Even if Republican candidates for Governor John Rose or Monty Fritts doubt their chances to win the nomination Thursday over Marsha Blackburn, they certainly weren’t ready to concede anything during separate visits to Greene County over the weekend. As a matter of fact, both told Radio Greeneville News they expect to win.
MONTY FRITTS
Fritts made at least his third visit to Greene County since announcing his candidacy, addressing a gathering at Freedom Baptist Church on Thornwood Drive.
Running on the campaign slogan “Liberty and Less Government”, the conservative Christian spoke of his faith and attacks by others on his beliefs. Fritts reiterated his belief that marriage between a man and woman is an institution created by God, discussed his plan to prohibit the practice of the Islam faith in Tennessee when elected, and his opposition to the school voucher program.
As for the election, Fritts believes his message and despite spending far less than the two other major candidates, will result in a win on Thursday.
JOHN ROSE
Speaking with a group of supporters and others Saturday afternoon at Hackler Hall in downtown Greeneville, John Rose, making his fifth Greene County visit during the campaign, told Radio Greeneville News admittedly a year ago his campaign was said to be down 53 points, but is now showing a dead heat or even him being ahead in some polls.
Rose continues to argue his CEO status of his own business separates him from the other candidates and promises to appoint a Commissioner of Education who has taught in a public-school classroom setting.
POLLS INDICATE GOVERNOR’S RACE TIGHTENING
If we are to believes some of the polls, the expected three-person race for the Republican nomination for Tennessee Governor has gone from an expected landslide win by Marsha Blackburn to a virtual dead heat down to the wire with John Rose.
While internal polling from the Blackburn campaign shows her with a 17-point lead over Rose, an OnMessage Inc. poll released Friday shows Blackburn’s once-commanding lead narrowed to 3.5 points as Rose surges.
The poll showing the tighter race surveyed 800 likely Republican primary voters, of whom 34.5% said they’d support Blackburn, 31% supported Rose and 25.6% supported state Rep. Monty Fritts. Another 9% were undecided or declined to answer.
It’s the first poll that’s been made public since reports that Blackburn was the target of a U.S. Senate ethics investigation. The Tennessean exclusively reported July 30 that the probe ultimately determined Blackburn’s office violated Senate ethics rules by using government resources to bolster her 2024 Senate reelection bid.
The survey also came after Blackburn made headlines while shrugging off a reporter’s questions as it pertained to refusing to debate the other candidates, saying she talks to Tennesseans every day.
