# 2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election

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Government :
vte :
The 2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006, to elect the governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic governor Phil Bredesen was re-elected to a second term with 68.6% of the vote, defeating his Republican challenger Jim Bryson. Improving on his performance from 2002, Bredesen also carried every county in the state.
As of 2025, this was the last time a Democrat won a majority of counties in the state, the last time a Democrat won any statewide race in Tennessee, and the most recent statewide election in Tennessee in which 88 of the state's 95 counties, including Knox County and Hamilton County, went to the Democratic candidate. Only Davidson, Shelby, Haywood, Hardeman, Houston, Jackson, and Lake counties have voted for a Democratic candidate in a presidential, Senate, or gubernatorial race since 2006. Eight years after this, Republican governor Bill Haslam would win every county in the state when he won re-election. This marked a sharp political shift in Tennessee.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Phil Bredesen, incumbent governor of Tennessee
* John Jay Hooker, perennial candidate
* Tim Sevier
* Walt Ward

### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Phil Bredesen (incumbent) | 393,004 | 88.50 |
| | Democratic | John Jay Hooker | 31,933 | 7.19 |
| | Democratic | Tim Sevier | 11,562 | 2.60 |
| | Democratic | Walt Ward | 7,555 | 1.70 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 444,054 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Jim Bryson, state senator
* David M. Farmer
* Joe Kirkpatrick
* Mark Albertini
* Wayne Thomas Bailey
* Wayne Young
* Timothy Thomas

### Results

Republican Primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Bryson | 160,786 | 50.03 |
| | Republican | David M. Farmer | 50,900 | 15.84 |
| | Republican | Joe Kirkpatrick | 34,491 | 10.73 |
| | Republican | Mark Albertini | 29,184 | 9.08 |
| | Republican | Wayne Thomas Bailey | 24,273 | 7.55 |
| | Republican | Wayne Young | 11,997 | 3.73 |
| | Republican | Timothy Thomas | 9,747 | 3.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 321,378 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

* Phil Bredesen (D)
* Jim Bryson (R)
* Carl Two Feathers Whitaker (I)
* George Banks (I)
* Charles E. Smith (I)
* Howard W. Switzer (I)
* David Gatchell (I)
* Marivuana Stout Leinoff (I)

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe D | November 2, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics | Likely D | November 6, 2006 |

### Polling

| Source | Date | Phil Bredesen (D) | Jim Bryson (R) |
| Survey USA | October 25, 2006 | 66% | 28% |
| Survey USA | October 10, 2006 | 63% | 32% |
| Accuratings | October 24, 2006 | 67% | 33% |
| The Commercial Appeal | October 3, 2006 | 63% | 22% |
| Rasmussen | October 3, 2006 | 63% | 28% |
| Rasmussen | September 7, 2006 | 58% | 31% |
| Zogby | June 13, 2006 | 58% | 22% |

### Results

* Democratic Hold Gain from Republican
2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Phil Bredesen (incumbent) | 1,247,491 | 68.60% | +17.95% |
| | Republican | Jim Bryson | 540,853 | 29.74% | −17.85% |
| | Independent | Carl Two Feathers Whitaker | 11,374 | 0.63% | N/A |
| | Independent | George Banks | 7,531 | 0.41% | N/A |
| | Independent | Charles E. Smith | 4,083 | 0.22% | N/A |
| | Independent | Howard W. Switzer | 2,711 | 0.15% | N/A |
| | Independent | David Gatchell | 2,385 | 0.13% | N/A |
| | Independent | Marivuana Stout Leinoff | 2,114 | 0.12% | N/A |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 7 | 0.00% | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 706,638 | 38.86% | +35.80% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,818,549 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Bledsoe (Largest city: Pikeville)
* Claiborne (Largest city: Harrogate)
* Hardin (Largest city: Savannah)
* Lincoln (Largest city: Fayetteville)
* Macon (Largest city: Lafayette)
* Pickett (Largest city: Byrdstown)
* Rutherford (Largest city: Murfreesboro)
* Sumner (Largest city: Hendersonville)
* Wilson (Largest city: Mt. Juliet)
* Tipton (Largest city: Atoka)
* Madison (Largest city: Jackson)
* Chester (Largest city: Henderson)
* Henderson (Largest city: Lexington)
* Wayne (Largest city: Waynesboro)
* Williamson (Largest city: Franklin)
* Scott (Largest city: Oneida)
* Cumberland (Largest city: Crossville)
* Meigs (Largest city: Decatur)
* Hamilton (Largest city: Chattanooga)
* Bradley (Largest city: Cleveland)
* McMinn (Largest city: Athens)
* Blount (Largest city: Maryville)
* Loudon (Largest city: Lenoir City)
* Monroe (Largest city: Sweetwater)
* Sevier (Largest city: Sevierville)
* Jefferson (Largest city: Jefferson City)
* Grainer (Largest city: Bean Station)
* Hamlben (Largest city: Morristown)
* Greene (Largest city: Greenville)
* Hancock (Largest city: Sneedville)
* Hawkins (Largest city: Kingsport)
* Sullivan (Largest city: Kingsport)
* Johnson (Largest city: Mountain City)
* Washington (Largest city: Johnson City)
* Carter (Largest city: Elizabethton)
* Unicoi (Largest city: Erwin)
* Rhea (Largest city: Dayton)
* Fayette (Largest town: Oakland)
* Fentress (Largest city: Jamestown)
* Lawrence (Largest city: Lawrenceburg)
* McNairy (Largest city: Selmer)
* Moore (Largest city: Lynchburg)
* Union (Largest city: Maynardville)
* Weakley (Largest city: Martin)