Image Credit: Facebook Accounts of David Hatley, Marsha Blackburn & Jerri Green.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Republican Marsha Blackburn edged out Democrat Jerri Green in Tuesday’s gubernatorial election, but a closer look at who constituents gave the majority of votes to in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties helps break down where each candidate saw the most success, where the margins grew thin, and the effect of independent candidates.
2,102,474 total votes were cast in the race for Tennessee governor, and neither the Republican nor Democrat candidate managed to secure over 50% of those votes, with both coming in under 1,000,000 votes. Blackburn got 45.52% (957,136 votes) while Green earned 42.95% (902,953 votes), a difference of less than 3%.
Election data shows Blackburn received an outright majority in 80 counties.
However, in seven counties she received the most votes but less than 50% of total votes cast, as was reflected in the statewide totals. Blackburn also fell below 50% in several traditionally Republican East Tennessee counties including Anderson, Carter, Knox, and Washington.
Notably, in those East TN counties where Blackburn saw a decrease in historically reliable Republican support, Independent candidate David Hatley, who came in third place with just over 9% of the total votes, saw some of his comparatively strongest numbers, particularly in Carter County where he was the second-place candidate.
Democrat Jerri Green received more votes than any other candidate in 8 counties: Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Madison, Montgomery, Rutherford, and Shelby.
Some of these counties, besides the usual Democrat strongholds in Davidson and Shelby, also swung Democrat on various down ticket races, giving the most votes to some Democrat congressional and/or state legislative candidates while still keeping other Republicans in office.
For example, in Hamilton County, Democrat Anna Golladay received the most votes for U.S. House District 3, though voters largely retained their Republican state legislators in the surrounding districts.
Knox County voted the opposite way, slimly electing Republican Tim Burchett in Congressional District 2 while strongly voting out Republican State Representative Elaine Davis in HD18.
The county-level results suggest that though Republicans retained overall control of the state in the Governor’s office and the statehouse, the margin of victory was limited indicating the possibility of both increased Democrat turnout as the party continues to make inroads in the state and Republican dissatisfaction with candidates and leadership.
See the full breakdown of all 95 counties below:
Tennessee Governor Votes by County
Top Three Vote-Getters in Each County
| County | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | Marsha Blackburn (11,223) | Jerri Green (9,989) | David Hatley (2,309) |
| Bedford | Marsha Blackburn (7,347) | Jerri Green (4,114) | David Hatley (1,411) |
| Benton | Marsha Blackburn (2,897) | Jerri Green (1,137) | David Hatley (634) |
| Bledsoe | Marsha Blackburn (2,468) | Jerri Green (878) | David Hatley (454) |
| Blount | Marsha Blackburn (24,830) | Jerri Green (14,856) | David Hatley (4,890) |
| Bradley | Marsha Blackburn (17,061) | Jerri Green (8,327) | David Hatley (3,136) |
| Campbell | Marsha Blackburn (5,394) | Jerri Green (1,978) | David Hatley (1,083) |
| Cannon | Marsha Blackburn (2,494) | Jerri Green (1,047) | David Hatley (677) |
| Carroll | Marsha Blackburn (4,179) | Jerri Green (1,739) | David Hatley (941) |
