# 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election
The 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election chose the successor to term-limited Republican governor [Bill Haslam](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-haslam), with the primary on August 2, 2018 and the general election on November 6, 2018. Republican businessman [Bill Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-lee-tennessee-politician) defeated Democratic nominee Karl Dean, a former mayor of Nashville, taking 59.56% of the vote to Dean's 38.55%.[1](https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state2.php?elect=0&f=&fips=47&minper=0&off=5&year=2018)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| General election | Tuesday, November 6, 2018; early voting ran October 17 to November 1, and the voter registration deadline was October 9[2](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf) |
| Primary election | Thursday, August 2, 2018, with early voting July 13 to July 28[2](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf) |
| Republican nominee | Bill Lee, a businessman and political newcomer, won the primary on August 2[3](https://www.axios.com/2018/08/03/bill-lee-republican-tennessee-primary-governor) |
| Democratic nominee | Karl Dean, former mayor of Nashville, ran against Lee as an underdog[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/midterms-2018/tennessee-midterm-elections-2018-bredesen-blackburn-candidates-republican-democrat-house-senate-a8592921.html) |
| General election result | Lee 1,336,106 votes (59.56%); Dean 864,863 (38.55%); the remainder split among independent candidates[1](https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state2.php?elect=0&f=&fips=47&minper=0&off=5&year=2018) |
| Term-limit context | After two consecutive terms as governor, a Tennessee candidate must wait four years before becoming eligible to run again, which shaped the open seat[5](https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-Elections-Quick-Facts-08-15-2018-1.pdf) |
## Election calendar
Tennessee's 2018 cycle ran on a two-election schedule set by the Secretary of State. For the August primary, candidates could first pick up petitions on January 5, 2018, the qualifying deadline was April 5 at noon, and the withdrawal deadline was April 12. The voter registration deadline for the primary was July 3, with early voting from July 13 to July 28.[2](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf) For the November general election, registration closed October 9 and early voting ran from October 17 to November 1.[2](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf) The governor's race shared the August ballot with primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, odd-numbered [Tennessee Senate](https://www.edgepedia.org/tennessee-senate) districts, and the Tennessee House.[2](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf)
## Republican primary
The Republican field was large. The Family Action Council of Tennessee, which surveyed all major-party candidates for a video voter guide in February 2018, listed Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell, Bill Lee, and Kay White among the Republicans, alongside Democrats Karl Dean and [Craig Fitzhugh](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-fitzhugh).[6](https://tnvoterguide.org/gubernatorial-2018/) Basil Marceaux also ran.
**Lee's path to the nomination.** Lee, a cattle farmer and business executive with no prior elected office, won the primary on August 2, 2018.[3](https://www.axios.com/2018/08/03/bill-lee-republican-tennessee-primary-governor) • [7](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/diane-black-bill-lee-tennessee-primary-results-win-election-race-trump-tweets-pence-randy-boyd-a8476321.html) U.S. Representative Diane Black, who had backing from Vice President Mike Pence, lost to Lee; President Trump stopped short of endorsing her during the primary.[7](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/diane-black-bill-lee-tennessee-primary-results-win-election-race-trump-tweets-pence-randy-boyd-a8476321.html) In Davidson County, the state's second-largest vote pool, Lee led with 40.31% to House Speaker Beth Harwell's 25.29%, Black's 17.76%, and Boyd's 16.06%.[8](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/elections/election-results-and-statistics/election-results/180802) The Associated Press later described the geographic pattern: Lee posted a big win in Davidson while his opponents split Shelby and Knox counties.[9](https://apnews.com/article/45fe1472c1c928b9676b2ec30ff92b69) Trump officially endorsed Lee the day after the primary.[7](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/diane-black-bill-lee-tennessee-primary-results-win-election-race-trump-tweets-pence-randy-boyd-a8476321.html)
## Democratic primary
Dean won the nomination and entered the general election as the underdog against Lee.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/midterms-2018/tennessee-midterm-elections-2018-bredesen-blackburn-candidates-republican-democrat-house-senate-a8592921.html)
