Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Democratic
Governor Phil Bredesen
was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Knoxville
mayor Bill Haslam
, the Republican Party
nominee, defeated Democratic Party nominee Mike McWherter.
Non-partisan organizations The Cook Political Report, CQ Politics
, and The New York Times
rate the gubernatorial election as leaning Republican, while The Rothenberg Political Report
rates it as "Republican favored," RealClearPolitics
and Sabato's Crystal Ball
as "Likely Republican," and Rasmussen Reports
as "Solid Republican."
Debates
Official campaign websites
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor Phil Bredesen
Phil Bredesen
Philip Norman "Phil" Bredesen Jr. was the 48th Governor of Tennessee, serving from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected Governor in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006. He previously served as the fourth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County from 1991 to...
was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
mayor Bill Haslam
Bill Haslam
William Edward "Bill" Haslam is the 49th and current Governor of Tennessee. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam was elected to office in 2010...
, the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee, defeated Democratic Party nominee Mike McWherter.
Non-partisan organizations The Cook Political Report, CQ Politics
Congressional Quarterly
Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
, and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
rate the gubernatorial election as leaning Republican, while The Rothenberg Political Report
Stuart Rothenberg
Stuart Rothenberg is an American editor, publisher, and political analyst best known for his Washington-based, biweekly, self-proclaimed non-partisan political newsletter The Rothenberg Political Report...
rates it as "Republican favored," RealClearPolitics
RealClearPolitics
RealClearPolitics is a political news and polling data aggregator based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity." They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias, and...
and Sabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races...
as "Likely Republican," and Rasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
as "Solid Republican."
Candidates
- Mike McWherterMike McWherterMichael Ray "Mike" McWherter is a lawyer, businessman and politician in the U.S. state of Tennessee. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Tennessee gubernatorial race.-Early life, education and career:...
, businessman, former attorney, son of former Governor Ned McWherterNed McWherterNed Ray McWherter was an American politician who served as the 46th Governor of Tennessee from 1987 to 1995. He was a Democrat.McWherter was born in Palmersville, Weakley County, Tennessee...
Candidates
- Bill HaslamBill HaslamWilliam Edward "Bill" Haslam is the 49th and current Governor of Tennessee. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam was elected to office in 2010...
, Mayor of KnoxvilleKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... - Joe Kirkpatrick, businessman Withdrew from race
- Basil MarceauxBasil MarceauxBasil Marceaux, Sr. is an American who has on multiple occasions been a candidate for state and federal public office in Tennessee....
- Ron RamseyRon RamseyRonald Lynn "Ron" Ramsey is the Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee and Speaker of the State Senate. A Republican from Blountville in East Tennessee, Ramsey succeeded long-term Democratic Lieutenant Governor John S...
, Lieutenant Governor - Zach WampZach WampZachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, U.S. Representative, 3rd districtTennessee's 3rd congressional districtThe 3rd Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district in Tennessee. It currently includes a north-south strip in the eastern part of the state. Current Republican Representative Chuck Fleischmann has served since 2011....
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Bill Haslam | Zach Wamp | Ron Ramsey | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon | July 19–21, 2010 | 36% | 25% | 20% | 17% |
| WSMV TV Channel 4 | July 8, 2010 | 32% | 21% | 11% | 36% |
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 Whitaker, Native American Indian Movement chief
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Mike McWherter (D) |
Bill Haslam (R) |
Other | Unde- cided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTSU (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
External links
- Tennessee Department of State - Elections
- Tennessee Governor Candidates at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- 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 ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
- 2010 Tennessee Governor - Haslam vs. McWherter from Real Clear Politics
- 2010 Tennessee Governor's Race from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Race Profile in The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Debates
- Tennessee Gubernatorial Debate on C-SPANC-SPANC-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, July 12, 2010 - Tennessee Gubernatorial Debate including independent candidates on IRN, May 23, 2010
Official campaign websites