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Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 2 Republican primary)

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Governor of Tennessee
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 5, 2018
Primary: August 2, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Bill Haslam (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: Varies by county
Voting in Tennessee
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Tennessee
executive elections
Governor

Bill Lee (R) defeated Rep. Diane Black (R), businessman Randy Boyd (R), and three other candidates in the Republican primary to succeed term-limited Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R).

Black, who served in the U.S. House since the 2010 elections and in the state legislature for 12 years prior, was endorsed by the National Rifle Association as well as former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and former Ronald Reagan economic adviser Dr. Art Laffer. In her campaign materials, Black emphasized her positions on abortion and public safety as well as "her reputation as a leader who stands for her values."[3] Black argued that she was the most conservative candidate in the race, running ads charging Boyd and businessman Bill Lee (R) of having argued that she was too conservative and of having described themselves as moderates.[4] Black also highlighted statements made by President Trump (R) at a May 2018 rally wishing Black luck.[5]

A businessman who had not previously held elected office, Boyd promoted his record in business and two advisory roles in the Haslam administration. Boyd's platform gave first billing to economic development and education policy, with Boyd describing himself as "on a mission to make Tennessee #1 in the Southeast for creating high quality jobs."[6] His campaign ads attacked Black as an out-of-touch Washington politician, and highlighted clips of her stating her opposition to the construction of a wall on the southern border during the 2016 presidential election.[7] Boyd's endorsers included former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) and 50 of the state's 95 county mayors.[8]

Bill Lee, like Boyd, touted his business background. Lee's platform emphasized job growth, with additional plans for the rural portion of the state.[9] On the campaign trail, Lee referred to the death of his wife as a transformative moment in his life and has emphasized his status as a political outsider.[10] Lee was endorsed by former gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers (R) after she suspended her campaign.

Tennessee State House Speaker Beth Harwell (R) was endorsed by the Tennessee State Employees Association and the Tennessee Education Association. Harwell called for a reduced policymaking role for the federal government, opposition to additional firearms regulations, and opposition to increased access to abortion.[11]

Former gubernatorial candidate Basil Marceaux, Sr. and Kay White were also in the running.

Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee on August 2, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Bill Lee
Bill Lee
 
36.7
 
289,699
Image of Randy Boyd
Randy Boyd
 
24.3
 
191,940
Image of Diane Black
Diane Black
 
23.0
 
181,719
Image of Beth Harwell
Beth Harwell
 
15.3
 
120,910
Image of Kay White
Kay White
 
0.4
 
3,181
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Basil Marceaux
 
0.2
 
1,270

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 788,719
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Tennessee Governor, Republican Primary 2018
Poll Poll sponsor Diane Black Randy BoydBill LeeBeth HarwellMae BeaversMark GreenMark NorrisUndecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
JCM Analytics and Polling
(July 18-20, 2018)		N/A 19%20%26%16%0%0%0%18%+/-4.4500
Data Orbital
(June 27-30, 2018)		N/A 24%23%19%10%0%0%0%24%+/-3.7700
Triton Polling and Research
(June 25-28, 2018)		The Tennessee Star 27%33%7%20%0%0%0%13%+/-3.11,040
Triton Polling and Research
(December 12-18, 2017)		The Tennessee Star 22%12%4%6%4%0%0%53%+/-3.11,028
Triton Polling and Research
(May 31 - June 5, 2017)		The Tennessee Star 10%8%4%4%4%6%3%61%+/-3.11,007
AVERAGES 20.4% 19.2% 12% 11.2% 1.6% 1.2% 0.6% 33.8% +/-3.48 855
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Endorsements

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement Date Black Boyd Harwell Lee
National figures
Vice President Mike Pence (R)[12] July 27, 2018 ✔
Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.)[13] July 17, 2018 ✔
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R)[14] June 22, 2018 ✔
Activist Jordan Sekulow[15] May 24, 2018 ✔
Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales[16] December 4, 2017 ✔
Former Ronald Reagan economic adviser Arthur Laffer[17] September 13, 2017 ✔
State figures
Former Rep. Zach Wamp (R)[18] July 16, 2018 ✔
Former state senator and former gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers (R)[19] June 20, 2018 ✔
State Sen. Steve Dickerson (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Sen. Ed Jackson (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Sen. Jon Lundberg (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Sen. Shane Reeves (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Michael Curcio (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Martin Daniel (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Ron Gant (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Gerald McCormick (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Bill Sanderson (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Ron Travis (R)[20] May 14, 2018 ✔
Activist Lee Douglas[21] April 3, 2018 ✔
Chattanooga Tea Party founder Mark West[22] December 6, 2017 ✔
Organizations
American Conservative Union[23] July 2, 2018 ✔
National Rifle Association[24] June 21, 2018 ✔
Tennessee Education Association[25] May 24, 2018 ✔
Tennessee State Employees Association[26] May 24, 2018 ✔