## General election
Lee positioned himself as an outsider: "I am someone who is not a politician, but I do have a vision for Tennessee to lead the nation," he told supporters in his primary victory speech.[10](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marsha-blackburn-phil-bredesen-tennessee-primary-results-today-2018-08-02/) In the November 6 general election he received 1,336,106 votes (59.56%) to Dean's 864,863 (38.55%); fifteen independent candidates shared the remaining votes, none exceeding 0.23%.[1](https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state2.php?elect=0&f=&fips=47&minper=0&off=5&year=2018)
The race ran alongside a closely watched U.S. Senate contest between Republican Marsha Blackburn and former governor [Phil Bredesen](https://www.edgepedia.org/phil-bredesen), and Trump campaigned in Tennessee ahead of the midterms to support Republican candidates.[11](https://www.axios.com/2018/08/21/trumps-2018-midterms-schedule-september) Late-October polling showed Lee leading Dean 55% to 40% among likely voters.[12](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55d790f5e4b04ec82cf2bff1/t/5bddf0c6758d46ea7a318ac7/1541271756823/Tennessee%2BPoll%2BResults%2BFinal%2B110118r.pdf)
## Issues facing the winner
Policy analysts framed the incoming administration's agenda around five challenges: recession readiness, health care access in a state with a 9.5% uninsured rate and rural hospital closures, education, criminal justice, and state finances.[13](https://sycamoretn.org/5-issues-for-tennessees-next-governor/) The Sycamore Institute noted that history suggested Tennessee's 50th governor would face a recession while in office, and that decisions about TennCare, the state's Medicaid program, were among the open health care questions.[13](https://sycamoretn.org/5-issues-for-tennessees-next-governor/)
## References
1. [2018 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Tennessee, Dave Leip's Atlas](https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state2.php?elect=0&f=&fips=47&minper=0&off=5&year=2018)
2. [Key Dates for the 2018 Election Cycle, Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/Key%20Dates%20-%202018.pdf)
3. [Bill Lee is the Republican nominee for governor in Tennessee, Axios (August 3, 2018)](https://www.axios.com/2018/08/03/bill-lee-republican-tennessee-primary-governor)
4. [Tennessee midterm elections: Who is running and why is it a key state to watch?, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/midterms-2018/tennessee-midterm-elections-2018-bredesen-blackburn-candidates-republican-democrat-house-senate-a8592921.html)
5. [2018 Elections Quick Facts, National Governors Association](https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-Elections-Quick-Facts-08-15-2018-1.pdf)
6. [2018 Gubernatorial Candidate Videos, Tennessee Voter Guide (FACT)](https://tnvoterguide.org/gubernatorial-2018/)
7. [Tennessee Primary: Diane Black loses to Bill Lee, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/diane-black-bill-lee-tennessee-primary-results-win-election-race-trump-tweets-pence-randy-boyd-a8476321.html)
8. [August 2, 2018 Election Results (Certified), Nashville.gov](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/elections/election-results-and-statistics/election-results/180802)
9. [AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Tennessee's state primary, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/45fe1472c1c928b9676b2ec30ff92b69)
10. [Tennessee primary results: Businessman Bill Lee wins GOP primary for governor, CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marsha-blackburn-phil-bredesen-tennessee-primary-results-today-2018-08-02/)
11. [Trump's September rally schedule ahead of the midterms, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2018/08/21/trumps-2018-midterms-schedule-september)
12. [Tennessee Polling Results, November 1, 2018](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55d790f5e4b04ec82cf2bff1/t/5bddf0c6758d46ea7a318ac7/1541271756823/Tennessee%2BPoll%2BResults%2BFinal%2B110118r.pdf)
13. [5 Issues for Tennessee's Next Governor and General Assembly, The Sycamore Institute](https://sycamoretn.org/5-issues-for-tennessees-next-governor/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Elections and representation › Elections and referendums › United States election events › US state and local election events › US gubernatorial election events › Southern state gubernatorial election series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license