| Carter | Marsha Blackburn (7,892) | David Hatley (4,164) | Jerri Green (3,596) |
| Cheatham | Marsha Blackburn (7,205) | Jerri Green (5,087) | David Hatley (1,535) |
| Chester | Marsha Blackburn (2,683) | Jerri Green (961) | Lauren Pinkston (522) |
| Claiborne | Marsha Blackburn (5,753) | Jerri Green (1,924) | David Hatley (1,144) |
| Clay | Marsha Blackburn (1,264) | Jerri Green (507) | David Hatley (338) |
| Cocke | Marsha Blackburn (5,966) | Jerri Green (2,120) | David Hatley (1,243) |
| Coffee | Marsha Blackburn (8,723) | Jerri Green (4,685) | David Hatley (1,900) |
| Crockett | Marsha Blackburn (1,848) | Jerri Green (1,022) | Lauren Pinkston (458) |
| Cumberland | Marsha Blackburn (15,880) | Jerri Green (5,576) | David Hatley (2,406) |
| Davidson | Jerri Green (160,749) | Marsha Blackburn (48,546) | David Hatley (11,163) |
| Decatur | Marsha Blackburn (2,242) | Jerri Green (701) | David Hatley (328) |
| DeKalb | Marsha Blackburn (3,122) | Jerri Green (1,412) | David Hatley (791) |
| Dickson | Marsha Blackburn (8,597) | Jerri Green (5,093) | David Hatley (1,878) |
| Dyer | Marsha Blackburn (5,367) | Jerri Green (2,266) | David Hatley (916) |
| Fayette | Marsha Blackburn (10,196) | Jerri Green (5,576) | David Hatley (1,461) |
| Fentress | Marsha Blackburn (3,952) | Jerri Green (1,013) | David Hatley (738) |
| Franklin | Marsha Blackburn (7,342) | Jerri Green (3,659) | David Hatley (1,428) |
| Gibson | Marsha Blackburn (6,974) | Jerri Green (4,107) | David Hatley (1,505) |
| Giles | Marsha Blackburn (5,278) | Jerri Green (2,383) | David Hatley (825) |
| Grainger | Marsha Blackburn (4,174) | Jerri Green (1,325) | David Hatley (1,013) |
| Greene | Marsha Blackburn (11,738) | Jerri Green (4,365) | David Hatley (3,377) |
| Grundy | Marsha Blackburn (2,292) | Jerri Green (878) | David Hatley (392) |
| Hamblen | Marsha Blackburn (8,921) | Jerri Green (4,767) | David Hatley (1,919) |
| Hamilton | Jerri Green (63,364) | Marsha Blackburn (50,673) | David Hatley (8,820) |
| Hancock | Marsha Blackburn (938) | Jerri Green (312) | David Hatley (309) |
| Hardeman | Marsha Blackburn (3,098) | Jerri Green (2,999) | David Hatley (549) |
| Hardin | Marsha Blackburn (5,307) | Jerri Green (1,331) | David Hatley (497) |
| Hawkins | Marsha Blackburn (9,547) | Jerri Green (3,127) | David Hatley (2,604) |
| Haywood | Jerri Green (2,718) | Marsha Blackburn (1,643) | David Hatley (372) |
| Henderson | Marsha Blackburn (4,362) | Jerri Green (1,469) | David Hatley (818) |
| Henry | Marsha Blackburn (5,600) | Jerri Green (2,708) | David Hatley (1,179) |
| Hickman | Marsha Blackburn (3,893) | Jerri Green (1,617) | David Hatley (845) |
| Houston | Marsha Blackburn (1,445) | Jerri Green (650) | David Hatley (245) |
| Humphreys | Marsha Blackburn (2,924) | Jerri Green (1,535) | David Hatley (758) |
| Jackson | Marsha Blackburn (1,970) | Jerri Green (873) | David Hatley (543) |
| Jefferson | Marsha Blackburn (9,626) | Jerri Green (3,883) | David Hatley (1,934) |
| Johnson | Marsha Blackburn (3,264) | Jerri Green (943) | David Hatley (932) |
| Knox | Jerri Green (76,116) | Marsha Blackburn (66,600) | David Hatley (11,298) |
| Lake | Marsha Blackburn (681) | Jerri Green (356) | David Hatley (75) |
| Lauderdale | Marsha Blackburn (2,695) | Jerri Green (2,060) | David Hatley (639) |
| Lawrence | Marsha Blackburn (7,350) | Jerri Green (2,682) | David Hatley (1,346) |
| Lewis | Marsha Blackburn (2,251) | Jerri Green (891) | David Hatley (427) |
| Lincoln | Marsha Blackburn (6,924) | Jerri Green (2,362) | David Hatley (559) |
| Loudon | Marsha Blackburn (14,678) | Jerri Green (6,674) | David Hatley (2,294) |
