She succeeds term-limited Gov. Bill Lee, stretching Republican control of the office to five consecutive terms. The campaign veteran edged out Democrat Jerri Green and surprisingly competitive independent David Hatley, a conservative who cut into Blackburn’s vote share.

“You want a governor who's going to make certain that we in Tennessee have secure elections,” Blackburn told supporters gathered at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville Tuesday night — declaring victory before any outlets had called the race. “And you want a governor that's going to protect our kids and ensure that every child gets a great education, and I've heard it from you from Memphis to Mountain City.”