2026 Tennessee Primary Election Update

Key Takeaways

• U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn secured the Republican nomination for Governor, defeating Congressman John Rose by approximately eleven percentage points. She will face Democrat Jerri Green in November, guaranteeing Tennessee will elect its first female governor.
• Tennessee’s 2026 congressional redistricting reshaped multiple races, with former Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher unseating incumbent Congressman Andy Ogles in TN-05 and prominent state legislators advancing in several districts. These results may alter committee assignments, caucus dynamics, and stakeholder engagement in Washington, D.C.
• Three Tennessee State House incumbents lost their primaries, including the Chairman of the House State and Local Government Committee. Organizations engaged in local government policy, elections, and public administration should evaluate how these leadership transitions may affect legislative priorities in 2027.

Tennessee voters went to the polls Thursday to nominate candidates for federal, state, and local offices in one of the most consequential primary elections in recent history. At the top of the ticket, Republican voters selected their nominee to succeed Governor Bill Lee, while contested congressional and legislative primaries determined dozens of nominees who will help shape Tennessee’s political landscape over the next several years.

The elections also marked the first congressional contests conducted under district boundaries redrawn by the General Assembly in May 2026, creating several competitive primary races and reshaping political dynamics in both Nashville and Washington, D.C. Although the November general election remains ahead, many of the nominees selected this week are well-positioned to become Tennessee’s next policymakers, as most districts are either heavily Republican or Democratic such that the primary effectively determines the eventual officeholder. These races are therefore significant not only electorally, but institutionally, as they may influence committee assignments, caucus dynamics, leadership considerations, and stakeholder engagement in 2027.

Blackburn Secures Republican Nomination for Governor

The Republican gubernatorial primary was the marquee contest on the ballot and established U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn as the party’s nominee for Tennessee’s open governor’s race. With Governor Bill Lee constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third term, the contest drew three well-known Republican candidates from different levels of government: Blackburn, Congressman John Rose, and State Representative Monty Fritts.

Blackburn defeated Congressman John Rose by approximately eleven percentage points to secure the Republican nomination. Her nomination gives the Republican ticket a statewide figure with extensive federal legislative experience and a long-established political profile.

The significance of the race extends well beyond the Governor’s Office itself. Tennessee’s governor plays a central role in establishing the administration’s legislative agenda, proposing the annual state budget, overseeing executive agencies, appointing commissioners and members of numerous boards and commissions, filling judicial vacancies, and influencing regulatory policy across virtually every sector of state government. An open governor’s race also creates a transition period in which cabinet appointments, agency leadership, and administrative priorities become especially important for regulated industries. Accordingly, the outcome will shape Tennessee’s policy direction on issues including economic development, healthcare, education, transportation, energy, artificial intelligence, and other priorities expected to dominate the 2027 legislative session.

Blackburn will face Democratic nominee Jerri Green in November. Regardless of the outcome, Tennessee will elect its first female governor.

U.S. Congressional Races Heat Up for November

The congressional primaries were the first conducted under Tennessee’s new congressional district boundaries enacted by the General Assembly in May 2026. The revised map substantially altered several districts, producing competitive primaries featuring current and former members of Congress, sitting members of the Tennessee General Assembly, and other prominent candidates. As a result, the outcomes will not only shape Tennessee’s representation in Washington, D.C. but also change the composition of the Tennessee General Assembly as successful legislators transition to federal office, potentially creating additional vacancies, special elections, and leadership changes in Nashville.

U.S. House – TN-05

Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District was among the state’s most closely watched congressional contests in Republican circles. Former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Hatcher defeated Trump-endorsed incumbent Congressman Andy Ogles, pairing a former statewide administration official with an incumbent member of Congress in a race that drew significant nationwide attention. Hatcher’s victory is also notable because it unseated an incumbent member of Congress in the first election conducted under Tennessee’s newly enacted congressional map.

Hatcher will face Democrat Chaz Molder in November’s general election.

U.S. House – TN-06

State Representative Johnny Garrett defeated former Congressman Van Hilleary, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Congressman John Rose, in a contest pitting a sitting state legislator against a former member of Congress seeking a return to federal office. Former Congressman Van Hilleary entered the race with the endorsement of House Speaker Cameron Sexton, highlighting the contest’s significance within Tennessee Republican politics. The Sixth District remains one of Tennessee’s most reliably Republican congressional seats, making the Republican primary widely viewed as the decisive contest given the district’s Republican voting history.

