The 2006 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006, to elect the governor of Tennessee. 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.
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Turnout | 49.97% [1] 0.43 pp | ||||||||||||||||
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Bredesen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Bryson: 50–60% 60–70% Tie: 50% | |||||||||||||||||
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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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
Source | Date | Phil Bredesen (D) |
Jim Bryson (R) |
---|---|---|---|
Survey USA | October 25, 2006 | 66% | 28% |
Survey USA | October 10, 2006 | 63% | 32% |
Accuratings Archived December 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine | 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% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
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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 |