Tennessee's politics are currently dominated by the Republican Party. Republicans currently hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats, a majority of Congressional seats, and the state legislature. Democratic strength is largely concentrated in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga and parts of Knoxville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro and Jackson. Several rural Black Belt areas of West Tennessee and suburban areas of the Nashville/Murfreesboro, Chattanooga and Knoxville metropolitan areas also contain significant Democratic minorities. On the other hand, Republicans have a solid base of support in Cookeville and its suburbs, most exurban areas around Nashville except in Rutherford County and Franklin, most suburbs of Memphis, the Tri-Cities outside of Johnson City itself and most majority rural areas, regularly outperforming even their statewide results there.
Table The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Tennessee: Governor
The table also indicates the historical party composition in the: State Senate State House of Representatives State delegation to the U.S. Senate State delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives
For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's nominees received the state's electoral votes.
YearExecutive officeState LegislatureUnited States CongressElectoral College votesGovernorState SenateState HouseU.S. Senator (Class I)U.S. Senator (Class II)U.S. House1790William Blount James White 1791179217931794DR majority17951796John Sevier William Cocke William Blount Andrew Jackson Thomas Jefferson/Aaron Burr 1797Andrew Jackson Joseph Anderson William C. C.Claiborne 1798DR majorityDaniel Smith 1799DR majorityJoseph Anderson William Cocke 1800Thomas Jefferson/Aaron Burr 1801Archibald Roane DR majorityWilliam Dickson 18021803John Sevier 3DR1804Thomas Jefferson/George Clinton 1805DR majorityDR majorityDaniel Smith 18061807DR majority1808James Madison/George Clinton 1809Willie Blount DR majorityF majorityJenkin Whiteside 18101811DR majorityDR majorityGeorge W. Campbell 1812James Madison/Elbridge Gerry 1813DR majorityDR majority6DR1814Jesse Wharton 1815Joseph McMinn DR majorityDR majorityGeorge W. Campbell John Williams 1816James Monroe/Daniel D. Tompkins 1817DR majorityDR majority1818John Eaton 1819DR majorityDR majority18201821William Carroll DR majorityDR majority5DR, 1 vac.18221823DR majorityDR majorityAndrew Jackson 9DR1824Andrew Jackson /John C. Calhoun 1825NR majorityJohn Eaton Andrew Jackson 9JHugh Lawson White 18261827Sam Houston J majority8J, 1NR1828Andrew Jackson/John C. Calhoun 1829NR majorityWilliam Hall NR majorityFelix Grundy William Carroll 18301831NR majorityJ majority1832Andrew Jackson/Martin Van Buren 1833J majorityJ majority12J, 1NR18341835Newton Cannon NR majorityJ majorityHugh Lawson White 9NR, 4J1836NR majorityNR majorityHugh Lawson White/John Tyler 1837Felix Grundy Hugh Lawson White 10W, 3D183818W, 7D46W, 25D, 4?vacantEphraim H. Foster 1839James K. Polk Felix Grundy 7W, 6D184014D, 11W42D, 33WAlexander O. Anderson William Henry Harrison/John Tyler 1841James C. Jones Alfred O. P. Nicholson vacant8W, 5D184213D, 12W39W, 36D1843Ephraim H. Foster Spencer Jarnagin 6D, 5W184414W, 11D40W, 35DHenry Clay/Theodore Frelinghuysen 1845Aaron V. Brown Hopkins L. Turney 184613D, 12W39D, 36W1847Neill S. Brown John Bell 184813W, 12D41W, 34DZachary Taylor/Millard Fillmore 1849William Trousdale 7D, 4W185014D, 11W39D, 36W1851William B. Campbell James C. Jones 185216W, 9D39W, 36DWinfield Scott/William Alexander Graham 1853Andrew Johnson 5D, 5W185413D, 12KN44W, 31D6W, 4D18555D, 5KN185614KN, 11D38KN, 37DJames Buchanan/John C. Breckinridge 1857Isham G. Harris Andrew Johnson John Bell 7D, 3KN185818D, 