Lynda Blanchard

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In February 2021, Blanchard announced her candidacy for the 2022 Senate election in Alabama to replace the retiring Senator Richard Shelby, the first candidate to publicly launch a campaign. [11]

Blanchard's most significant opposition was Representative Mo Brooks, who was, at that point, endorsed by former President Donald Trump. In November 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering endorsing Blanchard if she withdrew her Senate campaign and ran for governor instead. [12] [13]

Blanchard officially switched races on December 7, 2021, announcing during a campaign stop in Wetumpka that she would be running in the 2022 Alabama gubernatorial election instead of the Senate race. [14] Her gubernatorial campaign launched a television advertising campaign on January 3, 2022, which cost approximately $1.175 million, in order to raise her profile among voters in Alabama. [15] However, she never received an endorsement from Donald Trump. [16]

In the May 24 primary, Blanchard finished in second place in the gubernatorial race, with 19% of the vote. However, the election did not go to a run-off, as incumbent Governor Kay Ivey surpassed the threshold to avoid a run-off. Blanchard conceded defeat to Ivey but also indicated that she was interested in pursuing other political efforts in the future. [17]

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Agencies for Food and Agriculture

In March 2025, Trump named Blanchard as his nominee for United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 7th, 2025 in a 51-47 vote, [18] and assumed her position on November 10, 2025.

Awards

Her humanitarian efforts have earned her numerous accolades, including the Distinguished International Humanitarian Award from the National Council of Women and recognition from the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for her work combating human trafficking in Moldova. [19]

Personal life

She is married to John Blanchard, a businessman in real estate. Together, they donated over $2.6 million to Republicans from 2015 to April 2019. [8] Blanchard is also a mother of eight children and an international adoptive parent.

Electoral history

Lynda Blanchard
Lynda-Blanchard 2025.jpg
Official portrait, 2025
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 10, 2025
2022 Alabama Republican gubernatorial primary results [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kay Ivey (incumbent) 356,347 54.46%
Republican Lynda Blanchard125,91519.24%
Republican Tim James 105,93616.19%
Republican Lew Burdette42,8036.54%
Republican Dean Odle11,7201.79%
Republican Donald Trent Jones3,9060.58%
Republican Dave Thomas 2,8790.44%
Republican Stacy Lee George2,5390.39%
Republican Dean Young2,3440.36%
Total votes654,290 100%

References

  1. ↑ "Lynda Blanchard Endorsed as New US Ambassador". www.total-slovenia-news.com. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  2. ↑ "Ambassador Lynda C. Blanchard | U.S. Embassy in Slovenia". 2019-08-20. Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  3. ↑ "Former Trump administration official to run for Alabama senate seat". al. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  4. 1 2 "U.S. ambassador and Auburn alumna tours Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, commends Auburn's cyber focus". Auburn University. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  5. ↑ "Lynda Blanchard, Auburn grad and former ambassador to Slovenia, running for Alabama Senate seat". CBS 42. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  6. ↑ "Lynda Blanchard". FUTURE 4.0. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  7. ↑ "Ambassador Lynda C. Blanchard". November 10, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Trump inaugural donors got ambassador nominations. Are they qualified?". NBC News. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  9. ↑ "Lynda Blanchard". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2019-07-21. pp. B2. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  10. ↑ "Susan K. Falatko is now Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana". U.S. Embassy in Slovenia. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  11. ↑ Axelrod, Tal (2021-02-18). "Trump's Slovenia Ambassador Lynda Blanchard jumps into Alabama Senate race". TheHill. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  12. ↑ Bender, Michael C. (November 20, 2021). "Republican Governors Distance Themselves From Trump, Drawing His Ire". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  13. ↑ Koplowitz, Howard (November 20, 2021). "Trump reportedly offers Lynda Blanchard endorsement against Kay Ivey if she'll drop Alabama Senate run". AL.com . Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  14. ↑ Grass, Jonathan (December 7, 2021). "Blanchard drops Senate bid, enters governor's race". WSFA-12. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  15. ↑ Stacy, Todd (January 4, 2022). "Blanchard begins ad blitz in bid to unseat Ivey". The Anniston Star. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ Samuels, Alex; Rakich, Nathaniel (May 23, 2022). "11 Primaries To Watch In Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota And Texas". Five Thirty Eight. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  17. ↑ Monger, Craig (May 25, 2022). "Blanchard concedes gubernatorial primary race". 1819 News. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  18. ↑ "PN55-8 — Lynda Blanchard — Department of State". October 7, 2025. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Ambassador Lynda C. Blanchard". November 10, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Unofficial Primary Results". Alabama Secretary of State. May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

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