Blackburn, Marsha

Marsha Blackburn is a senior United States senator from Tennessee and the first woman elected to the Senate from her state, winning office in 2018. As chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, she oversees legislation and oversight related to digital privacy protections, technology regulation, and data security. She also chairs the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy. These roles position her to shape federal policy on some of the most consequential issues facing American consumers and businesses in the digital economy.

Blackburn brings substantial private-sector experience to her committee work. Before entering electoral politics, she founded and operated Marketing Strategies, a promotion and event management firm, and served as executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission. She previously represented Tennessee's 7th congressional district in the House for 16 years, where the National Journal ranked her among the chamber's most conservative members. Her background in business and media gives her practical insight into technology and commerce issues her committees address.

As a staunch conservative and early Tea Party supporter, Blackburn has consistently advanced a deregulatory agenda aligned with her party's approach to technology policy. She has sponsored legislation addressing rural health access, tax incentives for business innovation, and student loan programs. In 2026, she announced her candidacy for Tennessee governor, signaling a potential shift in her political career. Her committee assignments across Commerce, Judiciary, Finance, and Veterans Affairs reflect her broad influence in the Senate and her seniority within the Republican conference.