❏ ON THE BALLOT: GOVERNOR

Early voting continues here in Davidson county but will end this Thursday, November 3rd. General Election day is November 8th. Today we’re outlining the two main candidates facing each other in Tennessee’s gubernatorial race. First, here’s a list of our previous quick guides for Middle Tennessee voters.

Find your district and review our previous voter guides:

• U.S. House of Representatives quick guide
• Tennessee Senate quick guide
• Tennessee House of Representatives quick guide
• Four Tennessee Constitutional Amendments quick guide

GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE

Though there are a number of Independents running for governor, the race will come down to incumbent Governor Bill Lee (R), and Jason Brantley Martin (D). The governor serves a four-year term and their position and their cabinet make up the executive branch in our state’s government.

Bill Lee is the current Governor of Tennessee. In 2018, Lee secured 1,336,106 votes and won every county except Davidson, Haywood, and Shelby. The Governor leans heavily on his faith and his experience as President of Lee Company and as a cattle farmer to inform his decisions in office. While in office, Governor Lee has ushered in an era of pro-life, pro-business, and pro-education choice.

Policy Quickview

• Proposed and changed the state’s education funding formula. The new formula, TISA, encourages school choice by allowing for money to follow each student and incentivizes charter schools.
• Reduced distressed counties by 52%
• Successfully recruited Ford Motor Company to invest in West Tennessee
• Secured 130 economic projects, creating 35,000 jobs
• Pro-life

Read about executive orders given by Governor Bill Lee here.

Jason Brantley Martin is a Democrat from Alabama and a medical doctor who took up residency and fellowship at Vanderbilt University before leading the residency program as the Chief Resident at the Nashville Veteran Affairs Medical Center.

Policy Quickview

• Pro-abortion
• Supported lockdowns, masking, and vaccine mandates
• Advocate for affordable healthcare for all and Medicaid expansion
• Supports vocational training and equitably supports educational institutions
• Supports green energy initiatives
• Supports the legalization of recreational marijuana
• Supports stricter gun laws
• Supports expanding voting rights, same day registration and voting, and mail-in voting
• Supports sanctuary cities

List of Independent candidates: Constance M. Every, John Gentry. Basil Marceaux. Charles Van Morgan, Alfred O'Neil, Deborah Rouse, Michael E. Scantland, and Rick Tyler.