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U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn to make decision on U.S. Senate race within week

"She ran for Congress to advance her conservative values and fight for the people of Tennessee. Over the next week she will take a look at the Senate race and decide how, and where, she believes she can best serve her state and her nation."
<p><span style="color: rgb(100, 100, 100); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">(Photo: Samuel M. Simpkins / File / The Tennessean)</span></p>

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn plans on taking the next week to think about whether she should enter the race to replace U.S. Sen. Bob Corker.

"Rep. Blackburn appreciates the outpouring of encouragement and support she has received about a possible Senate run," said campaign spokeswoman Darcy Anderson in a statement Tuesday night.

More: Sen. Bob Corker will not seek re-election next year

"She ran for Congress to advance her conservative values and fight for the people of Tennessee. Over the next week she will take a look at the Senate race and decide how, and where, she believes she can best serve her state and her nation."

The statement issued on behalf of the longtime Brentwood Republican only stokes speculation that she might enter the race in the aftermath of Corker announcing Tuesday he would not seek a third term.

On Tuesday, her campaign Twitter page unveiled a new "Stand with Marsha " logo with a state emblem, perhaps suggesting a move is near.

Blackburn has long been seen as a leading contender if a U.S. Senate seat were to open and her name has been on the rise in the national scene in recent years. During the 2016 Republican National Convention, she had a prime-time speaking slot.

Blackburn has served in Congress since 2002, but has tried to avoid the notion that she is entrenched in Washington, D.C.

In recent months, Blackburn has frequently appeared on national television defending President Donald Trump, which could bolster her potential run.

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