Sen. Marsha Blackburn took home Tennessee’s Republican Senate primary on Thursday, likely securing the senate seat in the process in the heavily-Republican state. Blackburn led Thursday’s primary with almost 93% of the vote over Tres Wittum, at the time the race was called by the Associated Press.

Blackburn, the incumbent senator, was largely seen as the favorite in the race heading in, having won her first race for Senate in 2018 over former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen by 11 points.

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Blackburn’s lone challenger was Wittum, a former Tennessee legislative staffer who finished last in a primary bid for the state’s 5th Congressional District in 2022. 

Blackburn will now move on to face off with Democratic state Sen. Gloria Johnson.

Johnson rose to fame last year after being one of three members of the Tennessee legislature to stage a protest on the state House floor in the aftermath of a shooting at an elementary school. She was dubbed as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” being joined in the protest by fellow Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, both Democrats. 

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The protests, which violated House rules, resulted in the expulsion of both Pearson and Jones, who were later reappointed and easily won special elections to regain their seats.

Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville speaks after a vote to expel Justin Jones of Nashville from the governing body on April 6, 2023 in Nashville, Tenn. 

Blackburn will now likely be the favorite in November’s general election, with Tennessee having leaned heavily Republican in statewide elections in recent years.

Blackburn’s Tennessee colleague, Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, was reelected in 2020 by about 30 points, while Republican Gov. Bill Lee was able to secure reelection in 2022 by over 30 points.

Former President Donald Trump also easily won the state in 2016 and 2020, taking Tennessee by 26 and 23 points, respectively.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson emerged the victor in Tennessee’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary and will take on incumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn in November’s election.

Johnson took home the victory by garnering 74% of the vote over challengers Marquita Bradshaw, Civil Miller-Watkins and Lola Brown, at the time the race was called by the Associated Press Thursday night.

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The race garnered interest from Democrats nationwide after Johnson, who was seen as the front-runner in the race, attracted widespread attention last year by staging a protest on the floor of the Republican-controlled state House in the aftermath of a deadly shooting at a Tennessee elementary school. 

Johnson’s protest was joined by two other lawmakers, state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, both Democrats, who together became known as the “Tennessee Three.” Pearson and Jones were both expelled for violating House rules after the protest, though they were later reappointed.

Johnson’s toughest primary challenger was thought to be Bradshaw, an environmental activist who secured the party’s nomination in 2020 before being soundly defeated by incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty. 

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Johnson will now have an uphill climb in the heavily Republican-leaning state. Blackburn won her race in 2018 by 11 points, while Hagerty defeated Bradshaw by a whopping 30 points in 2020. Two years later, incumbent Republican Gov. Bill Lee won reelection by more than 30 points as well, while former President Donald Trump carried the state in both 2016 and 2020 by 26 and 23 points, respectively.

Blackburn is a heavy favorite in her own primary against former Tennessee legislative staffer Tres Wittum, the only challenger to the incumbent Republican.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisc. 

Blackburn also has a significant fundraising advantage over all the state’s senate hopefuls, having close to $9 million cash on hand. Johnson, meanwhile, has raised about $5 million and still has over $2 million on hand.

But Johnson has expressed optimism that Blackburn can be defeated, arguing that Democrats can win by focusing on issues such as abortion, gun control, and the environment.

A first-term member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, won his first primary as an incumbent on Thursday evening.

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., fended off a challenge from Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston, who ran a more moderate campaign compared to the freshman Republican.

It was a much-needed political victory for the Freedom Caucus this election cycle after its chairman, Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., narrowly lost re-election in June and is facing long odds in a recount held Thursday.

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Good had been facing Republican challenger John McGuire, who was backed by House GOP national security hawks like House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and Reps. Jen Kiggans, R-Va.; and Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., among others.

Johnston had narrowly outraised Ogles, according to financial disclosures. Her receipts through July 12 show her raising nearly $785,000 in individual contributions compared to Ogles’ total – just over $500,000.

She also tried to tie him to Good and seven other Republicans’ successful effort to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last October – though Ogles was not one of the eight who voted to end McCarthy’s leadership.

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House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good is fighting for his political life in a recount on Thursday. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“I think the incumbent has caused chaos. The ouster of McCarthy was an absolute abomination, really. Not only for the Republican Party, but really for Congress as a whole,” she told local outlet WPLN.

Ogles had the backing of top national Republicans, however, including former President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

“Andy is working hard to Grow the Economy, Stop Inflation, Secure our Southern Border, Uphold the Rule of Law, and Defend our Second Amendment,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “I was proud to help Andy flip a Democrat seat in 2022, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement for re-election. He will not let you down!”

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Ogles was endorsed by former President Trump. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

Ogles won Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in November 2022 after its boundaries were changed to include less of Nashville’s city center, which had previously made it a solidly blue seat.

Under its current lines, however, the seat leans red – residents of the district voted for Trump over President Biden in 2020 by just over 10 points.

Ogles defeated his Democratic challenger in 2022 by similar margins.