Nashville, TN — Republican gubernatorial candidate John Rose has once again demonstrated
his grassroots momentum, winning the Lewis County Republican Party’s gubernatorial straw
poll in convincing fashion. Rose took first place by a 31-point margin when the results were
announced by Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee member, Chris Morris: John
Rose with 55%, State Representative Monty Fritts with 24% and United States Senator Marsha
Blackburn with 21%.
Rose’s victory in Lewis County comes on the heels of his August win in Lawrence County,
where he defeated Blackburn by a margin of 60% to 35%, with approximately 5% of votes cast
as write-ins.
“As a farmer and former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture, I’m proud of my rural roots
and love connecting with everyday Tennesseans, one-on-one,” Rose said. “The people of
Tennessee know that our state needs a governor who shares their values and understands the
importance of agriculture, small business, and conservative leadership.”
The Lewis County result underscores Rose’s strong connection with rural voters, a decisive
force in Tennessee Republican politics. In 2018, the rural vote propelled 7th generation
Tennessean and farmer Bill Lee to a 12-point upset victory in the Republican gubernatorial
primary over two well-funded, big-city candidates. Rural voters are connecting with John Rose
over his background as a farmer and lifelong Tennessean.
Lewis County is yet another bellwether for Republican primary sentiment. The county has been
represented by Marsha Blackburn for more than 14 years, first as a U.S. House member and
now as a U.S. Senator. Rose’s ability to win handily in both Lawrence and Lewis Counties is a
window to the broad appeal of his candidacy outside his congressional district and highlights the
strength of his grassroots-driven campaign.
The straw poll was conducted by officers of the Lewis County Republican Party for registered
guests of the sold-out 2025 Lewis County Reagan/Trump Dinner in Hohenwald, TN. The final
tally was Rose 82 votes, Fritts 36 votes, and Blackburn 32 votes.
Since announcing his campaign for Governor on March 20, 2025, at the Tennessee State
Fairgrounds, Rose has built the largest campaign war chest in the race—reporting over $6.1
million raised through June 30 with donations from all 95 counties in Tennessee. His
conservative record in Congress, strong support from President Trump, and deep agricultural
roots are fueling his statewide rise ahead of the August 2026 primary.
To learn more about John Rose’s campaign for Governor, visit johnrose.com
