Hour 3 - Lifelong Dem on Why She's Voting Red

Clay Travis (0:00)

Welcome in, hour number three, the final hour of programming we will do, not knowing what the election day outcome is going to be.

We will be fired up tomorrow to break down everything with you.

We are joined now by Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who in a few hours, I believe, if Tennesseans continue to vote as they are voting so far, will be governor-elect Marsha Blackburn. I will be at your election night party, governor, soon-to-be governor Blackburn. I don't want to jinx it. I don't know what I'm allowed to say here. I feel very good about your chances. You are a senator now, soon-to-be, I believe, governor-elect. What are you seeing on the ground in Tennessee? And also, what are you hearing about Senate battles all over the country? Because I know you're being well-informed about those as well. Tell us what Election Day looks like based on what you are hearing.

Marsha Blackburn (0:55)

Yes. Well, we finished up our day yesterday in Memphis with a rally, and just had a great attendance with that, and then got over to Knoxville on the east end of the state, and we started the morning there with Congressman Tim Burchett, and former Knox County Mayor, Glenn Jacobs, and some of our state house and state Senate members.

Governor Haslam, former Governor Haslam was there with us. What an amazing crowd we had this morning, getting everybody to get to the polls and get those ballots in the box.

This is going to be tight elections all across the country. But Clay, the good thing is people are tuning in to what is going on, and they're beginning to say, we do not want this socialist, communist, Islamist type agenda that the DSA is pushing. And one thing I keep reminding people and groups that we're talking to today is that the mainstream media has never been with us. They are never with us and they never will because they don't agree with us, they don't like us. So anything they can do against us, they are going to do. So we just have to persevere and not listen to what they're saying about our conservative candidates and about, you know, the way they misrepresent different things. So I think that you've got energy on the ground. You look at the Texas race, you look at the Michigan race, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Susan Collins up in Maine, and the energy that is around these candidates, I think they're going to win. I think that Republicans will hold the Senate.

Buck Sexton (2:55)

Senator Blackburn, appreciate you being with us. It's Buck.

I am seeing some very encouraging signs from the early vote tallies in Florida and hoping that that momentum continues throughout the day.

And it looks like Florida is going to end up here in a very nice solid red state as a state. Similar hopes and expectations for your home state of Tennessee, and obviously we're hoping you have a very successful, and we believe you will, night in the governor's race. But you know, red states like Tennessee and Florida aren't, it's not just about what you can do in those states with governance. There's also the model effect for the rest of the country to show people what sane, competent governance looks like. And hopefully that then translates into more states following your lead, or at least pressure in those states to stop being less crazy. With that in mind, what is top of the agenda for you when you take the governor's mansion? Because it's not just Tennesseans that can benefit from what you can do. It can also provide a model for other states in your area and around the country.

Marsha Blackburn (4:02)

Well, you're right about that. And the number one issue with people is the issue of the cost of living and making the ends meet. And the number one thing I can do to address it right off the bat is to do a Tennessee style doge. Let's make certain that we're getting the cost of our state government down. That positions that are not filled, programs that are not longer implemented and have outlived their usefulness. That we are getting those off the books. Making certain that we're reviewing contracting and that if any charity or nonprofit or agency gets taxpayer funds, that we look at the financials of those organizations and make certain that they are going to be delivering a service that is going to benefit the people of the state. In addition to that, property taxes, we're going to vote to amend our state constitution. And this is on the ballot now.

To foreclose the idea of ever having the state property tax. Saying, we in Tennessee will never have a state property tax already. We will never have a state income tax.