Lauren Pinkston
Lauren Pinkston (independent) is running for election for Governor of Tennessee. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 3, 2026.[source]
Pinkston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Lauren Pinkston earned a high school diploma from McNairy Central High School, a bachelor's degree from Freed-Hardeman University in 2009, and a Ph.D. from Clemson University in 2019. Her career experience includes working in business development.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on August 6, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for Governor of Tennessee
The following candidates are running in the general election for Governor of Tennessee on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Misam Abidi (Independent)  | |
| Dean Brewer (Independent) | ||
| Ray Brown (Independent) | ||
| David Hatley (Independent) | ||
| Wendell Jackson (Independent) | ||
 | Stephen Maxwell (Independent) | |
 | Charles Morgan (Independent) | |
| Eddie Lee Murphy (Independent) | ||
 | Lauren Pinkston (Independent) | |
| Manasa Reddy (Independent) | ||
| Victor Scoggin (Independent) | ||
| Dave Seeman (Independent) | ||
| Karl Smithson (Independent) | ||
| L. Webb Taylor (Independent) | ||
| Robert Vick (Independent) | ||
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Santiago Asconape (Independent)
- Taylor Hafley (Independent)
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee
Carnita Atwater (D), Tim Cyr (D), Jerri Green (D), Adam Kurtz (D), and Kevin Lee McCants (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee on August 6, 2026.
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Martin Kennedy (D)
Republican primary
Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee
Marsha Blackburn (R), Monty Fritts (R), and John Rose (R) are running in the Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee on August 6, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Marsha Blackburn | |
 | Monty Fritts | |
 | John Rose | |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Carlton Boleyjack (R)
- Rebecca Inman (R)
- Cito Pellegra (R)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Lauren Pinkston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pinkston's responses.
| Collapse all
For over 15 years, Lauren has worked to confront human trafficking and create safe, dignified opportunities for survivors. She helped launch businesses in Southeast Asia that employ survivors of trafficking and political persecution, and partnered with global organizations to develop ethical frameworks allowing people to rebuild their lives with dignity.
Lauren witnessed political realities while abroad that deepened her appreciation for American democracy and the responsibility it requires to keep it. Combined with the frustrating partisan gridlock at home, these experiences inspired her to return home and serve as an independent leader focused on results, not politics.
Lauren is running for governor to bring practical, principled leadership back to the highest office in our state. She will lead in a way that protects our children, respects our taxpayers, and builds a Tennessee where everyone has a fair chance to thrive.- A sleeping giant is waking up in this state, and it isn't red or blue. Most voters in Tennessee are nonpartisan, outnumbering registered Republicans, and 89% of all voters say they want leaders to stop fighting and solve problems.
Tennessee had the lowest voter turnout in the nation during the last governor's race. This is not because Tennesseans are lazy or don't care, but because as both parties grow more extreme, common sense candidates get pushed out and voters are left with options that don't reflect them.
That sleeping giant? It is the majority of Tennesseans who want to vote FOR someone, not just against someone. Lauren is running because you deserve to see yourself reflected in your leaders. - For 15 years, Dr. Lauren Pinkston built businesses across the globe to provide dignified employment for survivors of human trafficking and political persecution. Her research has focused on economic empowerment and growing capital for survivors of complex trauma, helping them earn meaningful income rather than remain dependent on governments or aid organizations. She has founded international nonprofits and managed multinational teams while growing her family across three continents. Tennessee is full of intelligent people, and it deserves intelligent leadership. If Lauren can build sustainable communities across languages and cultures, she can absolutely deliver results for Tennessee.
- Ideas should compete, not people. Tennessee's own Senator Lamar Alexander, a long-respected conservative, even recently admitted that our one-party state had created lazy and ineffective governance. Our state's supermajority has wasted countless taxpayer dollars passing legislation quickly ruled unconstitutional. In 2026, we should be focused on solving serious problems with serious respect for the taxes paid by hardworking Tennesseans. It seems we are capitalists everywhere besides our politics, and voters are ready for a competitive candidate who can hold to values above party platforms. Lauren is running to make sure Tennessee's debates are won by the best ideas, not the loudest party.
As an educator and researcher, she believes strong schools are the foundation of a thriving economy, and workforce policy should ensure students can build stable careers post-graduation. But none of that is possible without a government that works for the people it serves. Tennesseans deserve a government that is transparent, responsive, and accountable to voters, not political parties or special interests.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 3, 2026
