Mark Green, Trump's failed secretary of the Army nominee, won't run for governor of Tennessee

On Friday, Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green announced that he would not re-enter the GOP primary for governor. Green had launched a bid at the beginning of the year, but dropped out after Donald Trump nominated him to become secretary of the Army. Green's bid to serve in Trump's administration ran aground over his long history of disparaging remarks about Muslims and LGBT people, and after he pulled his nomination, he considered relaunching his campaign for governor.

However, state Sen. Mae Beavers, a fellow social conservative from Middle Tennessee, entered the race before he made his decision. If Green and Beavers ran, they likely would have been competing for a similar pool of primary voters, and Green acknowledged a few days ago that her campaign may have made it tougher for him to win. Green did not mention Beavers when he announced that he wouldn’t run, but it’s very possible that her decision to run played a part in convincing Green not to get back in the race.

However, we may not have heard the last from Green. His statement said that “[s]everal options exist in the near future to do this and I will continue discussions with people around the state and Washington as I find the best path of service,” which could be a sign that he’s interested in a Senate or House bid.

Meanwhile, another Tennessee Republican may be making a move in the near future. Rep. Diane Black, who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, has been publicly considering a bid for a while. Black recently told The Hill’s Scott Wong that she’s still deciding on her 2018 plans, but state and national Republicans expect her to run for governor and say she could announce as soon as this summer.

But even if Black has already decided to run, congressional matters could delay her kickoff for a while. Black is chair of the House Budget Committee, and she’s a key player in discussions on tax and spending changes. Party rules would likely force Black to stop down as chair after she announced a bid for governor, something she probably won’t want to do for a while, especially if she thinks she can score some high-profile legislative wins in Congress ahead of a statewide campaign. (It’s possible that Green is interested running for Black’s 6th Congressional District, though his entire Senate seat is in GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s 7th District.)

Regardless of what Black does, it may take a while for the GOP primary to fully take shape. Two wealthy businessmen are already in: state Higher Education Commission member Bill Lee, and ex-Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett also is considering, though he doesn’t seem interested in raising money.

Both of Tennessee’s top legislative leaders also may be making their moves soon. State House Speaker Beth Harwell has been publicly considering, and an unnamed GOP source tells The Hill that she's expected to get in. State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris has also been considering for months, and both Norris and Harwell each recently told the Associated Press Erik Schelzig’s that they’re planning to decide soon. Schelzig notes that Norris is the only serious potential contender who hails from West Tennessee, which could give him a leg up in a crowded race.

Sen. Bob Corker hasn’t ruled out getting in himself, though there’s no sign he’s seriously considering. While many Southern states require runoffs if no one takes a majority of the vote in a primary, it takes just a simple plurality to win in Tennessee.