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2026 Tennessee Primary Election Results Overview
Last night’s primary election results officially set the stage for Tennessee’s midterm election this November. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the GOP nomination for Tennessee governor with 43.55% of the vote, prevailing over primary challengers Congressman John Rose with 32.95% of the vote and former state representative Monty Fritts with 23.50% of the vote. Blackburn will face Democratic primary winner Jerri Green, a Memphis City Councilmember, on November 3.
Tuesday’s election unseated two longstanding House Republican incumbents and one freshman Democrat. House District 1 Representative John Crawford, the sitting House State and Local Government Committee Chairman, was defeated by Sullivan County Commissioner Jessica Means by 22 percentage points, while House District 36 Representative Dennis Powers was defeated by airline pilot Noah Smith by 34 percentage points. House District 36 Democratic Representative Gabby Salinas of Memphis lost her race to Talisa Franklin by ten percentage points.
One of the most significant upsets of the night centered on the redrawn 5th District congressional race, in which former Tennessee Agriculture Department Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated incumbent Congressman Andy Ogles with 53.24% of the vote. Ogles received President Trump’s endorsement early in the race while Hatcher received Governor Bill Lee’s endorsement two days before the election. Hatcher will face Democratic primary winner, Chaz Molder, current Mayor of Columbia, in the general election.
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Other notable 2026 Tennessee primary election results include:
State Senate Seats:
- Senate District 3: Incumbent Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe prevailed over Johnson City businessman Dan Pohlgeers with 59.83% of the vote.
- Senate District 5: Former Rep. Jimmy Matlock of Lenoir City was the lone Republican in this year's nomination contest to fill retiring Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally’s seat. He will face Democrat David Miller in the general election.
- Senate District 1: Incumbent Republican Sen. Adam Lowe of Calhoun defeated Dennis Beavers and Teresa Congioloso with 65.17% of the vote.
- Senate District 7: Incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville prevailed in his primary match-up with Kent Morrell with 66.33% of the vote.
- Senate District 17: Incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Pody of Lebanon defeated country music executive Butch Baker with 67.58% of the vote.
- Senate District 33: Incumbent Sen. London Lamar of Memphis was the lone Democrat facing a primary challenge in which she prevailed over Tamika Abrum with 72.1% of the vote.
State House Seats:
- House District 2: Sullivan County Commissioner Gary Stidham was the sole Republican running to fill retiring Rep. Bud Hulsey’s seat.
- House District 8: Iraq veteran Jordan Henderson defeated opponent Tony Crisp to succeed retiring Rep. Jerome Moon of Morristown.
- House District 11: Chairman of the Cocke County Republican Party and public school teacher Kenny Cody prevailed over Jeff Fancher with 70.8% of the vote to fill the seat held by retiring Rep. Jeremy Faison of Cosby.
- House District 27: Freshman Republican Rep. Michele Reneau of Chattanooga defeated challenger Tony Hullender with 58.3% of the vote.
- House District 33: Bledsoe County Commissioner Andy Swafford defeated Bo McCawley with 57.1% of the vote to succeed Rep. Ron Travis of Dayton.
- House District 45: Small business owner Brian Stewart prevailed in a three-candidate field vying for the Republican nomination to succeed Rep. Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville in District 45 with 48.66% of the vote.
- House District 75: In the seat once held by the late Rep. Jeff Burkhart, interim Rep. Michael Lankford was the lone Republican on the ballot. He will face Democrat Allie Phillips in November.
- House District 78: Former Chair of the Cheatham County Republican Party Perry Keenan defeated opponent John Louallen 55.9% of the vote to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Mary Littleton of Dickson.
- House District 81: Tipton County Commissioner Brett Giannini prevailed over Jason Fleming to succeed retiring Rep. Debra Moody of Covington with 57.23% of the vote.
- House District 59: On the Democratic side, in the tight race to succeed retiring Rep. Caleb Hemmer of Nashville, Mark Proctor, a retired Tennessee Highway Patrol lieutenant colonel, defeated three primary opponents, Rick Ewing, Angie Lawless, and Beth West, with 31.89% of the vote. He will face Republican Nashville business executive Bill Hancock in the November general election.
- House District 80: In a three way race to succeed longtime Rep. Johnny Shaw of Bolivar, Andrea Bond Johnson defeated opponents Shelia Godwin and Bethany Miller with 49.75% of the vote. She will face Republican Bolivar Mayor Julian McTizic in the November general election.
Thirteen House Republicans and eleven Democrats face no opposition in either their primary or general election. Republicans include Fred Atchley of Sevierville, Tandy Darby of Greenfield, Rick Eldridge of Morristown, Andrew Farmer of Sevierville, Kirk Haston of Lobelville, Gary Hicks of Rogersville, Dan Howell of Cleveland, Chris Hurt of Halls, Lowell Russell of Vonore, Jay Reedy of Erin, Iris Rudder of Winchester and Kevin Vaughan of Collierville. The unopposed Democrats include Nashville Reps. Aftyn Behn, John Ray Clemmons, Vincent Dixie, Bob Freeman, Harold Love Jr. and Bo Mitchell; Memphis Reps. Jesse Chism and Larry Miller; and Knoxville Reps. Gloria Johnson and Sam McKenzie. Another four lawmakers only face opposition from independent candidates, who have a poor electoral record in Tennessee: Republican Reps. Chris Todd of Jackson, Rusty Grills of Newbern and Brock Martin of Huntingdon and Democratic Rep. Yusuf Hakeem of Chattanooga.
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Tennessee Congressional Seats:
Sixth District: Despite losing most of his Sumner County base when the congressional maps were redrawn, State Rep. Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville defeated Van Hilleary, former congressman and chief of staff to incumbent John Rose, in the open 6th District contest with 43.63% of the vote.
Seventh District: Matt Vann Epps, a former Tennessee General Services Commissioner, ran unopposed in his pursuit of the Republican nomination for his first full term in the U.S. House after winning a special election for the 7th District seat in December. He will face Nashville businessman Darden Copeland in November, who won a four way race for the Democratic nomination which included Rep. Vincent Dixie with 41% of the vote.
Ninth District: In the newly redrawn 9th district seat, State Senator Brent Taylor of Memphis handily defeated State Rep. Todd Warner with 46% of the vote. Taylor will face House Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson in the November election.
U.S. Senate: Incumbent Senator Bill Hagerty ran unopposed in the Republican primary, and will face Democratic primary winner Marquita Bradshaw in the November election
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