Blackburn outlines Tennessee’s early governor priorities: workforce, housing, education

Tennessee is moving toward a historic change in its executive office: Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn, the state’s first elected female governor, began her transition to power Wednesday alongside outgoing Gov. Bill Lee, one day after defeating Democrat Jerri Green in a tight race. Blackburn will be sworn in this January, and she will vacate her U.S. Senate seat to take the governor’s office, appointing an interim senator to serve until the next general election in 2028.

Lee, who met with Blackburn in Nashville to launch the transition, called the victory historic and emphasized the state’s tradition of cooperative handovers. This is what we do in Tennessee, Lee said of the process. We work together, regardless of political party, to make certain that the government continues to serve her people effectively.

McWhorter leads transition committee

Blackburn announced that Deputy Gov. Stuart McWhorter will chair her transition committee. McWhorter currently serves as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. The governor-elect said the early transition work will concentrate on team-building, the state budget and developing a legislative agenda.

Affording Tennessee: Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn outlines early priorities

Workforce, housing and a spending review

At Wednesday's transition press conference, Blackburn outlined the priorities that will anchor her opening months in office: workforce development, job retraining, workforce housing, child care, public safety, education and health care.

On housing and taxes, Blackburn said her administration will examine property-tax relief for seniors and first-time homebuyers, along with measures to reduce the cost of new housing. She added that transportation funding, education and efforts to lower the cost of living will shape her work with the General Assembly.

Senate vacancy comes later

Asked who will fill her U.S. Senate seat, Blackburn deferred the question. We’ll have conversations about the Senate at a later date, she said. It’s not a conversation for today.