2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election
The 2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Bill Haslam was re-elected to a second term with 70.3% of the vote, defeating his Democratic challenger Charles Brown. Improving on his performance from 2010, Haslam also carried every county in the state.
The primary elections took place on August 7, 2014, with Republican Bill Haslam and Democrat Charles Brown winning their respective party nominations.
With no political experience, Charles Brown campaigned on raising speed limits on the interstate highways to 80 mph and putting the Bible back in schools. Some of the Democratic Party members became concerned over Brown's candidacy when he said in an interview that he would like to put Bill Haslam in an electric chair and "turn it on about half throttle and let him smell a little bit."
Haslam, on the other hand, campaigned on jobs, economic development, education reform, workforce development, and conservative fiscal leadership.
As of, this was the best performance in a Tennessee gubernatorial election since Buford Ellington's victory in 1966. This was also the last time a Republican candidate has won Davidson and Shelby counties in a statewide election.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Basil Marceaux, perennial candidate
- Bill Haslam, incumbent governor
- Donald McFolin, Independent candidate for governor in 2010
- Mark "Coonrippy" Brown
Declined
- John Jay Hooker, political gadfly and Democratic nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Charles V. Brown, retired engineer and candidate for governor in 2002
- Kennedy Spellman Johnson
- John McKamey, former Sullivan County Commissioner
- Ron Noonan
Removed from ballot
- Mark E. Clayton, Vice President of Public Advocate of the United States and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2012
- Jesse Gore
- Ed Borum
Declined
- Lowe Finney, state senator
- Craig Fitzhugh, minority leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives
- Roy Herron, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, former state senator and nominee for Tennessee's 8th congressional district in 2010
- John Jay Hooker, political gadfly and nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998
- Jim Kyle, state senator and candidate for governor in 2010
- Sara Kyle, former director of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority
- Mike McWherter, businessman, attorney and nominee for governor in 2010
Independents and Third Parties
Candidates
Declared
- Steven Coburn
- Shaun Crowell
- John Jay Hooker, political gadfly and Democratic nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998
- Isa Infante
- Daniel T. Lewis, educator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008
Removed from ballot
- Jondavid Balunek
- J. D. Ellis
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Haslam | John McKamey | Other | Undecided |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | July 5–24, 2014 | 1,460 | ± 5.4% | 55% | 32% | 4% | 9% |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 29–30, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 57% | 27% | 5% | 11% |