A look at what's to come in Tennessee politics in 2026

NASHVILLE — The upcoming year for Tennessee politics will be largely defined by what happens in November. Midterm elections, an open seat in the Governor's office and a few bids to change the state's Constitution will all be crammed together on the same ballot in November. On top of that, the annual General Assembly will produce a slew of news, new laws and drama. The stage is set for a variety of shake-ups to take place before 2027 concludes. That's why Six Rivers Media has compiled a preview of some of the ways these scenarios are likely to play out. Governor's race With Bill Lee's term set to expire January of 2027, two familiar Republican faces lead the polls for the office. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, is currently the favorite to win the Governor's seat. She has received endorsements from a handful of state and federal Republican lawmakers, and a November Beacon poll showed her ahead of challenger U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-TN, by nearly 50 points. However, as early as July of last year, Rose touted having raised more than $6 million in campaign funds. Both candidates are campaigning on similar platforms of furthering conservative values, fostering economic development and cracking down on illegal immigration. Both have aligned themselves with President Donald Trump. But Blackburn, a much closer ally to the president, has emphasized the relationship more so than Rose, who has aligned himself more closely with farmers and the agricultural industry. Of course, the state's next governor does not have to be a Republican, but it seems the most likely scenario. Current Memphis Councilmember Jerri Green is the frontrunner for the Democrat nomination. A Quantus Insights Poll from August has her losing a potential general election by 21 points to Blackburn and 16 to Rose. Midterm elections All 9 U.S. House seats will be up for reelection this year, including Northeast Tennessee's U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R. The Cook Political Report lists her district, TN-1, as "solidly Republican." U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty's seat is up for reelection as well. If Blackburn wins the governor's election, her seat would be left vacant, and a special election would be eventually held to fill it. At the state level, Johnson City Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe is up for reelection, along with all other odd-numbered Senate districts in Tennessee. All 99 state House seats are up for reelection as well, including state Reps. Tim Hicks, R-Gray; Rebecca Alexander, R-Johnson City; and Timothy Hill, R-Blountville. It is not currently clear whether any Northeast Tennessee legislators will be challenged during the primaries. The filing deadline for state lawmakers is March 10, and until then, the candidate pool is yet to be solidified. However, a few local legislators, such as Crowe and State Rep. Renea Jones, R-Unicoi, have announced their intentions to run for reelection. Vote on Constitutional amendments Also on the November ballot will be three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution. State law requires changes to be voted on and approved by legislators for two consecutive years before heading to the ballot for final approval from voters. The first amendment, SJR0025, would remove a defendant's the right to bail for a variety of "grave" offenses, such as murder, aggravated rape or torture. The measure saw some opposition from House Democrats, but because Republicans outnumber them three-to-one, the measure passed with the required two-thirds of votes. A second amendment, SJR001, prohibits a statewide property tax. Though there is currently no property tax in Tennessee, this amendment would make it difficult for future legislation to ever change that. The last proposed amendment, SJR0009, includes a framework of laws to expand the rights of victims of crimes. Also known as Marcy's Law, the amendment would enumerate 13 distinct rights for victims, such as the right to be treated with fairness; the right to be present at all criminal proceedings involving the accused; and the right to be heard in those proceedings upon request. To pass, each amendment needs to receive a constitutional majority of votes in support — greater than 50% of the total number of ballots cast.