Andy Spears is a veteran education journalist from Tennessee. He writes now on a Substack blog where he covers more states than Tennessee, but continues to be an authoritative voice about his own state.

In this post, he describes what to expect from the newly elected governor, Marsha Blackburn. “She is no fan of public education,” he says. She is a hard-right politician in the Trump mold.

Among her big donors were two billionaires who are avid supporters of privatization: Jeff Yass of Pennsylvania and the Walton family. Yass gave millions to Texas Governor Greg Abbott to use on behalf of passing voucher legislation (Abbott used it to whup moderate Republicans in the Legislature who opposed vouchers). The Walton/Walmart family has been the single largest donor to charter schools (other than the federal government).

Spears writes:

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn narrowly won the race to become Tennessee’s next Governor. She earned 45.5% of the vote to Democrat Jerri Green’s 43%. 

Now, Blackburn begins the process of setting up a transition team and installing the leaders who will shape her Administration. 

What will she do on public schools? 

The short answer: She is 100% supportive of the GOP agenda over the past 15 years. An agenda that has led Tennessee to last place in the nation in investment in schools. An agenda that means there’s now a $300 million private school discount coupon program. An agenda that leaves teachers behind. 

In her first interview after winning, Blackburn said she plans to set up a Tennessee DOGE. You’ll recall DOGE was set up under Elon Musk at the federal level and decimated a number of programs – including essentially wiping out US AID. The cuts to US AID are responsible for more than 700,000 deaths in the countries that used to rely on the U.S. for assistance with hunger, HIV/AIDS relief, and more.

I’m not excited about a DOGE-style round of cuts to Tennessee’s government. 

And her insistence on marching in lockstep with Trump means she’s likely to look for ways to further tear down public schools. 

Blackburn’s top financial backer was a Pennsylvania billionaire who loves school vouchers. 

School Voucher Advocate is Largest Single Donor in Tennessee Gov's Race

School Voucher Advocate is Largest Single Donor in Tennessee Gov’s Race

·JUN 20Read full story

Now, Yass is taking sides in the race to replace Lee. Yass is the largest single contributor in the gubernatorial race, giving $1 million to a political action committee (PAC) supporting Marsha Blackburn, according to Tennessee Lookout.

Blackburn also received support from a billionaire heir to the Walmart family fortune – yes, another backer of school vouchers.

Billionaire Walmart Heir Jumps on Blackburn Bandwagon

Billionaire Walmart Heir Jumps on Blackburn Bandwagon

ANDY SPEARS

The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton is now on the Marsha Blackburn bandwagon.

The latest campaign financial reportindicates that pro-Blackburn Team Tennessee PAC received $100,000 from Walton in the last reporting period.

In public statements, Blackburn has pledged to further obligate taxpayers to school vouchers – adding additional money to the voucher program. 

Keep in mind, Tennessee students currently accepting vouchers score an average of 20 points BEHIND their public school counterparts. But thanks to Bill Lee and the GOP-controlled General Assembly, the state will no longer track the performance of students receiving vouchers.