Gubernatorial candidate Congressman John Rose has taken aim at Senator Marsha Blackburn, in a Facebook post referencing the January 6, 2021 protest and 2020 election certification vote that concluded on January 7 at the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. The issue has been circulating quietly in political chat for months. Now it is openly being discussed as a distinction between the two.
Rose’s Facebook post hit on the morning of June 16. A day earlier, two Rose congressional mailers landed across his current district. One touted his efforts to lower the cost of housing and dedication to “election integrity”, in what appears to be a subtle swing at Blackburn, although she’s not mentioned by name.
The Tennessean, and other newspapers across the state (including the Knoxville News-Sentinel) that are part of their network, falsely reported that the taxpayer paid mailers were sent statewide. That is not true.
The mail sent by Rose only went to his constituents, which is a perfectly legal use of his congressional funds intended to communicate to his district. A balanced committee composed of Republicans and Democrats must approve all such communications, including videos, in advance.
Will the Tennessean and the other publications repeating the inaccurate report issue a correction and promote that correction as heavily as their false story?
One of the two mailers features Rose on the steps of the Capitol building, with an accompanying text encouraging the Senate to pass the Save America Act, legislation requiring in-person voter registration that includes proof of legal citizenship. The bill has been stalled in the Senate since passing the house in February. A handful of Republican Senators and all of the Democrats are blocking passage.
“John Rose proudly stood for election integrity four times,” the mailer reads.
The second mailer celebrates Roses’ move to end the federal regulation that required steel chassis be installed on manufactured homes. “A game changer for low-income and young American families,” the mailer states.
The first mailer contains a nuanced hit at Blackburn. His Facebook post was not nuanced at all.
“On January 6, 2021, politicians lied and patriots stood firm. I said I would object to the bogus elections in six states and I did. My opponent for Governor said the same thing and she didn’t keep her word,” Rose wrote in his Facebook post this week.
Rose is referencing Blackburn’s vote to certify the 2020 election, which has consistently been deemed as a “rigged” election by many Republicans, including President Donald Trump. Evidence of vote fraud in several states that Trump narrowly “lost” increasingly confirms that claim.
Prior to casting her vote certifying the election results favoring Joe Biden, Blackburn was among the coalition of Tennessee officials speaking out against against the certification and promising to oppose it.
Her flip flop has been a point of contention for many Republicans across the state.
Rose’s Facebook post was in line with his mailer’s point regarding election integrity. In the mail piece, Rose also touted his objection of the 2020 election. Congress formally certified the Electoral College results on January 6, “confirming” former Biden’s victory over Trump.
Along with Rose, Tennessee House members who voted against the certification included the following:
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett-R
U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais-R
U.S. Rep. Charles Fleischmann-R
U.S. Former Rep. Mark Green-R
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff-R
U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger-R
Senator Bill Hagerty joined Blackburn in voting to certify the election results.
Some have argued that Trump’s decision to stay out of the race with no endorsement of Blackburn, which she has hinted at being imminent for months, traces back in part to her January 7 vote.
Rose supporters have welcomed the more aggressive approach of Rose in targeting Blackburn as the August 6 primary looms.