Context of the 2018 election

  • Heading into the 2018 election, the sitting governor was Bill Haslam (R), who was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Haslam was prevented from seeking a third term in 2018 due to term limits.
  • As of the 2018 elections, Tennessee was under a Republican trifecta. It had held this status since Haslam took office in 2011. Tennessee also had a Republican triplex.
  • Tennessee was won by the Republican candidate in each of the previous five presidential elections. The widest margin of victory was Donald Trump's 26 percent margin in 2016 while the narrowest was George W. Bush's four percent margin in 2000.
  • Tennessee was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Republican Party Diane Black

Support
"Only One" - campaign ad by Diane Black for governor, released July 22, 2018

Republican Party Randy Boyd

Support
"The Truth" - campaign ad by Randy Boyd for governor, released July 10, 2018

Republican Party Beth Harwell

Support
"Adult in the Room" - campaign ad by Beth Harwell for governor, released July 11, 2018
"Shining Star" - campaign ad by Beth Harwell for governor, released June 11, 2018
"Promises Kept" - campaign ad by Beth Harwell for governor, released June 8, 2018

Republican Party Bill Lee

Support
"Three Politicians" - campaign ad by Bill Lee for governor, released July 20, 2018
Oppose
"We Deserve the Truth" - campaign ad by Randy Boyd for governor, released July 17, 2018

Past elections

2014

See also: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2014

Bill Haslam ran for re-election as governor of Tennessee in the 2014 election. In the Republican primary, Haslam defeated Mark "Coonrippy" Brown, Donald Ray McFolin, and Basil Marceaux, Sr. by an 80.9 percent margin.[36]

Tennessee Gubernatorial Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBill Haslam 87.7% 570,997
Mark "Coonrippy" Brown 6.8% 44,165
Donald Ray McFolin 3.5% 22,968
Basil Marceaux, Sr. 2% 13,117
Total Votes 651,247
Election results via Tennessee Secretary of State.


Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018
Race tracker Race ratings
November 5, 2018 October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report Likely Republican Likely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Solid Republican Likely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Safe Republican Safe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Tennessee heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly. They had a 25-69 majority in the state House and a 4-26 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

See also: State government trifectas

2018 elections

See also: Tennessee elections, 2018

Tennessee held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Tennessee
 TennesseeU.S.
Total population:6,595,056316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):41,2353,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:77.8%73.6%
Black/African American:16.8%12.6%
Asian:1.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:4.9%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.5%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$45,219$53,889
Persons below poverty level:21.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Tennessee.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Tennessee's three largest cities were Nashville-Davidson (pop. est. 667,885), Memphis (pop. est. 652,236), and Knoxville (pop. est. 187,347).[37]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Tennessee from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Tennessee Secretary of State.[38]

Historical elections

Presidential elections

Election results (President of the United States), Tennessee 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 60.7% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 34.7% 26.0%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 59.5% Democratic PartyBarack Obama 39.1% 20.4%
2008 Republican Party John McCain 56.9% Democratic Party Barack Obama 41.8% 15.1%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.8% Democratic Party John Kerry 42.5% 14.3%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 51.2% Democratic Party Al Gore 47.3% 3.9%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2014

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Tennessee from 2000 to 2014. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Tennessee 2000-2014
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 61.9% Democratic Party Gordon Ball 31.9% 30.0%
2012 Republican Party Bob Corker 64.9% Democratic Party Mark Clayton 30.4% 34.5%
2008 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 65.1% Democratic Party Bob Tuke 31.6% 33.5%
2006 Republican Party Bob Corker 50.7% Democratic Party Harold Ford, Jr. 48.0% 2.7%
2002 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 54.3% Democratic Party Bob Clement 44.3% 10.0%
2000 Republican Party Bill Frist 65.1% Democratic Party Jeff Clark 32.2% 32.9%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Tennessee.

