Shining a light on education & government in TennesseeShining a light on education & government in TennesseeA chronological record of every major moment in the 2026 Tennessee governor's race.
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U.S. Rep. John Rose files paperwork for an exploratory committee, becoming one of the first major candidates to signal interest.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn formally announces her campaign for governor, immediately becoming the race's frontrunner.
Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green declares for governor, becoming the leading Democratic candidate.
Tennessee has open primaries, so voters may choose either party's ballot regardless of registration. Early voting typically runs 10-14 days before Election Day.
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, with freshness timestamps visible on every page that surfaces live data.
State Rep. Monty Fritts declares his candidacy and makes waves by publicly opposing the Education Freedom Scholarships program.
Campaign finance reports show Rose with largest war chest ($6.46M), Blackburn leading in donor count (33,000 contributions).
First major statewide poll shows Blackburn leading the GOP primary, with Rose in second and a large share of voters still undecided.
Last day to file qualifying petitions at noon. 21 candidates qualified per the Tennessee Secretary of State: 3 Republicans, 5 Democrats, and 13 Independents on the November general ballot.
Tennessee Secretary of State publishes the final qualified candidate list following the bona fide review period. 21 candidates confirmed for the 2026 governor's race.
Blackburn campaign press release confirms $6.73M raised since August 2025 launch, including $1.23M in Q1 2026 from approximately 15,000 contributions.
Tennessee Lookout reports TikTok investor Jeff Yass donated $1M to Team Tennessee PAC, the $3.2M independent expenditure organization supporting Blackburn's gubernatorial bid.
Pre-primary campaign finance reports due to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Early voting opens at county election commission offices statewide.
Republican and Democratic primaries. Tennessee has open primaries, and voters may choose either ballot regardless of registration.
Last day to register to vote in the November general election.
Early voting opens statewide for the general election.
Tennessee voters elect the next governor. The winner takes office in January 2027.