Tennessee’s primary elections on August 6 delivered a historic result: Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green both won their gubernatorial nominations, guaranteeing the state will elect its first female governor in November. The matchup represents the first all-woman general election for Tennessee’s top office.
Blackburn defeated two Republican rivals, including U.S. Representative John Rose, to secure the GOP nomination. As a U.S. Senator since 2018, she became the first woman elected to represent Tennessee in the Senate and is favored to become the state’s first female governor.
Green, a Memphis City Councilwoman and former public interest lawyer, won the Democratic primary by defeating four opponents, including Carnita Atwater and Kevin Lee McCants. She made history as the first woman ever nominated by the Tennessee Democratic Party for governor. Green has served on Memphis City Council since 2023 and previously worked as a senior policy advisor to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris.
The November 3 general election will determine which candidate becomes Tennessee’s first female chief executive. Blackburn, 74, brings decades of political experience, having served in the Tennessee Senate starting in 1998 before her election to Congress and the U.S. Senate. Green, based in Memphis, has built her campaign around education, healthcare, and support for working families.
Tennessee joins a growing number of states electing women to the governor’s office. As of 2026, 53 women have served as governors of U.S. states throughout history. Virginia recently made headlines when Democrat Abigail Spanberger became the state’s first female governor in January 2026, defeating Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. The 2026 election cycle has seen a record 85 women running for governor across 36 states, according to the Center for American Women in Politics.
The outcome of the Tennessee race will add another chapter to the expanding history of women in executive office. Regardless of which candidate prevails in November, the state will break a barrier that has stood since its founding in 1796.
Sources
- Nashville Banner — confirmed both Blackburn and Green won their respective primaries on August 6, 2026
- NBC News — reported Blackburn’s Republican primary victory and her status as favored to become Tennessee’s first female governor
- Ballotpedia — documented Green’s Democratic primary win and the candidates she defeated
- Tennessee Lookout — provided background on Blackburn’s service in elected office since 1998 and Green’s role as Memphis City Councilwoman
- WSMV — confirmed the all-woman matchup guarantees Tennessee will elect its first female governor
- Pew Research Center — noted that 53 women have served as governors of U.S. states as of 2026
