3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Keeping taxes low and eliminating government waste; she has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge and campaigned against a state income tax as a state legislator.
A 'Tennessee DOGE' initiative to identify waste, fraud and government bloat.
School choice, including Education Freedom Scholarships, and 'empowering parents in education.'
'Defining boys and girls the way God made them.'
Deporting immigrants in the country illegally — her ad promised to do it 'whether it takes planes, trains, or starships.'
Fighting crime.
On the grocery tax: she has not promised to eliminate it, saying she would work with the legislature to see whether a cut is feasible after reducing state spending.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Senator from Tennessee since 2019; U.S. Representative 2003-2019; Tennessee state senator before that.
Campaigned against a state income tax during her time in the Tennessee legislature.
Endorsed by Americans for Prosperity, the NRA, fellow senators, multiple U.S. representatives and state legislative leaders.
Won the August 6 2026 Republican primary with about 43.6% (311,328 votes).
Declined to debate or appear at public forums with her two primary opponents.
Leaked documents from a Senate Ethics Committee investigation alleged her campaign manager, Ward Baker, urged Senate staff to take part in campaign activities, which would violate federal law.
Arguments in favor
She has a long record against tax increases — she fought the state income tax as a legislator and has signed the taxpayer protection pledge — and would launch a Tennessee version of the federal efficiency effort.
— Marsha Blackburn for Governor campaign
She has made school choice a central plank, campaigning for Education Freedom Scholarships and parental control in education.
— Americans for Prosperity, in radio advertising supporting her
She consolidated a field including a sitting congressman and a state legislator, and enters the general election with the endorsements of most of the state's Republican establishment and the NRA.
— Tennessee Republican officials, as reported by Tennessee Lookout
Arguments against
Her repeated moves between offices fuel the 'professional politician' label, which was her primary opponents' strongest line of attack against her.
— John Rose and Monty Fritts, her Republican primary opponents, as reported by the Nashville Scene
She refused to debate or appear at public forums with her primary opponents.
— Nashville Scene reporting
She 'continues to be in the big pocket of big lobbyists outside of Tennessee, and she doesn't listen to Tennesseans' — her top funder is 'a voucher schemer out of Pennsylvania' who has given a million dollars to her campaign.
— Jerri Green, Democratic nominee
What we couldn’t verify
Her official campaign website could not be verified, so no URL is listed.
Whether she would sign a grocery tax cut; she has declined to commit.
The status and outcome of the Senate Ethics Committee matter involving her campaign manager.
When she would resign her Senate seat if elected, and who would fill it.
Childcare: using $50 million of TANF funding to 'clear the waitlist for every family, ensuring no parent has to choose between a paycheck and their child.'
Medical debt: using TANF funding to eliminate what she calls predatory medical debt for more than 100,000 Tennesseans.
Expanding Medicaid, particularly in rural Tennessee, and raising the minimum wage.
Signing an executive order to protect reproductive rights so doctors can practise women's health care without the threat of prosecution.
Fully funded classrooms, better teacher pay and statewide pre-K; she opposes Education Freedom Scholarships.
Gun safety: background checks and red flag laws, and 'bi-partisan and common sense gun legislation.'
A pause on new data centres while the state assesses their effect on communities and natural resources; defunding private prisons; cracking down on negligent landlords.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Memphis City Council member for about three years; has worked as a public defender.
Won the August 6 2026 Democratic primary by more than 150,000 votes over her nearest opponent, in a six-candidate field.
The first woman nominated for governor by the Tennessee Democratic Party.
Describes herself as a common-sense Democrat with a background in local government.
Arguments in favor
Her childcare and medical debt plans name a funding source and a number: $50 million of TANF money to clear the childcare waitlist, and TANF funds to wipe out predatory medical debt for more than 100,000 Tennesseans.
— Jerri Green for Governor campaign
She would expand Medicaid in a state that has refused it, particularly for rural hospitals, and protect doctors providing women's health care from prosecution.
— Jerri Green for Governor campaign
She is calling for a pause on new data centres until Tennessee assesses their effect on communities and natural resources, which no other major candidate has proposed.
— Jerri Green for Governor campaign
Arguments against
Her agenda — Medicaid expansion, red flag laws, opposition to Education Freedom Scholarships — runs directly against the school choice and tax-cutting programme Tennessee Republicans have built and hold supermajorities to defend.
— Marsha Blackburn for Governor campaign and Americans for Prosperity
'People continue to feel lost and abandoned by their parties' — 'a lot of us want something besides Coke or Pepsi.'
— Lauren Pinkston, independent candidate, on both major nominees
What we couldn’t verify
Little criticism of her by name from an opposing campaign or committee could be found in the general election so far, which is why only two arguments against are listed; this is a gap rather than an absence of opposition.
How Medicaid expansion or a minimum wage increase would pass a Republican supermajority legislature.
Whether TANF funds can lawfully be used as she proposes for medical debt relief.
Supporting some school vouchers while opposing expansion of the programme.
A statewide moratorium on AI data centres until Tennessee has regulations for them.
Offering an alternative to the two major parties — 'a lot of us want something besides Coke or Pepsi.'
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Independent candidate for governor of Tennessee, qualified by petition for the 2026 general election ballot.
Has not held elected office.
Says she entered the race because Senator Blackburn 'was going to assume she's going to walk into the governor's office' and she 'couldn't let that happen.'
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Her professional background and biography could not be established; the coverage located did not include it.
No campaign website was located.
No organised advocacy for her candidacy and no criticism of her by name from an opposing campaign could be found, so no arguments are listed on either side.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Open seat: Republican Bill Lee is term-limited. Roster established from Wikipedia's race page, Ballotpedia, Tennessee Lookout, Nashville Banner, WSMV and Tennessee Firefly, cross-checked. In the August 6 2026 primaries, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn won the Republican nomination with about 43.6% over U.S. Representative John Rose and state Representative Monty Fritts; Memphis City Council member Jerri Green won the Democratic nomination by more than 150,000 votes over her nearest rival. Both major parties nominated a woman for the first time, and whoever wins will be Tennessee's first woman governor. Thirteen independents also qualified by petition, for 15 names on the ballot. Reporting names most of them as Misam Abidi, Dean Brewer, Ray Brown, David Hatley, Wendell Jackson, Charles Morgan, Eddie Lee Murphy, Lauren Pinkston, Victor Scoggin, Dave Seeman, Karl Smithson and Robert C. Vick; the full certified list of thirteen could not be assembled from a source read directly, and only one of them — Lauren Pinkston — had substantive coverage, so she is profiled below and the others are named here rather than described from nothing. The list of independents below should therefore be treated as incomplete. Tennessee has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
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