For years, Senator Marsha Blackburn has built her brand around being a conservative fighter willing to take on Washington. But Tennesseans have every right to ask a simple question: When important Senate business is happening, why does fundraising for a new office seem to be a higher priority for her than doing her job? Washington may run on money, but Tennessee voters expect their Senator to spend more time casting votes and doing the job she currently has, rather than collecting checks for her gubernatorial campaign.
Now, every politician raises money. That’s the reality of modern politics. And Blackburn is not the first politician, nor will she be the last, to “Encourage” donors with business in Washington DC and in the State Capitol in Nashville to recognize she currently has great capacity to help or hurt their causes in DC while pursuing the governor‘s office. The lobbyists who gathered in Nashville on Wednesday afternoon at her exclusive fundraiser were fully aware of that reality.
But there is something particularly unseemly about Senators jetting home for high-dollar events packed with lobbyists, corporate executives, and well-connected political donors while critical debates and votes are taking place in the Senate. The average Tennessee family doesn’t have the luxury of skipping work to attend a fundraiser. They expect elected officials to show up, do the work, and be accountable for the votes they cast—or the votes they miss.
This week, Blackburn was caught flying back to Nashville on Tuesday from DC to rake in campaign funds as the Republican Governors Association, and their coterie of lobbyists and special interest advocates were gathering together. As was the case a few months ago, she was accompanied by a special escort to enable her to skip the lines that regular travelers must endure.
As a result, Blackburn opted to miss Senate votes, moving several federal judges toward confirmation and other legislative actions. Keep in mind that Senator Blackburn serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has greater responsibility than others to ensure that Trump’s conservative judicial nominees are confirmed.
She wasn’t to only one to miss votes. Senators Lindsey Graham, and Never Trumper Thom Tillis were also absent. And while the nominees narrowly secured confirmation in Blackburn’s absence, there were certainly no guarantees of that result.
At some point, voters may grow tired of hearing “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha” when the Senate roll call for important votes starts to read “Missing, Missing, Missing” when her name is called. Political conversations in Tennessee should revolve around policy rather than her next personal ambition and next political opportunity… particularly when her current campaign involves ditching a job she just asked for and secured for a six-year term thanks to the votes of Tennesseans. Not to mention it’s the job for which she is currently getting paid while pursuing another.
Tennesseans aren’t looking for the next chapter in Marsha Blackburn’s career. They’re expecting her to be laser-focused on the job she already has and just got reelected to hold. Senator Blackburn should remember that and show up for work.
Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.
