How We Got Here
A chronological record of every major moment in the 2026 Tennessee governor's race.
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John Rose Announces Exploratory Committee
U.S. Rep. John Rose files paperwork for an exploratory committee, becoming one of the first major candidates to signal interest.
Marsha Blackburn Launches Campaign
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn formally announces her campaign for governor, immediately becoming the race's frontrunner.
Jerri Green Enters Democratic Primary
Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green declares for governor, becoming the leading Democratic candidate.
Monty Fritts Breaks With GOP on Vouchers
State Rep. Monty Fritts declares his candidacy and makes waves by publicly opposing the Education Freedom Scholarships program.
Q4 2025 Finance Reports Filed
Campaign finance reports show Rose with largest war chest ($6.46M), Blackburn leading in donor count (33,000 contributions).
TSS Statewide Poll Released
First major statewide poll shows Blackburn leading the GOP primary, with Rose in second and a large share of voters still undecided.
Filing Deadline
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.
Official Candidate List Published
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 Reports $6.73M Cumulative
Blackburn campaign press release confirms $6.73M raised since August 2025 launch, including $1.23M in Q1 2026 from approximately 15,000 contributions.
Jeff Yass Gives $1M to Team Tennessee PAC
Tennessee Lookout reports TikTok investor Jeff Yass donated $1M to Team Tennessee PAC, the $3.2M independent expenditure organization supporting Blackburn's gubernatorial bid.
Campaign Finance Filing
Pre-primary campaign finance reports due to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Early Voting Begins (Primary)
Early voting opens at county election commission offices statewide.
Primary Election Day
Republican and Democratic primaries. Tennessee has open primaries, and voters may choose either ballot regardless of registration.
Voter Registration Deadline
Last day to register to vote in the November general election.
Early Voting Begins (General)
Early voting opens statewide for the general election.
General Election Day
Tennessee voters elect the next governor. The winner takes office in January 2027.
Election Day Quick Reference
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.
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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, with freshness timestamps visible on every page that surfaces live data.