Election results (Governor), Tennessee 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Bill Haslam 70.3% Democratic Party Charles Brown 22.8% 47.5%
2010 Republican Party Bill Haslam 65.0% Democratic Party Mike McWherter 33.1% 31.9%
2006 Democratic Party Phil Bredesen 68.6% Republican Party Jim Bryson 29.7% 38.9%
2002 Democratic Party Phil Bredesen 50.7% Republican Party Van Hilleary 47.6% 3.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Tennessee in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Tennessee 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2014 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2012 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2010 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2008 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2006 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2004 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2002 Republican Party 5 55.6% Democratic Party 4 44.4% R+1
2000 Republican Party 5 55.6% Democratic Party 4 44.4% R+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D R D D D D D D D D R R S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Tennessee utilizes a closed primary process; a voter must either be registered with a political party or must declare his or affiliation with the party at the polls on primary election day in order to vote in that party's primary.[39]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

Each county election commission must determine the opening time for polling places in the county at least 15 days before an election, with certain requirements based on county population. All polling places close at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST). The polls must be open for a minimum of 10 consecutive hours, but not more than 13 hours. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[40][41]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Tennessee, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Tennessee, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[42]

Prospective voters can register online, by mailing a voter registration application to the county election commission, or in person at a variety of locations including the county clerk’s office, the county election commission office, public libraries, and numerous state agencies. Registration must be completed 30 days before an election.[42]

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Tennessee does not practice automatic voter registration.[43]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Tennessee has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Tennessee does not allow same-day voter registration.[44]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Tennessee, you must be a resident of the state.[42] Click here for more information about determining residency in Tennessee.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Tennessee does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, providing false information on an application "is a felony punishable by not less than two (2) years nor more than twelve (12) years imprisonment or a fine of $5,000 or both."[45]

Tennessee law requires election officials to conduct check of voter registration applicants' citizenship status. Section 2-2-141 of the Tennessee Code states the following:

“

‘’’2-2-141. Proof of citizenship for registering to vote.’’’ (a) The coordinator of elections shall compare the statewide voter registration database with the department of safety database to ensure non-United States citizens are not registered to vote in this state. The coordinator of elections is authorized to compare the statewide voter registration database with relevant federal and state agencies and county records for the same purpose. If evidence exists that a particular registered voter is not a citizen of the United States, the coordinator of elections shall notify the county election commission where the person registered to vote that the registered voter may not be a citizen of the United States. (b) After receiving such notice, the county election commission shall send a notice to the registered voter inquiring whether the individual is eligible to be registered to vote. Any registered voter who receives the notice shall, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such notice, provide proof of citizenship to the county election commission.[46]

”
—Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141[47]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[48] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Tennessee secretary of state’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.


Voter ID requirements

Early voting

Tennessee permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting begins 20 days before an election and ends five days before an election, except for presidential primaries, when early voting closes seven days before the primary. Early voting is held at county election commission offices and satellite voting locations.[49]

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Only certain voters may vote absentee by-mail in Tennessee. According to the Tennessee secretary of state's office:[50]

“

You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:

  • You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
  • You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
  • You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
  • You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
  • You are a candidate for office in the election.
  • You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
  • You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
  • You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
  • You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
  • You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
  • You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
  • You are on the permanent absentee list.

NOTE: If you reside in a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, home for the aged, or an independent living facility on the same property as a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or home for the aged inside your county of residence, you may not vote absentee by-mail. Election officials will come to the facility to vote eligible residents, or you may vote during early voting or on Election Day.[46]

”

Absentee ballot applications may not be submitted more than 90 days before an election and must be received by the county election commission no later than 10 days before an election. The completed ballot must be returned by mail and received by the county election commission by the close of polls on Election Day.[50]


State profile

Demographic data for Tennessee
 TennesseeU.S.
Total population:6,595,056316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):41,2353,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:77.8%73.6%
Black/African American:16.8%12.6%
Asian:1.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:4.9%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.5%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$45,219$53,889
Persons below poverty level:21.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Tennessee.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Tennessee

Tennessee voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Tennessee, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[51]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Tennessee had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Tennessee coverage on Ballotpedia

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 95 Tennessee counties—1 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Hardeman County, Tennessee 7.92% 5.91% 6.18%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Tennessee with 60.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 34.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Tennessee cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Tennessee supported Democratic candidates for president and Republican candidates equally. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Tennessee. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[52][53]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 20 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 50.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 22 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 79 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 77 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 43.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Tennessee governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 2 Republican primary) - Google News

See also

Tennessee government:

Elections:

Ballotpedia exclusives:

