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2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election
Turnout	49.97% 0.43 pp
	Bredesen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%; Bryson: 50–60% 60–70%; Tie: 50%
Governor before election; Phil Bredesen; Democratic	Elected Governor ; Phil Bredesen; Democratic

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 2024, 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^[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

Candidates

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

Results

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

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^[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

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

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

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)

References

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

Official campaign websites (Archived)

[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.

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2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

General election

Candidates

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

External links