2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2026 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. The primary elections will take place on August 6, 2026.^[1] Incumbent Republican Governor Bill Lee is prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking a third consecutive term. His second term expires on January 16, 2027.

2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election

← 2022 November 3, 2026 2030 →

Party Republican Democratic

Incumbent Governor Bill Lee Republican

Democrats have not won a statewide election in Tennessee since Phil Bredesen was re-elected Governor in 2006.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Marsha Blackburn, U.S. senator (2019–present)^[2]
• Monty Fritts, state representative from the 32nd district (2023–present)^[3]
• John Rose, U.S. Representative from Tennessee's 6th congressional district (2019–present)^[4]

Declined

• Mark Green, former U.S. representative from Tennessee's 7th congressional district (2019–2025)^[5]
• Bill Hagerty, U.S. Senator (2021–present) (running for re-election)^[6]
• Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State (2009–present)^[7]
• Diana Harshbarger, U.S. representative from Tennessee's 1st congressional district (2021–present)^[8]
• Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense (2025–present) and candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota in 2012^[9]
• Glenn Jacobs, mayor of Knox County (2018–present) (endorsed Blackburn)^[10]
• Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Commissioner of Economic & Community Development (2022–present)^[11]

Endorsements

Marsha Blackburn

U.S. representatives

• Tim Burchett, TN-02 (2019–present)^[12]
• Chuck Fleischmann, TN-03 (2011–present)^[13]
• Jimmy Duncan, TN-02 (1988–2019)^[14]

Statewide officials

• Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia (2022–present)^[15]

State legislators

• Ken Yager, state senator from the 12th district (2009–present)^[16]
• Jack Johnson, majority leader of the Tennessee Senate (2019–present) from the 27th district (2007–present)^[16]
• Bo Watson, state senator from the 11th district (2007–present)^[17]
• William Lamberth, majority leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives (2019–present) from the 44th district (2013–present)^[18]
• Aron Maberry, state representative from the 68th district (2025–present)^[16]
• Lee Reeves, state representative from the 65th district (2025–present)^[16]
• Jake McCalmon, state representative from the 63rd district (2023–present)^[19]

Local officials

• Glenn Jacobs, mayor of Knox County (2018–present)^[10]
• Joseph Butler, former mayor of Carroll County (2018–2024)^[19]

Organizations

• Club for Growth PAC^[20]
• Turning Point Action^[21]

Declined to endorse

Statewide officials

• Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee (2019–present)^[22]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Marsha Blackburn	John Rose	Monty Fritts	Other	Undecided
Targoz Market Research[23][A]	October 26–29, 2025	545 (RV)	–	58%	9%	5%	–	29%
Quantus Insights (R)[24]	August 5–7, 2025	–	–	35%	6%	–	22%[b]	37%
Targoz Market Research[25][A]	July 27 – August 1, 2025	623 (RV)	± 2.8%	66%	14%	–	–	19%
Fabrizio Lee & Associates (R)[26][27][B]	January 13–16, 2025	800 (LV)	± 3.5%	71%	13%	–	–	16%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Carnita Atwater, museum president, candidate for governor in 2022, and candidate for mayor of Memphis in 2023^[28]
• Tim Cyr, home repair business owner^[28]
• Jerri Green, Memphis city councilor from the 2nd district (2024–present)^[29]
• Adam Kurtz, guitarist^[30]

Declined

• Steve Cohen, U.S. representative from Tennessee's 9th congressional district (2007–present)^[31]

Endorsements

Jerri Green

State legislators

• Lee Harris, mayor of Shelby County (2018–present) and former minority leader of the Tennessee Senate (2015–2018) from the 29th district (2015–2018)^[32]

Independents

Candidates

Declared

• Lauren Pinkston, former Lipscomb University professor^[33]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[34]	Solid R	September 11, 2025
Inside Elections[35]	Solid R	August 28, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball[36]	Safe R	September 4, 2025
Race to the WH[37]	Safe R	September 16, 2025

Polling

Marsha Blackburn vs. Jerri Green

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Marsha Blackburn (R)	Jerri Green (D)	Other	Undecided
Quantus Insights (R)[24]	August 5–7, 2025	600 (RV)	± 3.5%	49%	28%	7%[c]	17%

John Rose vs. Jerri Green

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	John Rose (R)	Jerri Green (D)	Other	Undecided
Quantus Insights (R)[24]	August 5–7, 2025	600 (RV)	± 3.5%	43%	27%	8%[d]	23%

See also

• Elections in Tennessee
• Government of Tennessee
• Political party strength in Tennessee
• Tennessee Democratic Party
• Tennessee Republican Party
• 2026 Tennessee elections
• 2026 United States Senate election in Tennessee

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. "Someone else" with 14%; Tim Burchett with 5%; Cameron Saxton with 3%
3. "Wouldn't Vote for Either" with 7%
4. "Wouldn't Vote for Either" with 8%

Partisan clients

1. This poll was sponsored by the Beacon Center of Tennessee
2. This poll was sponsored by Blackburn's campaign