Marquee races being decided in Tennessee's August 6 primary election include the Republican nominee for governor, with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep.Monty Fritts duking it out, as well as both the Democratic and Republican nominees in multiple congressional seats — several of which have new boundaries after a special legislative redistricting session in May.
Aug. 7, 2026 12:09 am With final results in, Blackburn, Green set up all-woman gubernatorial contest
Aug. 6, 2026 5:50 pm Polls close at 7: Here's what we're watching
Aug. 6, 2026 2:34 pm Blackburn, congressional candidate Garrett, speak to GOP faithful in Wilson County
Aug. 6, 2026 1:48 pm Ogles accompanies RFK, Jr. for proposed Head Start rule change announcement
Aug. 6, 2026 10:15 am Slow start to Election Day in Nashville
By J. Holly McCall - Friday August 7, 2026 12:09 am
Tennessee voters will select a woman as the state's governor, as U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Memphis City Councilmember Jerri Green clinched the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial nominations, respectively.
Despite predictions of a close race, Blackburn fended off U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Hatcher, winning by 11 percentage points.
Green easily defeated four opponents, winning with 69% of the votes cast.
Two-term 5th District U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles lost his primary to Williamson County farmer and former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher, a shocking setback for President Donald Trump, who endorsed Ogles in each of his three races.
Hatcher will face Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder in the November general election.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, a Republican, cruised to victory in his primary, while second-time Democratic candidate Victoria Broderick defeated Metro Nashville Councilmember Mike Cortese by nine percentage points.
State Rep. Johnny Garrett foiled a comeback attempt for former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary in the newly-drawn 6th Congressional District. Garrett, who allied his campaign with Blackburn, handily beat Hilleary by 14 percentage points.
Darden Copeland, founder of a Nashville-based land use consulting firm, defeated three challengers, including state Rep. Vincent Dixie, to clinch the Democratic nomination for the 7th Congressional District. He will face incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps.
Two state lawmakers will face off for the opportunity to represent the 9th Congressional District in a campaign that will likely get national attention. The district, formerly encompassing Memphis, has been held by a Democrat for more than 50 years and was redrawn in a May special legislative session.
Rep. Justin J. Pearson won the Democratic nomination, defeating his colleague, state Sen. London Lamar, while Sen. Brent Taylor bested three other Republicans, including state Rep. Todd Warner.
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By Adam Friedman - Thursday August 6, 2026 5:50 pm
The Republican primary for governor will headline Thursday's primary election. The winner of the contest between U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, state Rep. Monty Fritts and U.S. Rep John Rose will become the favorite to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee as the state's top executive.
But we are also monitoring several U.S. Congressional primaries and a state House race.
We're watching both primaries in the race to replace Memphis Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who declined to run after the seat was redrawn in May.
On the Republican side, President Donald Trump endorsed Memphis state Sen. Brent Taylor, who faces Chapel Hill Republican state Rep. Todd Warner, retired U.S. Army Sergeant Jeremy Thompson and four-time congressional candidate Charlotte Bergmann.
On the Democratic side, it's Memphis state Rep. Justin J. Pearson, Memphis state Sen. London Lamar and healthcare executive Jim Torino.
Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles faces another tough primary challenge, this time in a newly drawn 5th Congressional District. Ogles, who Trump endorsed, faces former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who Lee endorsed in the final days of the campaign.
A political action committee has spent over $2 million opposing Ogles. But Ogles faced a similar onslaught of opposition cash in 2024, and cruised to an easy primary victory.
Retired Tennessee state trooper Mark Proctor, Democratic candidate for state House District 59. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Beth West is one of four candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for House District 59 in West Nashville. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Rick Ewing, an executive with Oracle, is vying for the Democratic nomination to replace outgoing state Rep. Caleb Hemmer in House District 59. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
One of four Democratic candidates on the Aug. 6, 2026 primary ballot for House District 59 is Angie Lawless, an attorney and business owner. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
The race to replace Nashville Democratic state Rep. Caleb Hemmer features Oracle Executive Rick Ewing, attorney Angie Lawless, former Tennessee Highway Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Mark Proctor and community organizer Beth West.
The seat, which represents parts of south and west Nashville, was narrowly won by Hemmer in 2022. The seat is one of the few races that could be competitive in the fall.
U.S. House District 6 Republican primary between state Rep. Johnny Garrett and former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary.
U.S. House District 7 Democratic Primary between businessman Darden Copeland and state Rep. Vincent Dixie.
During a stop on a state fly-around Thursday, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a leading Republican gubernatorial candidate, said she will halt alleged efforts to spread Communism if elected.