| Macon | Marsha Blackburn (3,374) | Jerri Green (1,126) | David Hatley (969) |
| Madison | Jerri Green (12,560) | Marsha Blackburn (11,652) | David Hatley (2,031) |
| Marion | Marsha Blackburn (4,945) | Jerri Green (2,713) | David Hatley (807) |
| Marshall | Marsha Blackburn (5,810) | Jerri Green (3,046) | David Hatley (1,291) |
| Maury | Marsha Blackburn (19,783) | Jerri Green (12,162) | David Hatley (2,782) |
| McMinn | Marsha Blackburn (8,480) | Jerri Green (3,667) | David Hatley (1,768) |
| McNairy | Marsha Blackburn (4,406) | Jerri Green (1,265) | Lauren Pinkston (883) |
| Meigs | Marsha Blackburn (2,321) | Jerri Green (870) | David Hatley (512) |
| Monroe | Marsha Blackburn (8,374) | Jerri Green (3,142) | David Hatley (1,854) |
| Montgomery | Jerri Green (27,759) | Marsha Blackburn (24,018) | David Hatley (4,111) |
| Moore | Marsha Blackburn (1,490) | Jerri Green (508) | David Hatley (271) |
| Morgan | Marsha Blackburn (3,139) | Jerri Green (1,020) | David Hatley (715) |
| Obion | Marsha Blackburn (5,305) | Jerri Green (1,934) | David Hatley (550) |
| Overton | Marsha Blackburn (3,932) | Jerri Green (1,657) | David Hatley (1,011) |
| Perry | Marsha Blackburn (1,380) | Jerri Green (497) | David Hatley (282) |
| Pickett | Marsha Blackburn (1,102) | Jerri Green (431) | David Hatley (388) |
| Polk | Marsha Blackburn (3,256) | Jerri Green (1,213) | David Hatley (618) |
| Putnam | Marsha Blackburn (12,276) | Jerri Green (8,333) | David Hatley (2,431) |
| Rhea | Marsha Blackburn (5,371) | Jerri Green (2,060) | David Hatley (948) |
| Roane | Marsha Blackburn (9,954) | Jerri Green (5,364) | David Hatley (1,934) |
| Robertson | Marsha Blackburn (12,582) | Jerri Green (7,674) | David Hatley (2,665) |
| Rutherford | Jerri Green (50,530) | Marsha Blackburn (41,699) | David Hatley (7,706) |
| Scott | Marsha Blackburn (2,902) | Jerri Green (879) | David Hatley (665) |
| Sequatchie | Marsha Blackburn (3,165) | Jerri Green (1,080) | David Hatley (591) |
| Sevier | Marsha Blackburn (16,018) | Jerri Green (7,163) | David Hatley (2,666) |
| Shelby | Jerri Green (164,812) | Marsha Blackburn (66,529) | David Hatley (17,265) |
| Smith | Marsha Blackburn (3,321) | Jerri Green (1,321) | David Hatley (1,034) |
| Stewart | Marsha Blackburn (2,908) | Jerri Green (1,029) | David Hatley (434) |
| Sullivan | Marsha Blackburn (25,660) | Jerri Green (12,890) | David Hatley (7,197) |
| Sumner | Marsha Blackburn (33,424) | Jerri Green (24,433) | David Hatley (6,413) |
| Tipton | Marsha Blackburn (9,813) | Jerri Green (4,986) | David Hatley (1,569) |
| Trousdale | Marsha Blackburn (1,496) | Jerri Green (787) | David Hatley (430) |
| Unicoi | Marsha Blackburn (3,123) | Jerri Green (1,279) | David Hatley (1,123) |
| Union | Marsha Blackburn (3,145) | Jerri Green (1,044) | David Hatley (677) |
| Van Buren | Marsha Blackburn (1,198) | Jerri Green (523) | David Hatley (405) |
| Warren | Marsha Blackburn (5,039) | Jerri Green (3,094) | David Hatley (2,043) |
| Washington | Marsha Blackburn (19,430) | Jerri Green (15,092) | David Hatley (7,820) |
| Wayne | Marsha Blackburn (2,812) | Jerri Green (668) | David Hatley (383) |
| Weakley | Marsha Blackburn (5,310) | Jerri Green (2,389) | David Hatley (736) |
| White | Marsha Blackburn (4,756) | Jerri Green (1,837) | David Hatley (1,299) |
| Williamson | Marsha Blackburn (54,843) | Jerri Green (40,224) | David Hatley (7,082) |
| Wilson | Marsha Blackburn (28,278) | Jerri Green (21,385) | David Hatley (5,530) |
*table produced by The Tennessee Conservative with information from the TN Secretary of State.
Sources:
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
