2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election
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. 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.
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
- Monty Fritts, state representative from the 32nd district
- John Rose, U.S. Representative from
Declined
- Mark Green, former U.S. representative from
- Bill Hagerty, U.S. Senator '
- Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State
- Diana Harshbarger, U.S. representative from
- Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense and candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota in 2012
- Glenn Jacobs, mayor of Knox County '
- Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Commissioner of Economic & Community Development
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Carnita Atwater, museum president, candidate for governor in 2022, and candidate for mayor of Memphis in 2023
- Tim Cyr, home repair business owner
- Jerri Green, Memphis city councilor from the 2nd district
- Adam Kurtz, guitarist
Declined
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Lauren Pinkston, former Lipscomb University professor
General election
Polling
;Marsha Blackburn vs. Jerri Green| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | Marsha Blackburn | Jerri Green | Other | Undecided |
| Quantus Insights | August 5–7, 2025 | 600 | ± 3.5% | 49% | 28% | 7% | 17% |
;John Rose vs. Jerri Green
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin | John Rose | Jerri Green | Other | Undecided |
| Quantus Insights | August 5–7, 2025 | 600 | ± 3.5% | 43% | 27% | 8% | 23% |