At the Davidson Co. GOP Picnic, a straw poll initially showed a close race—343 to 295—but was later revised to 345 to 195. The 100-vote correction raised questions about transparency, with no clear explanation offered by party officials.
By TruthWire News | June 1, 2025
The Davidson County Republican Party hosted its annual Summer Picnic on Saturday at Centennial Park, drawing what organizers called a record-breaking crowd of more than 600 attendees. While the event featured speeches from elected officials and was intended to energize local voters, it quickly became defined by controversy surrounding the results of its gubernatorial straw poll—and the last-minute revision that left many attendees questioning the process.
Speakers included U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles, State Senators Mark Pody and Jack Johnson, and State Representatives Scott Cepicky and Johnny Garrett. The crowd represented both establishment and grassroots conservatives—though it was widely observed that support for Senator Marsha Blackburn came from more institutional circles, while attendees backing Congressman John Rose largely hailed from the party’s energized grassroots base.
Despite Blackburn’s status as a longtime incumbent, it has become well known in Tennessee conservative circles that her prospective gubernatorial bid lacks grassroots enthusiasm.
TruthWire Was There for Both Announcements
TruthWire News was on-site for both the initial announcement of the straw poll results and the correction approximately 30 minutes later. The first numbers delivered from the stage were:
- Marsha Blackburn: 343 votes
- John Rose: 295 votes
- Tim Burchett (write-in): 1 vote
- Total ballots cast: 639
These numbers were read confidently, and the tally sheet reflecting them was photographed and circulated publicly.
Then, half an hour later, a representative of the DCGOP returned to the microphone to issue a correction. The new numbers were:
- Blackburn: 345 votes
- Rose: 195 votes
- Burchett: 1 vote
- Total ballots cast: 541
The explanation? The individual had been “tired” and “wrote the wrong numbers down.”
Analysis of the Tally Sheets
TruthWire has obtained and reviewed two photographs of the tally sheets—before and after the revision. They tell a story that contradicts the simplicity of the excuse.
Image 1 (Initial Count):
- Shows totals of 343 (Blackburn) and 295 (Rose), totaling 639 ballots.
- Percentage calculations—53.7% and 46.1%—were written alongside.
- The sheet includes breakdowns showing "300 + 43" for Blackburn and "100 + 195" next to Rose’s name, a detail that later appears to reflect the process of deducting the 100 “error.”
Image 2 (Revised Count):
- Rose’s vote count of 295 is scratched out multiple times.
- Blackburn’s final total is now listed as 345.
- The total ballot count is changed from 639 to 541.
- A chaotic series of scribbles and recalculations is visible, with no official notation, signature, or witness acknowledgment of the change.
The visual evidence confirms the sequence of events as witnessed: the original count was confidently calculated and shared, not a rushed or incomplete tally. The adjustments appear reactive, not procedural.
Implausible Math, Absent Transparency
To believe the revised count, attendees are asked to accept:
- That exactly 100 votes were miscounted, all mistakenly benefiting one candidate—John Rose.
- That no one in the process—counters, reviewers, or announcers—noticed the error until well after it had been publicly declared.
- That the total number of ballots cast, announced as 639, was somehow also wrong by exactly 98 ballots—without explanation.
No official accounting has been given for this discrepancy in ballot totals. No public acknowledgment has been made by the Davidson County GOP about the change. Instead, the party issued a press release that pretends the initial results never happened, listing only the corrected numbers without reference to the earlier announcement or photographic evidence.
While the “corrected” total gave Senator Blackburn 63.7% of the vote and Congressman Rose just 36%, the original numbers placed Rose just a few points behind—an unexpected and strong showing in Blackburn’s own backyard.
The revision does not erase the initial results. Instead, it has further fueled concerns among grassroots conservatives about transparency and fairness within internal party operations.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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