Blackburn made the remarks in Mt. Juliet as part of her swing on Tennessee's primary Election Day, in which Republican and Democratic candidates will be selected in the gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, all nine congressional seats and state House and Senate districts.
She was joined by state Rep. Johnny Garrett, who is running for the 6th Congressional District, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Blackburn's campaign treasurer, state Rep. Clark Boyd of Lebanon and anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines of Sumner County.
When asked by the Lookout if she would continue to support keeping Tennessee National Guard troops in Memphis as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, Blackburn didn't answer but did express her continued support for the collaboration of federal and state agencies created in September by President Donald Trump with the backing of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
"We started our morning in Memphis and people in Memphis are thrilled the city is safe," Blackburn said.
Lee told reporters this week crime in Memphis has dropped to its lowest point in decades, though he gave no specifics.
Since May, agents with the task force have shot and killed four men in the city. All of the cases remain under investigation, but in at least one instance, the Drug Enforcement Agency officer involved in the shooting will not be prosecuted.
Both Blackburn and Garrett mentioned Communism and threats to women's sports by transgender athletes as their main concerns.
"We are truly sending a message that Tennessee is a conservative state and that all of these woke policies, all this move towards Communism, that ends at the Tennessee state line," Blackburn said.
Garrett, who faces former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary and retired U.S. Marine Jon Henry, has made state efforts to crack down on transgender people central to his campaign, airing an ad featuring a drag queen playing basketball.
"Did we ever think it would be an issue that we would have to fight the woke left to protect our daughters playing in volleyball, when they play in softball, when they play in basketball, that they are going to play against a full-grown man," Garrett said, before introducing Gaines, who became a spokesperson for the anti-trans movement after tying for fifth place with a transwoman during a college swimming meet.
Karen Harding, a gospel singer from Sumner County, said she believes Blackburn has been great as a senator and that she would do a "phenomenal job" as governor.
"And it's pretty cool that she's the first woman, too," said Harding. "I got an invitation and thought, I have to be here and support her."
If Blackburn wins the Republican nomination, she will be the first woman to do so. A win by Democrat Jerri Green, a Memphis City councilmember thought to be the leading Democratic candidate in the gubernatorial race, would give Tennessee its first all-woman state election.
By Cassandra Stephenson - 1:48 pm
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles stood alongside U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary Alex Adams Thursday morning as the pair discussed the proposed rollback of federal regulations for Head Start, a program that provides education, nutrition and other supports for children from low-income families.
Ogles, who is on Tennessee's ballot and faces a challenge in the Republican 5th Congressional District primary from former state agriculture commissioner Charlie Hatcher, did not take any election-related questions, but spoke briefly in support of the proposed changes.
Kennedy's proposal would eliminate federal standards for the program beyond what is required by law, shifting regulatory decisions for things like staff-to-child ratios and education requirements to states. It would also reduce the amount of funding that Head Start programs can spend on administrative costs from 15% of the program's total cost to 5%. Adams said the change could save around $2.2 billion, which could then be used to create more program spots for children.
Administrative costs can include everything from payroll to special support staff for children with disabilities. HHS later clarified in an email to the Lookout that teacher salaries and expenses related to educational facilities are not included in the administrative services category. ACF would continue to allow grantee agencies to apply for temporary waivers for the administrative cost cap.
Asked about stripping back mandates on salaries for Head Start employees, Kennedy asked if every Head Start should reflect the salary that someone may receive in New York, even if that program is located in Arkansas, Tennessee, or another state with an overall lower cost of living.
Kennedy and Adams pitched the regulation reduction as "cutting red tape" and opening "flexibility" for states and parents.
The proposed rule change would also require Head Start programs to provide nutrition in line with the Make America Healthy Again guidelines and establish a baseline requirement for physical activity.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be published in the Federal Register on Friday and will accept public comments for 60 days.
Anna Levy of Nashville stood alone in the hallway at the Shelby Park Community Center in Nashville at 7 a.m., waiting to vote.
Election Day at several Nashville polls appeared to be off to a slow start, with few people ambling in to cast their ballots and no lines.
On Thursday, voters across Tennessee will select Democratic and Republican candidates for governor, all nine congressional districts and state House and Senate seats. One of the most hotly-contested and closely-watched races is the Republican primary for governor, which features a match between U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a 30-year veteran of state politics, 6th Congressional District Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts.
Over 635,000 people voted during the early voting period, which ended Saturday. That number significantly outpaces primary voter turnout during the 2022 midterm, but matches 2018's early voting numbers.
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