As Senator Marsha Blackburn eyes a 2026 Tennessee governor race, voters in the 1st Congressional District deserve a clear look at her legislative record. From the opioid crisis to veterans’ healthcare, broadband access to clean energy, here are ten votes and positions that hurt East Tennessee — and why they matter for the governor’s mansion.

Below are 10 of the most egregious criticisms & concerns tied to how Senator Marsha Blackburn’s policies, votes & statements have negatively affected those in Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District.

This region, spanning much of northeastern Tennessee, includes rural communities and mid-sized cities (like Johnson City & Kingsport) that face unique economic, healthcare & infrastructure challenges.

1) Helped pass a 2016 law that made it harder for DEA to stop suspicious opioid shipments

Blackburn co-sponsored the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act, which raised the bar for the DEA to suspend distributors—critics (including DEA officials) say it blunted a key enforcement tool during the opioid crisis that hit Appalachia hard. 1 2 3

2) Voted to nullify the FCC’s broadband-privacy rules (2017)

As a House member, Blackburn backed the CRA measure (S.J.Res.34) that overturned rules requiring ISPs to get opt-in consent before selling customers’ data—bad for rural users with few ISP choices. 4 5 6

3) Led efforts to weaken/restrict net-neutrality protections

Blackburn authored the Open Internet Preservation Act (H.R.4682), a lighter alternative that preempted state rules, and in 2024 sponsored a CRA resolution to block the FCC’s restored net-neutrality order—policies that favor large ISPs over consumers in underserved East Tennessee areas. 7 8 9 10

4) Voted for ACA repeal (AHCA) that CBO said would spike the uninsured

In 2017, she voted Yea on the House’s ACA repeal bill; CBO projected 23 million more uninsured by 2026 and weaker protections in states using waivers—harmful in a region with higher uninsured and chronic-disease burdens. 11 12

5) Voted No on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA)

Blackburn opposed the 2021 infrastructure bill funding highways, bridges, broadband, and water systems—core needs for Appalachian counties. (The law passed and funds are flowing anyway.) 13 14

6) Voted No on the CHIPS & Science Act

She voted against CHIPS, which invests in U.S. semiconductors and authorizes science funding across DOE national labs—directly relevant to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the UT-ORNL ecosystem in East Tennessee. 15 16 17

7) Voted No on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including Medicare drug savings

Blackburn opposed the IRA, which (among other things) capped Medicare insulin at $35/month and enabled Medicare drug-price negotiation—big for older and low-income residents in the region. 18 19 20

8) Initially voted to block the PACT Act for toxic-exposed veterans

On July 27, 2022 she voted No on a key procedural vote that stalled the PACT Act expanding care for burn-pit and toxic-exposed vets; after public backlash, she voted Yes on final passage. Eastern Tennessee has a high share of veterans. 21 22

9) Voted No on the American Rescue Plan (ARP)

She opposed the 2021 COVID relief law that funded vaccines, schools, direct payments, small-business aid, and state/local fiscal recovery—lifelines many Appalachian counties used. 23 24

10) Voted No on the 2013 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization

Blackburn voted against the bipartisan VAWA reauthorization—legislation that funds victim services and law-enforcement programs widely used by rural and small-town agencies. 25 26