Marsha Blackburn
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Marsha Blackburn (born June 6, 1952) is a Tennessee politician. A Republican, she represents the 7th Congressional district (map (http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/tn07_109.gif)) of Tennessee, stretching from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis.
Blackburn lives in Brentwood, a suburb of Nashville. It is located in Williamson County, the state's richest county and a Republican stronghold. A Mississippi native, she began her political career in 1977 as a founding member of the Williamson County Young Republicans. She served as chairwoman of the Williamson County Republican Party from 1989 to 1991.
Blackburn's elective political career began in 1992, when she won the Republican nomination for the 6th District, which at the time included her home in Brentwood. She lost by 16 points to longtime congressman Bart Gordon. In 1995, she was appointed chairwoman of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission. She won elective office for the first time in 1998, when she was elected to the Tennessee State Senate from Williamson County. She led efforts to prevent the passage of a state income tax championed by Governor Don Sundquist.
The 2002 reapportionment moved Blackburn's home from the 6th District into the 7th District. That year, incumbent Congressman Ed Bryant decided to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Fred Thompson. Blackburn entered the Republican primary. The 7th was already heavily Republican before the addition of Williamson County, and it was taken for granted that a victory in the primary would be tantamount to election. She had the advantage of being the only major candidate from the Nashville suburbs, while her three major opponents were all from the Memphis area and hence split that region's vote. She won easily in November, becoming the first Tennessee woman elected to Congress in her own right. (Irene Bailey Baker and Louise Reece had served as caretakers after their husbands died in office, and Marilyn Lloyd replaced her husband on the ballot when he died after the primary election.) In 2004 she was unopposed for reelection, which is somewhat unusual for a freshman member of Congress.
Blackburn is regarded as something of a "rising star" in Republican circles and is considered by some to have appreciably more influence than is typical of a junior legislator. Some had speculated she would run for Bill Frist's U.S. Senate seat in 2006; however, she has recently announced that she has no intention of seeking election to that position and will instead be seeking reelection to her House seat. She prefers to be addressed by the title "Congressman" rather than "Congresswoman" or "Congressperson", which many find to be surprising.
Blackburn's future in Congess appears to be reasonably secure, as Republicans have held the 7th District continuously since 1972 by margins rivaling those in the 1st and 2nd Districts in East Tennessee. Democrats have only made three serious runs for this district since 1972 and have come close only once. It is highly unlikely that Blackburn will face a serious or well-funded Democratic opponent in the foreseeable future.
External links
- Rep. Blackburn's web site (http://www.house.gov/blackburn/)Template:TN-FedRep