Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green told Democrats gathered over the weekend for a statewide Three Star Dinner fundraising event in
Nashville, she is running for Tennessee governor in the 2026 election.

Green made the announcement in a speech that she posted to social media on Monday. “We need more women, more mothers, making our laws, because they will not leave working families behind,” she said in her video. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. Green is the first Democrat to publicly announce plans to enter the governor’s race. She faces a monumental uphill battle in a statewide race in deeply red Republican Tennessee. Gov. Bill Lee trounced his last Democratic opponent by 32 points. And although Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, both carried Memphis in the last two presidential campaigns, President Donald Trump won by almost 30 points statewide last year. One Memphis political activist pointed out that a better option for her would
be running against Steve Cohen for Congress in Memphis: “as insurmountable as the political landscape she will face in Tennessee might be, her fundraising challenges will be even greater in a statewide race.”

Middle Tennessee Republican congressman John Rose has launched his campaign for Governor and last week reported having raised $6.1 million thus far. Senator Marsha Blackburn is expected to enter the race “soon”. 2026 will also see Republican Senator Bill Hagerty seeking reelection. He is not expected to face Republican primary opposition nor a significant Democrat challenger.

Steve Gill is a political analyst and strategist and Publisher of TriStar Daily.