Shining a light on education & government in TennesseeShining a light on education & government in TennesseeEvery declared candidate for Tennessee Governor in 2026 — who they are, what they've raised, and where they stand on education.
| Candidate | Party | Raised | Ed. Freedom Scholarship | School Choice | Charters | Teacher Pay | TISA Funding | Workforce | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marsha Blackburn | R | $1.24M | Supports | Supports | Supports | No Position | No Position | Supports | → |
| John Rose | R | $1.46M | Supports | Supports | Supports | Supports | Supports | Supports | → |
| Monty Fritts | R | $0 | Opposes | Opposes | No Position | No Position | No Position | No Position | → |
| Cito Pellegra | R | $0 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | → |
| Jerri Green | D | $125K | Opposes | Opposes | No Position | Supports | Supports | Supports | → |
| Carnita Atwater | D | $0 | No Position | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | → |
| Adam "Ditch" Kurtz | D | $10K | Supports | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | → |
| Tim Cyr | D | $0 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | → |
Republican Primary · August 6, 2026
The Republican primary is widely considered the decisive contest in this deep-red state. Three major candidates bring distinct backgrounds: a sitting U.S. Senator, a congressman with deep agricultural roots, and a state legislator who broke with his party on school vouchers.
U.S. Senator
Close ally of President Trump with statewide name recognition from two Senate elections. If elected, would be Tennessee's first female governor and would appoint her own Senate replacement.
U.S. Representative, TN-6
Family farmer, IT businessman, and former Commissioner of Agriculture. Self-funded $5M and already running TV ads statewide. 92% of contributions from Tennessee donors.
State Representative, 32nd District
Anti-establishment Army veteran and Y-12 nuclear complex manager. One of ~20 House Republicans to vote against school vouchers. Announced at Washington County GOP 'Trump Day' dinner.
Ballot-only candidate. No campaign website, no finance reports, no public platform, no media coverage.
Democratic Primary · August 6, 2026
Democrats face an uphill battle in Tennessee but offer the clearest contrasts on education policy. Both major candidates oppose the Education Freedom Scholarships program and advocate for increased public school funding, a position shared by a majority of Tennessee teachers but at odds with the Republican-led legislature.
Memphis City Council, District 2
Georgetown Law grad, former public defender, three-time gun violence survivor. Only Democrat with current elected office. Running on 'army of moms' coalition and public school funding.
Museum President / Community Advocate
Museum president and Memphis community leader. Third gubernatorial attempt. Ran for governor in 2022 (3rd in Dem primary) and Memphis mayor in 2023. First African American woman to run for TN governor.
Musician (pedal steel guitarist)
Nashville musician running no-corporate-money grassroots campaign. Supports free healthcare, eliminating grocery tax, raising minimum wage, legalizing marijuana with tax revenue to schools.
'Tennessee Tim' moved to TN in 2017. Previously ran for Illinois House in 2010. Ballot-only candidate.
Independent · General Election · November 3, 2026
Independent candidates have filed for the governor's race. Tennessee's political landscape makes independent campaigns historically difficult, but these candidates add diversity to the field. None have released detailed education platforms as of the last update.
Nonprofit Director / Military Veteran / Minister
Military veteran (PTSD), nonprofit director, minister. Most detailed platform among independents. Completed Ballotpedia survey.
Filed as independent. No public profile.
Filed as independent. No public profile.
Filed as independent. No public profile.
Tennessee Firefly tracks all candidates who have filed qualifying petitions with the Tennessee Secretary of State. We categorize candidates as “major” or “minor” based on fundraising, polling presence, and media coverage.
Education stances are sourced from official campaign websites, debate transcripts, legislative voting records, and on-the-record statements. We reach out to every campaign for comment.
Fundraising figures come from the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance (TREF). We update numbers after each filing deadline and note when personal loans are included in totals.
If you believe any information is inaccurate or out of date, please contact our corrections desk. We take accuracy seriously and correct errors promptly.
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About this tracker
This tracker is produced by The Tennessee Firefly, an independent, nonpartisan news outlet covering education and government in Tennessee. We don't endorse candidates. We don't take political ads. We follow the money, the policy, and the people who shape your kids' schools. All data comes from official filings, verified reporting, and on-the-record sources. Last updated March 17, 2026.