U.S. Rep. Fleischmann says Hegseth could take Blackburn’s Senate seat if vacated

There’s a race going on in Tennessee that’s not on the ballot. If U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn wins her bid for governor, her vacated seat is up for grabs and open to an appointment by the governor. 

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican,  is on the ballot for re-election in Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District, but he is also vying for the Senate appointment, he said. 

But Fleischmann isn’t the only contender for the possible Senate vacancy. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth could be interested in the appointment, Fleischmann told Tennessee Lookout on Sunday at a Republican get-out-the-vote rally in Hamilton County.

“I don’t know if this will come into fruition. Secretary Hegseth, should he decide to vacate that position — I don’t think he will, but if he did — as a Tennessean, he might be interested in that,” Fleischmann said. 

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of the 2nd Congressional District, who also spoke at Sunday’s event with Blackburn; Glenn Jacobs, the former mayor of Knox County; and Damon Hininger, the former CEO of Tennessee-based private prison operator CoreCivic, are the other names on the shortlist, said Fleischmann. 

The addition of Hegseth’s name to the list comes after House Democrats, including Minority House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, have targeted Hegseth for impeachment if they secure a majority on Nov. 3. 

Hegseth, a former Fox News contributor, moved to Sumner County in 2022.

Blackburn said that if she wins the race for governor, she plans to remain in her Senate seat until she is sworn in as governor and choose her own replacement. 

“I will be honored to have that,” Fleishmann said about the appointment to the Senate. “I think I bring a unique skill set to the job. But if not, I’ll stay in the House as a senior appropriator.”

With less than two weeks before election day, the state’s highest-ranking Republicans gathered to rally for support at Bo’s Bash hosted by state Sen. Bo Watson. 

Blackburn, Burchett and Hamilton County GOP chair Gail Greene hammered home that voting Republican is the only way to stave off what they characterized as socialists taking power. 

“A lot of people forget to go vote, so don’t let them forget,” Blackburn said to some 300 guests. “I have a Democrat socialist running. There is only one, only one Republican on the ballot for November 3. That Republican is me, and I need their vote.”

Fleischmann urged the sea of people sporting ‘Marsha, Marsha, Marsha,’ and ‘VOTE’ stickers to hit the polls in droves and prove the pundits wrong. 

“I’m predicting a surprise on November 3rd. Let’s make sure that Republicans come out in all 50 states, prove the pundits and the pollsters wrong, because we’ve got to keep the United States Senate, we’ve got to keep the United States House, because we have to make sure that our great President Donald J. Trump has a solid two years,” Fleischmann said.

Despite the polls predicting a blue wave, Fleischmann said he has no concerns about his Democratic challenger Anna Golladay.  

Golladay is a Chattanooga resident, small business owner, and former pastor for the United Methodist Church until she was dismissed in 2018 for officiating a same-sex wedding. 

“From a historical perspective, whether the 3rd district has had 10 or 11 counties every time without fail in the general election, I’ve carried every county. I don’t see any reason for that to change. We’ve polled. We’re up by large margins,” Fleischmann said. “We put a lot of money into campaigning this time, but I feel incredibly well.” 

Fleischmann said this is the first time in 10 years he has spent significant funds campaigning in a general election. The roughly $500,000 he spent was on targeting newcomers to the state and keeping his message out there, he said. 

Campaigning was targeted at the slightly redistricted 3rd Congressional District. Meigs and most of Rhea County are new to the district under the redrawn map.

Early voting across the state is up since 2022. Ten days into early voting, turnout is nearly 52% higher than at the same time for the Nov. 3 election in 2022, according to state data. The average turnout for the 3rd congressional district ten days into early voting is lower at about 41%. 

Early voting runs through Oct. 29.