Image Credit: Kim Jarrett / The Center Square & Canva.
***Note from The Tennessee Conservative – this article posted here for informational purposes only.
Article by Kim Jarrett, The Center Square –
Tennessee voters can cast their ballots for the Nov. 3 election early beginning Wednesday.
Tennesseans have two statewide races to decide in November: governor and U.S. Senate.
Governor’s race
Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Democrat Jerri Green, and 13 independent candidates are in the gubernatorial race. The independents are Misam Abidi, Dean Brewer, Ray Brown, David Hatley, Wendell Jackson, Charles Van Morgan, Eddie Lee Murphy, Lauren Pinkston, Victor L. Scoggin, Dave Seeman, Karl Knox Smithson, L. Webb Taylor and Robert C. Vick.
Blackburn, 74, has served as Tennessee’s U.S. senator since 2019. Before that, she represented the 7th Congressional District from 2003-19. She served in the Tennessee Senate from 1998 to 2003, according to her campaign website.
Green, 48, serves on the Memphis City Council. She formerly served as Shelby County’s chief public defender and as a policy advisor to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, according to her bio.
The two differ on data centers, with Green saying she would call for a statewide moratorium on data centers if elected. Blackburn previously said she believes data centers will be a “good and important part” of the state’s economy. But Blackburn opposed a data center that would have been located near the Nashville Zoo.
Blackburn has been vocal about the death penalty since the failed execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike on Sept. 30.
“Tennesseans do not want victims’ families to have to wait decades for justice,” Blackburn said on social media. “Once all appeals are exhausted, the sentence should be carried out swiftly.”
Blackburn has also said she would support bringing back the electric chair.
Green said she would put a moratorium on all executions if elected.
“There is a lack of transparency around drug testing, as well as qualified and ethical personnel – but the fact of the matter is: the death penalty has always been inhumane, expensive, and biased,” Green said on social media.
Blackburn has led in most polls, according to the website 270towin.com. The latest poll on the site is from the Beacon Center, which shows Blackburn ahead of Green with 46% to 33%. Eight percent said they would vote for an independent candidate and 14% were undecided.
U.S. Senate
Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty is facing Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in his reelection bid. Eight independent candidates will also be on the general election ballot for the post.
Bradshaw, of Memphis, lost in the 2020 race to Hagerty. She unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination to challenge Blackburn in 2024, losing to Gloria Johnson.
The eight independents are Tharon Chandler, Andrew Gerena, Jeremy Dean Hearn, Robert Jones, James William Macon III, Yoshi D. Matthews, David Sutman, Jr. and Catherine Barcel “Barcy” Whitson.
U.S. House of Representatives
The General Assembly redrew the state’s congressional district lines during a special session held in May.
The map carves up the 9th Congressional District represented by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis, the only Democrat in Tennessee’s nine-member congressional delegation. The new map places Memphis and Shelby into three congressional districts, the 9th, 5th and 8th.
Republican lawmakers said the redistricting was done to give the state another Republican in Congress.
State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, is facing state Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, for the newly configured 9th Congressional District post. Independents Dennis Clark and Michelle Davis Head are also on the ballot.
The 5th Congressional District was also affected. Former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated current U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary. Hatcher is running against Democrat Chaz Molder and independents James A. Johnson and Micheál O’Leary.
The 8th Congressional District, which was also shifted to include part of Shelby County, pits Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. David Kustoff against Democrat Heidi Kuhn. Independents Adam D. Austill, Wendell “Wells” Blankenship, Antonio Futch, Pamela Jeanine “P.” Moses, Horace Taylor and Henry J. Ward, III are also on the ballot.
The other congressional races are also contested.
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger will defend her post against Democrat Kristi Burke and independents Joshua Ray Ashburn, Richard G. Baker, Chris Campbell, Bill Cody and Tyler Brice Mitchell.
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican, will face Democrat Michaela Barnett and independents Bruce Fine and Adam Heimerman for his 2nd Congressional District post.
For the 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Chuck Fleischmann, Democrat Anna Golladay and independents Dean Arnold, Jean Howard-Hill, Rodney Joe King, Donnie Lynn Ownby and Edward John Roland are on the ballot.
Republican Scott DesJarlais will defend his 4th Congressional District seat from Democrat Victoria Broderick and independents Jacob Kristopher Anders and Clay Faircloth.
State Rep. Johnny Garrett, a Republican, is running for the 6th Congressional District post vacated by Republican John Rose, who ran for governor. Also on the ballot are Democrat Mike Croley and independent candidates Christopher B. Monday and Angus Purdy.
Republican U.S. Rep Matt Van Epps will defend his 7th Congressional District post against Democrat Darden Copeland and independents Andrew J. Koontz and Lowell Reynolds. Van Epps won a special election in 2025 after former U.S. Rep. Mark Green resigned.
Amendments
Tennesseans will also vote on three constitutional amendments.
The first would allow judges to deny bail for seven crimes, including aggravated rape of a child, grave torture and an act of terrorism. Judges would still have the discretion to grant bail if they explain their reasons.
The second proposed amendment bars the General Assembly from enacting a statewide property tax on real, personal or mixed property.
Voters will be asked to expand crime victims’ rights in the third proposed amendment to include the right to be present at court hearings.
Early voting ends Oct. 29.
