Tennessee New Members 2019

Sen.-elect Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

DATE OF BIRTH: June 6, 1952
RESIDENCE:  Brentwood, Tenn.
OCCUPATION: Lawmaker
EDUCATION:  B.S., Mississippi State University
FAMILY: Husband, Chuck; two children

After serving for 16 years as the congresswoman for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, conservative firebrand Rep. Marsha Blackburn plans to make waves in the Senate. 

Blackburn, who replaces retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R), made her name in the House in part through leading the fight to defund Planned Parenthood and chairing a panel investigating the women’s health organization.

Blackburn also served as the chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. 

She cruised to victory in the GOP primary but faced a tough challenge from former Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) in the general election.

The 66-year-old is a strong supporter of President Trump and served on his presidential transition team in 2016.

She began her career in politics in Tennessee in 1998, when she was elected as a state senator, becoming the first woman to represent the 23rd District. 

Rep.-elect Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.-02)

DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 25, 1964
RESIDENCE: Knoxville, Tenn.
OCCUPATION: Former mayor, businessman
EDUCATION: B.S., University of Tennessee
FAMILY: Wife, Kelly Kimball; one daughter

For the first time since 1965, a Duncan won’t be representing Tennessee’s 2nd District in Congress.

Tim Burchett defeated Democrat Renee Hoyos to replace retiring Rep. John Duncan Jr. (R) in the strongly Republican district. Duncan held the seat since 1988, replacing his late father.

Burchett defeated six other GOP contenders in the primary before beating Hoyos in the general election.

Burchett is no stranger to the voters of the district. He is coming to Washington after a distinguished political career in his home state.

Burchett was mayor of Knox County for two terms. Before that, he served in the Tennessee state House for four years and then 11  in the state Senate.

A Knoxville, Tenn., native, Burchett attended college in his hometown at the University of Tennessee, receiving a degree in education. 

After college, he started a small business, repurposing grass waste into mulch and compost. 

Rep.-elect John Rose (R-Tenn.-06)

DATE OF BIRTH: Feb. 23, 1965
RESIDENCE: Cookeville, Tenn.
OCCUPATION: Businessman, farmer
EDUCATION: : B.S., Tennessee Technological University; M.S., Purdue University; J.D., Vanderbilt University
FAMILY: Wife, Chelsea; one son

Lifelong Tennessean John Rose is heading to Washington to represent his state’s 6th Congressional District.

A small business owner and farmer, Rose was a first-time candidate. He defeated four other Republicans in the primary before besting Democrat Dawn Barlow in the general election.

Rose will fill the seat held by Rep. Diane Black (R), who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Rose was raised in Cookeville, Tenn., where he still lives with his family. He is the eighth generation of his family to be a farmer. He studied agriculture at Tennessee Tech University and later earned a graduate degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University and a law degree from Vanderbilt.

He later had a successful career in business and founded Transcender Corp., which provided IT training. He is president of Boson Software.

Rose is chairman of the Tennessee State Fair Association and served as Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner in 2002.

Rep.-elect Mark Green (R-Tenn.-07)

DATE OF BIRTH: Nov. 8, 1964
RESIDENCE: Ashland City, Tenn.
OCCUPATION: State senator, physician
EDUCATION: B.S., United States Military Academy; M.D., Wright State University
FAMILY: Wife, Camilla; two children

Tennessee veteran, businessman and physician Mark Green can now add another title to his resume: House Representative.

Green is replacing Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R), who ran for the Senate.

Green first won elected office in 2012 to the Tennessee state Senate.

Before beginning his political career, Green was a special operations flight surgeon in the Army and served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Most notably, he took part in Operation Red Dawn, which led to the capture of Saddam Hussein. 

He then founded Align MD, a medical staffing company, before entering politics.

Green was nominated to serve as secretary of the Army by President Trump, but pulled his name from consideration amid controversy over some of his past remarks.

Green ran uncontested in the Republican primary for the 7th District before easily defeating Justin Kanew (D)  for the solidly red seat.