{ "id": "epyz88h1pz", "slug": "marquita-bradshaw", "title": "Marquita Bradshaw", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates", "label": "US candidates for federal and statewide office", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates.senate-candidates", "label": "Candidates for the US Senate", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates.senate-candidates" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: US candidates for federal and statewide office", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates", "label": "US candidates for federal and statewide office", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Marquita Bradshaw is an American politician and Memphis environmental advocate who is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2026, a rematch against Senator Bill Hagerty.", "snippet": "Marquita Bradshaw is an American politician and Memphis environmental advocate who is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2026, a rematch against Senator Bill Hagerty.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-candidates.senate-candidates", "markdown": "# Marquita Bradshaw\n\nMarquita Bradshaw is an American politician and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2026.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) A Memphis environmental advocate, she was the Democratic nominee for the same seat in 2020 and ran again in 2024.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) In August 2026 she won the Democratic primary, setting up a rematch with Republican Senator Bill Hagerty.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Democratic[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) |\n| Current office | 2026 Democratic nominee, U.S. Senate, Tennessee[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) |\n| Previous offices | U.S. Senate candidate, Tennessee (2020); U.S. Senate candidate, Tennessee (2024)[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nBradshaw is a Democrat. She filed as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2026.[3](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S4TN00542/)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBradshaw describes herself as a tenth-generation South Memphis resident.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) Her campaign biography says she built on her family's tradition of labor and community advocacy by working on issues affecting working families and historically underserved neighborhoods.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n## Career\n\nBradshaw's career has focused on environmental health, workers' rights, economic opportunity, and public accountability.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) She is executive director of Sowing Justice, an environmental justice nonprofit, through which she has addressed concerns involving industrial pollution, fossil-fuel infrastructure, data-center development, and their effects on local communities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) Her campaign describes her approach as centering the experiences of residents directly affected by public policy.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\nShe first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020 and ran again in 2024.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/)\n\n## Electoral history\n\nIn 2020, Bradshaw was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee; Republican [Bill Hagerty](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-hagerty) won the seat by 27 percentage points.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) In 2024 she ran for Senate again, but state Rep. [Gloria Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/gloria-johnson-politician) won the Democratic nomination before losing to [Marsha Blackburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/marsha-blackburn).[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) In the August 6, 2026 Democratic primary, Bradshaw secured more than 50 percent of the vote, defeating Maria Brewer, Kevin Lee McCants, Civil Miller-Watkins, and Diana Onyejiaka.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) Hagerty was unopposed in the Republican primary.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/)\n\n## Issues specific to Bradshaw\n\nAfter her 2020 loss to Hagerty, Bradshaw refused to concede. She later called concession an \"antiquated tradition.\"[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) The 2026 general election is a rematch of that 2020 contest; if Hagerty wins again, he would become Tennessee's senior senator, as Senator Marsha Blackburn won the Republican primary for governor in August 2026.[2](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/) Bradshaw's campaign presents her as a grassroots candidate, writing, \"This race won't be easy, and every supporter matters.\"[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n## Positions and voting record\n\n### Environmental justice\n\nBradshaw's work has centered on environmental justice. As executive director of Sowing Justice, she has addressed concerns involving industrial pollution, fossil-fuel infrastructure, and data-center development and their effects on local communities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) Her campaign states that her career has focused on environmental health and that she emphasizes community participation and government accountability, seeking to ensure that communities have a role in decisions concerning their health, livelihoods, and future.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) On her campaign website she lists climate resilience and environmental justice among her priorities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n### Economic opportunity\n\nBradshaw's campaign states that her career has focused on economic opportunity and issues affecting working families.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) On her campaign website she writes, \"My public service is rooted in the challenges facing working families and a commitment to giving Tennesseans a stronger voice in Washington.\"[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita) She lists greater economic opportunity for every community among her priorities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n### Health care and housing\n\nOn her campaign website, Bradshaw lists affordable healthcare and housing among her priorities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n### Voting rights and elections\n\nBradshaw lists voting rights and fair electoral districts among her priorities on her campaign website.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n### Education and broadband\n\nOn her campaign website, Bradshaw lists strong public schools and universal broadband among her priorities.[1](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Marquita Bradshaw | A Champion for Tennessee](https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/meet-marquita)\n2. [Marquita Bradshaw wins TN Democratic Senate primary](https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/08/06/marquita-bradshaw-bill-hagerty-tennessee-senate-rematch/)\n3. [FEC candidate data, S4TN00542](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S4TN00542/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › US candidates for federal and statewide office › Candidates for the US Senate*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Marquita Bradshaw\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Marquita Bradshaw](https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw](https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Marquita Bradshaw\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/marquita-bradshaw. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Marquita Bradshaw is an American politician and Memphis environmental advocate who is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2026, a rematch against Senator Bill Hagerty." }