The Civic Scoop: Cornell on the ongoing Tennessee governor’s race

This is the Civic Scoop: quick takes, sharp insights, civic clarity.
The role of governor is currently being contested by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose, and Rep. Monty Fritts, all representing the Republican Party. There are also four democrats running for this position: Jerri Green, Carnita Atwater, Adam Kurtz, and Tim Cyr, each of whom I’ll be profiling below. 

Now, some of you may be asking, “Josh, what does the Governor even do, and why does this matter to a college student like me?”

In simple terms, think of the governor as the president of the state. As chief executive of a state, their roles are virtually similar to a president’s, except they are significantly scaled down to a state focus. They approve state budgets, influence and sign off on legislation, and act as the primary liaison to the federal government – all very important roles that impact us greatly. 

Now my goal here is not to be partisan and only appeal to one party; my goal is to educate students at MC and help tell you about the candidates. 

For the Republican Party, both Blackburn and Rose are currently in office. Rose is in state legislation and has served in office for over six years. Blackburn is a national senator who has served in office for six years as well, and has other elected legislative titles dating back to 2003. Monty Fritts has served in office since January of 2023, which makes him one of the shortest-serving representatives running for the current governor’s race. These three candidates have served in politics for a while. 

The Democratic candidates each have their own facets that would apply to the role of governor as well. Jerri Green has a legal background as a public defender, and currently serves on the legal counsel and as chief of staff for the mayor of Shelbyville. Carnita Atwater is the current CEO and president of the African American International Foundation, and ran for governor in 2022. Adam Kurtz is a street guitarist running for governor under the slogan “By the people. For the people. I’m a people,” according to his Instagram. Tim Cyr, who moved to Tennessee in 2017, is running, according to his personal Facebook page. Tim also ran a campaign for the Illinois House of Representatives in 2019 but was unsuccessful. 

The election for governor of Tennessee is Nov. 3, 2026. This date may seem far away, but now is the time to begin researching candidates for who you would like to lead the state of Tennessee in the future! 

Register at ovr.govote.tn.gov

Josh Cornell (‘26) is a Chattanoogan political science major. He has worked with various political organizations, including political campaigns, has sat in on council meetings, and is the current senior class president. This column will cover topics ranging from local and state government to national news, and anything in between.

To respond to this column in The Highland Echo and offer your political perspective, reach out to Editor-in-Chief Maddux Morse