The 2010 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010, to elect the next governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic governor Phil Bredesen was term-limited and prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking a third consecutive term. Knoxville mayor and Republican nominee, Bill Haslam was elected with 65.0% of the vote, defeating Democratic nominee Mike McWherter.

The primary election was held on August 5, 2010, with Haslam and McWherter winning their respective parties' nominations.

Haslam received endorsements from former U.S. senator Howard Baker and Congressman Jimmy Duncan. The Tennessean wrote, "Haslam appears most likely to be able to ride Gov. Phil Bredesen's pro-business coattails, despite the different party affiliation."

Haslam campaigned on his executive experience as both Knoxville's mayor and the president of a major company. His opponents attacked him as an oil executive, especially in the wake of price-gouging allegations levied against Pilot in the wake of the post-Hurricane Katrina fuel shortages, and criticized his refusal to release information related to his income while at Pilot.

With this win, Haslam flipped the state into Republican control, with the state legislature also being controlled by Republicans. The last time Republicans held a government trifecta in the state was in 1869. Ever since this election, Republicans have maintained their trifecta.

News organizations The Cook Political Report, CQ Politics, and The New York Times rated the gubernatorial election as leaning Republican, while The Rothenberg Political Report rated it as "Republican favored," RealClearPolitics and Sabato's Crystal Ball as "Likely Republican", and Rasmussen Reports as "Solid Republican."

Republican primary A recorded debate featuring 3 of the candidates, organized by campaign coordinator James Crenshaw, was held at the Scarett-Benett Center in Nashville, TN.

From July 1, 2009, until January 15, 2010, Haslam collected $1.8 million, Ramsey raised $1,412,593 including a $200,000 loan, Wamp raised $1,373,078 including a $61,000 loan, and Gibbons raised $225,218.

Candidates Bill Haslam, Mayor of Knoxville Joe Kirkpatrick, businessman Withdrew from race Basil Marceaux, Soddy Daisy resident Ron Ramsey, Lieutenant Governor Zach Wamp, U.S. representative, 3rd district

Polling Poll source Dates administered BillHaslam RonRamsey ZachWamp UndecidedMason-DixonMason-Dixon July 19–21, 2010 36% 20% 25% 17%WSMV TV Channel 4WSMV TV Channel 4 July 8, 2010 32% 11% 21% 36%

Results

Democratic primary From July 1, 2009, until January 15, 2010, State Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle collected $741,485 including a $300,000 personal loan, McWherter raised $402,868, and McMillan raised $159,981.

Candidates

Mike McWherter, businessman, former attorney, son of former governor Ned McWherter

Results

Independents Bayron Binkley, broker Brandon Dodds, optometrist Samuel David Duck, Independent Federalist (withdrew from race and endorsed Brandon Dodds) David Gatchell June Griffin Toni Hall Floyd Knois Boyce McCall J. David Maharrey, Tea Party Linda Kay Perry James Reesor, Tennessee author Thomas Smith II Howard Switzer, Architect (Green Party nominee; listed on the ballot as an independent) Carl Twofeathers Whitaker, Native American Indian Movement chief

General election

Predictions Source Ranking As of Cook Political Report October 14, 2010 Rothenberg October 28, 2010 RealClearPolitics November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 28, 2010 CQ Politics October 28, 2010

Polling Poll sourceDate(s) administered Samplesize Margin oferror MikeMcWherter (D) BillHaslam (R) Other Unde-cidedMTSU (report) October 24, 2010 635 ± 4% 29% 51% 4% 6%MTSU (report) October 14, 2010 635 ± 4% 19% 41.6% 4% 36%Rasmussen Reports (report) October 9, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 31% 59% 3% 6%Rasmussen Reports (report) September 7, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 31% 59% 2% 7%Rasmussen Reports (report) August 9, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 31% 56% 3% 10% Mason-Dixon (report) July 19–21, 2010 625 ± 5.0% 31% 49% — 20% WSMV-TV Channel 4 (report) July 8, 2010 603 ± 4.0% 34% 60% — 6% Rasmussen Reports (report) June 15, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 32% 50% 5% 14%Rasmussen Reports (report) March 22, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 27% 45% 5% 23%