Garrett’s nomination also creates a direct link between the congressional race and the composition of the Tennessee House, as his successful congressional campaign left House District 45 as an open-seat contest.

U.S. House – TN-09

The newly configured Ninth Congressional District drew national attention and represents one of the most significant consequences of the General Assembly’s 2026 congressional redistricting plan. Both parties nominated prominent state legislators, making the race a focal point for both federal representation and state legislative continuity.

On the Republican side, State Senator Brent Taylor, with the endorsement of President Trump, won the nomination over State Representative Todd Warner. State Representative Justin Pearson secured the Democratic nomination over State Senator London Lamar, who was endorsed by retiring Congressman Steve Cohen. Pearson was aided in part by his national profile and support from national political figures, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

More than any other race, TN-09 illustrates the practical effects of Tennessee’s congressional redistricting plan. With prominent state legislators advancing as each party’s nominee, the general election is expected to attract both national attention and significant interest within Tennessee.

Pearson and Taylor will now face each other in November to compete over a once Democrat-held seat that Republicans are seeking to flip to turn all Tennessee congressional districts red.

Tennessee State Senate Remains Largely Unchanged

The State Senate remained largely unchanged, with every incumbent senator seeking reelection securing renomination. The chamber’s only expected new member will be former State Representative Jimmy Matlock, who won the Republican nomination for retiring Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally’s Senate District 5 seat. Matlock previously served six terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2007 through 2019, where he developed experience on budget, transportation, and economic development issues.

Tennessee State House Sees Three Incumbent Upsets

The State House experienced more change than the Senate, with several open-seat contests and three incumbent legislators defeated in contested primaries. These races are significant not only for their individual outcomes but also for their downstream impact on committee leadership and rosters.

House District 1

Jessica Means won the Republican nomination by twenty-two percentage points over incumbent Representative John Crawford, Chairman of the House State and Local Government Committee. Means is a Sullivan County Commissioner, farmer, small business owner, and health and wellness instructor who operates a family farm and several local businesses with her husband. She also serves in numerous county leadership roles involving finance, education, agriculture, and opioid abatement. Her campaign emphasized fiscal responsibility, agriculture, parental rights in education, and conservative values.

Means’ victory represents one of the most consequential House primary outcomes because it unseated the chairman of a standing committee. The change is particularly significant for stakeholders engaged in local government, public administration, elections, and other issues traditionally considered by the House State and Local Government Committee.

House District 36

Noah Smith won the Republican nomination by defeating incumbent Representative Dennis Powers in a decisive upset. With no Democratic candidate qualifying for the ballot, the Republican primary effectively determined the district’s next representative. Smith campaigned on conservative priorities including term limits, rural economic development, transportation infrastructure improvements, support for local schools, and limited government, signaling a focus on economic growth and infrastructure investment in Northeast Tennessee.

House District 59

Mark Proctor narrowly won the Democratic nomination for the open House District 59 seat, receiving 2,475 votes, or 31.89%, and defeating second-place finisher Angie Lawless by 78 votes. Proctor is a former Tennessee Highway Patrol officer who spent more than 25 years in law enforcement and retired as a captain with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. His campaign emphasized public safety, strong public schools, affordability, and economic opportunity. He will face Republican nominee Bill Hancock in November for the open seat previously held by Representative Caleb Hemmer.

House District 96

In a Memphis-area upset, Dr. Telisa Franklin secured the Democratic nomination over incumbent Representative Gabby Salinas. Because no Republican qualified for the ballot, the Democratic primary effectively determined the district’s next representative. Franklin is a lifelong Memphian, entrepreneur, Emmy-nominated media personality, author, and nonprofit leader whose community involvement has focused on economic opportunity, neighborhood development, and civic engagement. Her campaign emphasized public safety, workforce development, affordable healthcare, stronger schools, and neighborhood revitalization.

What Should Businesses and Organizations Do After the 2026 Tennessee Primary? 

While a few November races remain competitive, the primary elections have already clarified much of Tennessee’s legislative landscape. With several open seats, multiple incumbent defeats, and new members poised to enter both the General Assembly and Tennessee’s congressional delegation, organizations should begin identifying emerging legislative leaders and evaluating how these transitions may affect their public policy priorities in 2027.

Our Government Relations team will continue monitoring developments and is available to discuss how the election results may affect your organization’s legislative, regulatory, or advocacy strategy.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.