Hawaii election results in Tennessee are unfolding Thursday as Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn faces two primary challengers for governor and voters pick nominees in newly redrawn congressional districts. The winners move toward the November ballot, where the governor’s race could give Tennessee its first woman governor if Blackburn wins twice.
Marsha Blackburn and two challengers
Blackburn is running against U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts in the Republican primary. Blackburn was first elected to the Senate in 2018, Rose represents the 6th District, and Fritts joined the race in September 2025. Blackburn declined in July to take part in debates, and Rose backed out when one debate was set to feature only him and Fritts.
Five Democrats are also vying for a place on the November ballot to face the Republican winner. Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green is among them, along with activist Carnita Atwater, farmer Tim Cyr, musician Adam "Ditch" Kurtz and pastor Kevin Lee McCants. Tennessee’s last Democratic governor, Phil Bredesen, left office in 2011.
5th District redrawn
Voters are also choosing nominees in districts that changed after a Supreme Court decision earlier this year narrowed portions of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Tennessee lawmakers then redrew the map, dissolved a majority-Black district in the Memphis area and left all nine districts favoring Republicans.
In the 5th District, Rep. Andy Ogles faces state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher in the Republican primary. Hatcher has the backing of Republican Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam, while Mr. Trump has backed Ogles and held a tele-rally for him in July.
Ogles, Cohen and ratings
The Cook Political Report rates the 5th District as "Solid R," but the Democrats' campaign arm says the district could be in play. Five Democrats are running to take on the Republican winner there, with the Democrats' campaign arm backing Chaz Molder, the mayor of Columbia.
Steve Cohen has represented the Memphis area since 2007, but he opted not to seek reelection after his district boundaries were changed. His district is now considered "Solid Republican" by The Cook Political Report, and four Republicans and four Democrats are competing there.
Thursday’s vote will sort out who reaches the November ballot in the governor’s race and in the remade House districts. The clearest immediate question is whether Blackburn can turn her primary into a two-step path to the governor’s office, while the redrawn maps test whether any district can break from the new partisan lines.
