Marsha Blackburn sails to victory in Tennessee Senate primary

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R- TN ) sailed to victory in her reelection primary, defeating her opponent by over 30,000 votes as of 8:23 p.m.

The Associated Press called the race for Blackburn at 8:08 p.m. Eastern, just eight minutes after the polls closed. The senator received 92.5%of the vote compared to Tres Wittum's 7.5% at the time the race was called.

“It is an honor to represent the Volunteer State in the U.S. Senate, and Chuck and I are grateful for Tennesseans’ strong support tonight,” Blackburn said in a statement. “In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to champion conservative, America First policies by working to lower taxes, secure the border, support our veterans, hold Big Tech accountable, and ensure our adversaries fear us again.

“This November, Republicans must unite to take control of the U.S. Senate, keep the House of Representatives, and elect President Donald Trump to the White House,” the senator continued. “Together, let’s preserve the American Dream. Together, let’s protect Tennessee and protect America.”

Blackburn was favored to win the primary, setting her up for a general election in a seat that is rated solid Republican.

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The primary for Blackburn's Democratic challenger was crowded, with Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson winning the contest at 8:13 p.m. Johnson gained national attention as one of the “ Tennessee Three ” whom state Republicans tried to expel for engaging in a House floor gun control protest. Her colleagues, state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, were expelled, while Johnson was saved by a one-vote margin.

The seat is ranked solid Republican, meaning Blackburn is likely to win in November.