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  2. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  3. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Issues," accessed July 9, 2018
  4. ↑ The Tennesseean, "Diane Black takes swipes at Randy Boyd, Bill Lee in her first attack ad of governor's race," June 27, 2018
  5. ↑ The Tennessean, "What's the Trump effect on Tennessee's governor's race?" June 15, 2018
  6. ↑ Randy Boyd for Governor, "Issues," accessed July 9, 2018
  7. ↑ The Tennessean, "As Republican primary nears, Randy Boyd, Diane Black trade barbs in new TV ads," June 29, 2018
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 Randy Boyd for Governor, "Two Dozen More Mayors from Middle and West TN Endorse Randy Boyd for Governor," October 13, 2017
  9. ↑ Bill Lee for Governor, "Issues," accessed July 9, 2018
  10. ↑ Bill Lee for Governor, "Why Bill?" accessed July 20, 2018
  11. ↑ Beth Harwell for Governor, "Issues," accessed July 9, 2018
  12. ↑ Tennessean, "Vice President Mike Pence on Tennessee governor's race: Diane Black 'has my support,'" July 27, 2018
  13. ↑ U.S. News, "Santorum Backs Rep. Black in Tennessee Governor Race," July 17, 2018
  14. ↑ Associated Press, "Mike Huckabee endorsing Randy Boyd for Tennessee governor," June 22, 2018
  15. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Jordan Sekulow Endorses Diane Black for Governor," May 24, 2018
  16. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Endorses Diane Black, to Chair Law & Order Coalition," December 4, 2017
  17. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Conservative Economic Icon Arthur Laffer Endorses Diane Black for Governor," September 13, 2017
  18. ↑ The Tennessee Star, "Former Congressman Zach Wamp Endorses Bill Lee For Governor," July 17, 2018
  19. ↑ The Tennessee Star, "Mae Beavers Endorses Bill Lee for Governor," June 20, 2018
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 20.9 Randy Boyd for Governor, "Top Legislators Lining Up Behind Randy Boyd in Latest Round of Endorsements," May 14, 2018
  21. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Conservative Activist Lee Douglas Endorses Diane Black for Governor," April 3, 2018
  22. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "Chattanooga Tea Party Founder and President Mark West Endorses Diane Black for Governor," December 6, 2017
  23. ↑ Diane Black for Governor, "American Conservative Union Endorses Diane Black for Governor," July 2, 2018
  24. ↑ Tennessean, "NRA endorses Diane Black for Tennessee governor," June 21, 2018
  25. ↑ Speaker Beth Harwell for Governor, "Harwell Wins Second Major Endorsement," May 24, 2018
  26. ↑ Speaker Beth Harwell for Governor, "Harwell Wins Endorsement of State Employees Group," May 24, 2018
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Randy Boyd for Governor, "3 Local Mayors Endorse Boyd for Governor," October 14, 2017
  28. ↑ Randy Boyd for Governor, "Mayor Gist Endorses Gubernatorial Candidate Randy Boyd," October 13, 2017
  29. ↑ Randy Boyd for Governor, "Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger Endorses Randy Boyd," September 27, 2017
  30. ↑ 30.00 30.01 30.02 30.03 30.04 30.05 30.06 30.07 30.08 30.09 30.10 30.11 30.12 30.13 30.14 30.15 30.16 30.17 30.18 30.19 30.20 30.21 30.22 30.23 30.24 30.25 30.26 30.27 30.28 30.29 30.30 30.31 Randy Boyd for Governor, "33 More City Mayors Across East Tennessee Endorse Randy Boyd for Governor," September 14, 2017
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 31.6 Randy Boyd for Governor, "City Mayors Across Northeast TN Endorse Randy Boyd for Governor," August 15, 2017
  32. ↑ 32.00 32.01 32.02 32.03 32.04 32.05 32.06 32.07 32.08 32.09 32.10 32.11 32.12 32.13 32.14 32.15 32.16 32.17 32.18 32.19 32.20 Randy Boyd for Governor, "21 More County Mayors Endorse Randy Boyd for Governor," July 31, 2017
  33. ↑ Randy Boyd for Governor, "Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell Endorses Randy Boyd for Governor, July 26, 2017
  34. ↑ Randy Boyd for Governor, "Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett Endorses Randy Boyd for Governor," June 28, 2017
  35. ↑ 35.00 35.01 35.02 35.03 35.04 35.05 35.06 35.07 35.08 35.09 35.10 35.11 35.12 35.13 35.14 35.15 35.16 35.17 35.18 35.19 35.20 35.21 Randy Boyd for Governor, "East Tennessee Mayors Backing Boyd," May 24, 2017
  36. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 7, 2014, Republican Primary Results," accessed September 19, 2017
  37. ↑ Tennessee Demographics, "Tennessee Cities by Population" accessed September 7, 2018
  38. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed September 7, 2018
  39. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed July 16, 2025
  40. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-3-201," accessed July 15, 2025
  41. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-127," accessed July 15, 2025
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed July 15, 2025
  43. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  44. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  45. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Tennessee Mail-In Application For Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  47. ↑ LexisNexis, “Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141,” accessed July 15, 2025
  48. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  49. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "How to Early Vote - In Person," accessed July 16, 2025
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Guide to Absentee Voting," accessed July 15, 2025
  51. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
  52. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  53. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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