income tax in 2014.
Rose donated at least $19,000 to Democrats between 1998 and 2010, with several of those Democrats involved in the unsuccessful 2002 effort to pass a law to establish a state income tax on ordinary earned income in Tennessee. Never in the history of the state has it imposed a tax on ordinary earned income, an aspect of the state’s governance that many economists attribute as a key factor in its ongoing economic growth.
Blackburn led the successful fight to kill the income tax. Rose was writing checks to the Democrats who were trying to impose it.
But it’s worse than that – he votes for Democrats in Democrat primaries:
Election records reviewed by The Star also reveal Rose has participated in three Democratic primary elections since 2000.
Rose’s first recorded vote in a Democratic election occurred on May 7, 2002, when he completed a Democratic Party ballot during the DeKalb County primary election for county offices.
Records show Rose next participated in Democratic electoral politics on February 10, 2004, during the Democratic presidential preference primary as Democrats sought to unseat former President George W. Bush, who nonetheless won Tennessee and cruised to reelection with comfortable majorities.
That right there disqualifies Rose, but there’s still more below on education policy.
I should note that Tennessee Star also had a recent story about Rose’s strange stock trading and tax returns.
But the real differentiator between Blackburn, Rose and Fritts is education policy. Tennessee has a weird fascination with public education and teacher unions, so much so, that even Republicans side with public schools and teacher unions, protecting them against accountability to parents. I remember in 2022, Beth Harwell, a left-leaning Republican, ran against Andy Ogles who I blogged about yesterday. She was a former speaker of the House in Tennessee, and was endorsed by the Tennessee Edcation Association – a teacher’s union. So there is a lot of leftism among Tenessee Republicans on this education policy issue.
Education policy
My source for the information below is the Tennessee Firefly, which is an independent, non-partisan source for information on education policy. I care about school choice because I don’t want poor children stuck in failing schools and I don’t want parents having to pay teachers who just turn around and fund far-left teacher unions with their union dues. I certainly don’t want public school teachers being paid more than they already get!
Here is what they say about the candidates on athat school choice issue.
School Choice and Education Freedom Scholarships (EFS)
Marsha Blackburn strongly supports expanding school choice – she likens the fight for school choice to her famous fight against the state income tax. She also supports expanding charter schools.
John Rose supports school choice but he also supports putting a public school teacher in charge of education policy AND increasing spending on public schools. Like Blackburn, he supports expanding charter schools.
Monty Fritts wants to end the school choice program, which is what the Democrat candidate also wants to do.
Conclusion
John Rose donates to Democrats, votes in Democrat primaries, is weaker than Blackburn on expanding school choice, and supports public education and teacher unions. Monty Fritts opposes school choice.
So, I think Blackburn is the best choice for conservatives. I’m delighted to see people like Robby Starbuck, Senator Bill Haggerty, Congressman Tim Burchett, Congressman Matt Van Epps, former Congressman Mark Green, and the NRA Political Victory Fund.
Anti-woke warrior Robby Starbuck interviewed Marsha Blackburn:
If you’re in Tennessee, make sure you get out there to vote for Marsha Blackburn on Thursday, August 6th. Find your polling location here. And be proud that Tennessee is rated #1 in the country for election integrity.
WINTERY KNIGHT 