Results

By county County Bill HaslamRepublican Mike McWherterDemocratic Other votes % # % # % #Anderson 72.50% 13,938 24.89% 4,785 2.61% 502 Bedford 69.50% 6,808 28.31% 2,773 2.20% 215 Benton 51.36% 2,590 47.23% 2,382 1.41% 71 Bledsoe 66.26% 2,527 31.83% 1,214 1.92% 73 Blount 79.38% 23,786 18.19% 5,449 2.42% 728 Bradley 82.10% 17,522 16.29% 3,477 1.61% 344 Campbell 72.75% 6,309 24.78% 2,149 2.47% 214 Cannon 61.51% 2,412 36.09% 1,415 2.40% 94 Carroll 56.72% 4,724 41.83% 3,484 1.44% 120 Carter 76.98% 10,783 21.43% 3,001 1.60% 223 Cheatham 68.92% 7,017 29.16% 2,969 1.91% 195 Chester 69.39% 2,763 28.80% 1,147 1.80% 72 Claiborne 74.45% 4,768 22.85% 1,463 2.71% 173 Clay 59.07% 1,179 38.98% 778 1.95% 39 Cocke 75.69% 6,385 22.08% 1,863 2.24% 188 Coffee 69.43% 9,436 28.49% 3,872 2.09% 283 Crockett 64.49% 2,818 34.42% 1,504 1.10% 48 Cumberland 77.71% 15,550 20.29% 4,061 1.98% 399 Davidson 48.44% 75,381 49.11% 76,427 2.44% 3,810 Decatur 56.31% 1,820 41.80% 1,351 1.89% 61 DeKalb 58.40% 2,870 39.62% 1,947 1.98% 97 Dickson 64.09% 7,812 34.04% 4,150 1.87% 228 Dyer 66.48% 6,576 28.79% 2,847 4.72% 467 Fayette 68.78% 8,490 29.71% 3,667 1.51% 187 Fentress 71.44% 3,630 27.04% 1,374 1.51% 77 Franklin 63.35% 7,792 34.73% 4,272 1.92% 236 Gibson 57.57% 8,664 40.88% 6,152 1.55% 233 Giles 60.25% 4,936 37.52% 3,074 2.22% 183 Grainger 74.79% 3,399 22.75% 1,034 2.46% 112 Greene 76.83% 12,066 21.11 3,315 2.07 324 Grundy 55.07% 1,693 42.03% 1,292 1.90% 89 Hamblen 79.47% 10,798 19.19% 2,608 1.33% 181 Hamilton 65.59% 57,090 32.81% 28,556 1.60% 1,393 Hancock 73.25% 923 24.21% 305 2.54% 32 Hardeman 50.45% 3,250 47.25% 3,044 2.28% 148 Hardin 69.10% 4,315 28.98% 1,810 1.92% 120 Hawkins 75.29% 9,320 22.76% 2,817 1.95% 241 Haywood 45.70% 2,462 52.96% 2,853 1.34% 72 Henderson 69.43% 4,328 28.73% 1,791 1.85% 115 Henry 55.20% 5,261 43.33% 4,129 1.46% 140 Hickman 59.80% 3,156 37.89% 2,000 1.85% 122 Houston 47.90% 1,016 49.74% 1,055 2.36% 50 Humphreys 53.62% 2,689 44.51% 2,232 1.88% 94 Jackson 53.02% 1,587 44.54% 1,333 2.45% 73 Jefferson 79.54% 8,895 18.24% 2,040 2.21% 248 Johnson 75.59% 3,452 22.62% 1,033 1.80% 82 Knox 81.07% 84,915 17.06% 17,869 1.87% 1,958 Lake 47.38% 661 49.32% 688 3.35% 46 Lauderdale 54.74% 3,369 43.64% 2,686 1.63% 100 Lawrence 66.54% 7,722 32.00% 3,714 1.46% 169 Lewis 63.42% 2,235 33.97% 1,197 2.61% 92 Lincoln 72.30% 6,196 24.15% 2,070 3.55% 304 Loudon 82.07% 12,552 15.78% 2,413 2.16% 330 Macon 68.21% 3,349 29.84% 1,465 1.96% 96 Madison 55.74% 15,762 43.20% 12,214 1.06% 300 Marion 62.47% 4,579 35.69% 2,616 1.84% 135 Marshall 63.50% 4,810 34.59% 2,620 1.93% 145 Maury 65.50% 15,190 32.82% 7,612 1.67% 389 McMinn 