Tennessee Election Results: Key Primary Races and What They Mean

Tennessee's August primary concluded Thursday, setting the stage for the November general election. The election results will shape a state where Republicans are expected to maintain dominance, but the primaries themselves carried significant weight—especially in the 5th Congressional District and the race for governor.

Tennessee Election Results: Primary Outcomes

This year's primaries unfolded under a dramatically reshaped congressional map. State lawmakers repealed a 56-year prohibition on mid-decade redistricting, a move that came amid President Trump's push for red states to boost their margins ahead of the midterms. The new map carved up Tennessee's only majority-Black district, squeezing out the state's lone Democratic House lawmaker and forcing Rep. Steve Cohen into retirement. Memphis voters chose their first U.S. House nominees under this new map, which split the heavily Democratic city into three Republican-dominated districts.

5th District: A Test of Trump's Endorsement

The Republican primary in the solidly red 5th Congressional District became the latest test of Trump's endorsement power. Trump backed incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles, who holds the incumbency advantage and benefited from redistricting that made the seat more GOP-friendly. Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has voted in line with Trump 100 percent of the time, according to VoteHub analysis.

But Gov. Bill Lee endorsed Charlie Hatcher, who served as state agriculture commissioner until last year. Lee's endorsement, announced Tuesday, added a layer of intraparty tension. "Charlie Hatcher and I have been friends for 25 years. I'm a cattleman. He was our veterinarian," Lee said in a video posted to Hatcher's Facebook page. The race pits the power of a presidential endorsement against the influence of a popular governor.

Governor's Race: Blackburn Leads a Crowded Field

Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited, and the GOP primary to replace him attracted a high-profile field: U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, four-term U.S. Rep. John Rose, and state Rep. Monty Fritts. Blackburn, who won reelection to a second Senate term in 2024 and launched her gubernatorial campaign in August 2025, entered the primary with a fundraising edge. She has the support of an outside group that has spent roughly $5.1 million backing her and opposing Rose.

Rose launched his bid in March 2025 and has loaned his campaign about $13 million since mid-June, a sign of his willingness to self-fund. Blackburn has outraised Rose in campaign contributions, though the race remains competitive. Trump has not endorsed a candidate in the gubernatorial primary, leaving the field to fight for the nomination without his backing.

The outcome carries extra weight because Tennessee hasn't elected a Democratic governor in 20 years. The Republican nominee will be the heavy favorite in November, making the primary effectively the decisive contest.

Local Races and Ballot Questions

Beyond the marquee races, voters in Knox County and East Tennessee weighed in on local, state, and federal contests. Local outlets like the Knoxville News Sentinel provided live updates and results for these races, which often have a more immediate impact on residents' daily lives than national politics.

Tennessee voters also saw "retain" and "replace" questions on the ballot, a type of judicial retention measure that asks voters whether to keep or replace certain judges. These questions, while less flashy than congressional primaries, are a regular feature of Tennessee elections and can shape the state's judiciary.

What to Watch in November

The primary results set the field for a general election where Republicans are expected to maintain their dominance. The 5th District race will be a key test of whether Trump's endorsement can overcome a governor's backing, and the gubernatorial nominee will carry the party's hopes into a race that has been reliably Republican for two decades.

For voters, the November ballot will offer a clear choice, but the primary outcomes have already shaped the options. As the state moves forward, the results of these primaries will influence not just who holds office, but how Tennessee's congressional delegation and governor's office approach the next term.

For more on the national political landscape, check out our coverage of the DOJ voter registration roll litigation and the birthright citizenship ruling.