2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2006 United States gubernatorial elections.

2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election

* * *

| <- 2002 | November 7, 2006 | 2010 ->

|
|

Turnout| 49.97% [1] 0.43 pp
|  |  |

|
|

Nominee  | Phil Bredesen | Jim Bryson |
Party  | Democratic | Republican
Popular vote  | 1,247,491 | 540,853
Percentage  | 68.60% | 29.74%

* * *

County results

Congressional district results

Precinct results

Bredesen:  50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
Bryson:  50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Tie:  50%

* * *

| Governor before election

Phil Bredesen
Democratic

| Elected Governor

Phil Bredesen
Democratic

|

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Government

* v
* t
* e

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

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

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

### Results

[edit]

Democratic Party primary results[2] 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  | 444,054  | 100.00

## Republican primary

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

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

### Results

[edit]

County results

Bryson

* <40%

* 40–50%

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

* 70–80%

* 80–90%

Farmer

* <40%

Republican Primary results[3] 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  | 321,378  | 100.00

## General election

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

Source  | Ranking  | As of

|
|

The Cook Political Report[4] | Solid D  | November 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball[5] | Safe D  | November 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report[6] | Safe D  | November 2, 2006
Real Clear Politics[7] | Likely D  | November 6, 2006

### Polling

[edit]

Source  | Date  | Phil
Bredesen (D)  | Jim
Bryson (R)

|
|
|

Survey USA[8] | October 25, 2006  | 66% | 28%
Survey USA[9] | October 10, 2006  | 63% | 32%
Accuratings[10] | October 24, 2006  | 67% | 33%
The Commercial Appeal[11] | October 3, 2006  | 63% | 22%
Rasmussen[12] | October 3, 2006  | 63% | 28%
Rasmussen[13] | September 7, 2006  | 58% | 31%
Zogby[14] | June 13, 2006  | 58% | 22%

### Results

[edit]

County flips

Legend

* Democratic

Hold

Gain from Republican

2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election[15] 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 | 7  | 0.00%  | N/A
Majority  | 706,638  | 38.86%  | +35.80%
Turnout | 1,818,549  |  |
| Democratic hold | Swing |  |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[edit]

* 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)

## See also

[edit]

* 2006 United States gubernatorial elections
* 2006 United States Senate election in Tennessee
* 2006 Tennessee elections

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Tennessee Voter Turnout in 2006". Tennessee Secretary of State. November 7, 2006. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
2. ^ "August 3, 2006, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
3. ^ "August 3, 2006, Republican Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
4. ^ "2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
5. ^ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
6. ^ "2006 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
7. ^ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
8. ^ Survey USA
9. ^ Survey USA
10. ^ Accuratings Archived December 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
11. ^ The Commercial Appeal
12. ^ Rasmussen
13. ^ Rasmussen
14. ^ Zogby
15. ^ "November 7, 2006, General Election: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

Official campaign websites (Archived)

* Phil Bredesen for Governor
* Jim Bryson for Governor
* Carl Whitaker for Governor
* Mark Albertini for Governor
* Combat Ward for Governor

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