76.63% 8,711 21.66% 2,462 1.71% 194 McNairy 64.05% 4,357 34.44% 2,343 1.51% 103 Meigs 68.28% 1,804 29.52% 780 2.20% 58 Monroe 75.02% 7,795 23.09% 2,399 1.88% 196 Montgomery 61.80% 19,227 35.87% 11,159 2.33% 726 Moore 68.59% 1,435 27.68% 579 3.73% 78 Morgan 69.81% 3,032 27.33% 1,187 2.85% 124 Obion 53.99% 5,063 43.21% 4,052 2.80% 263 Overton 58.68% 3,088 39.24% 2,065 2.08% 109 Perry 55.34% 1,057 41.83% 799 2.83% 54 Pickett 66.20% 1,428 31.66% 683 2.13% 46 Polk 64.86% 2,569 32.69% 1,295 2.45% 97 Putnam 69.83% 13,031 28.44% 5,306 1.73% 323 Rhea 76.06% 5,452 21.58% 1,547 2.35% 169 Roane 73.79% 11,523 23.74% 3,707 2.36% 385 Robertson 67.94% 12,151 30.28% 5,416 1.78% 318 Rutherford 68.77% 41,999 29.33% 17,912 1.89% 1,160 Scott 74.48% 3,522 23.41% 1,107 2.10% 100 Sequatchie 70.74% 2,497 24.37% 966 1.89% 96 Sevier 84.01% 16,592 13.63% 2,692 2.36% 467 Shelby 46.74% 107,227 51.86% 118,977 1.39% 3,200 Smith 58.36% 3,369 39.67% 2,290 1.98% 114 Stewart 54.91% 2,120 43.05% 707 2.04% 79 Sullivan 77.44% 30,529 21.20% 8,359 1.36% 535 Sumner 73.17% 32,543 26.12% 13,672 2.31% 1,209 Tipton 68.63% 10,880 29.69% 4,706 1.69% 267 Trousdale 56.06% 1,170 41.93% 875 2.01% 42 Unicoi 75.48% 3,334 22.66% 1.001 1.85% 82 Union 75.15% 2,861 22.83% 869 2.02% 77 Van Buren 57.29% 931 40.25% 654 2.46% 40 Warren 59.61% 5,745 37.77% 3,640 2.62% 253 Washington 76.95% 22,403 21.63% 6,296 1.42% 415 Wayne 73.26% 2,606 25.13% 894 1.60% 57 Weakley 51.76% 4,891 46.49% 4,393 1.74% 165 White 64.94% 4,542 32.31% 2,260 2.75% 192 Williamson 80.06% 48,518 18.29% 11,085 1.65% 1,000 Wilson 72.88% 25,217 25.21% 8,724 1.91% 659

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee 2010 Tennessee elections

References

External links Tennessee Department of State – Elections Tennessee Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart Campaign contributions for 2010 Tennessee Governor from Follow the Money Tennessee Governor 2010 from OurCampaigns.com 2010 Tennessee General Election graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com Election 2010: Tennessee Governor from Rasmussen Reports 2010 Tennessee Governor – Haslam vs. McWherter from Real Clear Politics 2010 Tennessee Governor's Race from CQ Politics Race Profile in The New York Times Debates Tennessee Gubernatorial Debate, July 12, 2010, C-SPAN Tennessee Gubernatorial Debate, October 9, 2010, C-SPAN Tennessee Gubernatorial Debate including independent candidates on IRN, May 23, 2010 Official campaign websites (Archived) Bill Haslam for Governor Mike McWherter for Governor Samuel David Duck for Governor James Reesor for Governor Carl "Two Feathers" Whitaker for Governor