7KN42D, 33KN1859Alfred O. P. Nicholson 7O, 3D186014D, 11O41D, 34OJohn Bell/Edward Everett 18613U, 7 vac.1862American Civil WarAndrew JohnsonAmerican Civil War18631864Abraham Lincoln/Andrew Johnson 1865Edward H. East Parson Brownlow 186625R79R, 4DDavid T. Patterson Joseph S. Fowler 8U1867David T. Patterson Joseph S. Fowler 8R186883RUlysses S. Grant/Schuyler Colfax 1869Dewitt Clinton Senter Parson Brownlow 187020D, 5R66D, 17R1871John C. Brown 22D, 3R63D, 12RHenry Cooper 6D, 2R1872Thomas A. Hendricks/B. Gratz Brown 187318D, 7R49D, 26R7R, 3D18741875James D. Porter 23D, 2R70D, 5RAndrew Johnson 9D, 1RDavid M. Key 1876Samuel J. Tilden/Thomas A. Hendricks 187720D, 5R59D, 16RJames E. Bailey Isham G. Harris 8D, 2R18781879Albert S. Marks 22D, 3R61D, 14R9D, 1R1880Winfield Scott Hancock andWilliam Hayden English 1881Alvin Hawkins 15D, 10R37R, 37D, 1GBHowell E. Jackson 7D, 3R18821883William B. Bate 27D, 6R71D, 28R8D, 2R1884Grover Cleveland/Thomas A. Hendricks 188522D, 11R81D, 18R7D, 3R1886Washington C.Whitthorne 1887Robert Love Taylor 21D, 12R63D, 36RWilliam B. Bate 8D, 2R1888Grover Cleveland/Allen G. Thurman 188923D, 10R69D, 30R7D, 3R18901891John P. Buchanan 25D, 8R79D, 20R8D, 2R1892Grover Cleveland/Adlai Stevenson I 1893Peter Turney 25D, 6R, 1Pop, 1I68D, 26R, 5Pop1894189521D, 10R, 1Pop, 1U60D, 32R, 7Pop6D, 4R1896William Jennings Bryan/Arthur Sewall 1897Robert Love Taylor 24D, 9R63D, 32R, 4Pop8D, 2RThomas B. Turley 18981899Benton McMillin 25D, 8R77D, 22R1900William Jennings Bryan/Adlai Stevenson I 190127D, 5R, 1ID76D, 23REdward W. Carmack 19021903James B. Frazier 28D, 5R83D, 16R1904Alton B. Parker/Henry G. Davis 190580D, 19RJohn I. Cox James B. Frazier 19061907Malcolm R. Patterson 27D, 6R78D, 21RRobert Love Taylor 1908William Jennings Bryan/John W. Kern 190928D, 5R77D, 22R19101911Ben W. Hooper 21D, 7R, 4RD, 1I74D, 25RLuke Lea 1912Newell Sanders Woodrow Wilson/Thomas R. Marshall 191316D, 6R, 6RD, 5ID52D, 27R, 20IWilliam R. Webb John K. Shields 19141915Thomas Clark Rye 26D, 7R72D, 27R1916191727D, 6RKenneth McKellar 19181919Albert H. Roberts 26D, 7R1920Warren G. Harding/Calvin Coolidge 1921Alfred A. Taylor 24D, 9R66D, 32R, 1I5D, 5R19221923Austin Peay 28D, 5R76D, 23R8D, 2R1924John W. Davis/Charles W. Bryan 192529D, 4RLawrence Tyson 19261927Henry Hollis Horton 28D, 5R80D, 19R1928Herbert Hoover/Charles Curtis 192925D, 8R72D, 27RWilliam E. Brock 1930193128D, 5R83D, 16RCordell Hull 1932Franklin D. Roosevelt/John Nance Garner 1933Hill McAlister 29D, 4R81D, 18RNathan L. Bachman 7D, 2R1934193528D, 5R19361937Gordon Browning 29D, 4RGeorge L. Berry 19381939Prentice Cooper 83D, 16RTom Stewart 1940Franklin D. Roosevelt/Henry A. Wallace 19411942194330D, 3R78D, 20R, 1I8D, 2R1944Franklin D. Roosevelt/Harry S. Truman 1945Jim Nance McCord 28D, 5R75D, 24R1946194729D, 4R82D, 17R1948Harry S. Truman/Alben W. Barkley 1949Gordon Browning 80D, 19REstes Kefauver 195019511952Dwight D. Eisenhower/Richard Nixon 1953Frank G. Clement 28D, 5R81D, 18RAlbert Gore Sr. 7D, 2R1954195580D, 19R1956195727D, 6R78D, 21R19581959Buford Ellington 28D, 5R82D, 17R1960Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. 196127D, 6R81D, 18R19621963Frank G. Clement 78D, 21RHerbert S. Walters 6D, 3R1964Lyndon B. Johnson/Hubert Humphrey 196525D, 8R74D, 25RRoss Bass 19661967Buford Ellington 58D, 41RHoward Baker 5D, 4R1968Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew 196920D, 13R49R, 49D, 1I197021D, 12R1971Winfield Dunn 19D, 13R, 1A56D, 43RBill Brock 1972197351D, 48R5R, 3D19741975Ray Blanton 20D, 12R, 1I63D, 35R, 1I5D, 3R1976Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale 197723D, 9R, 1I66D, 32R, 1IJim Sasser 19781979Lamar Alexander 20D, 12R, 1I60D, 38R, 1I1980Ronald Reagan/George H. W. Bush 198158D, 39R, 2I198221D, 11R, 1I198360D, 38R, 1I6D, 3R198422D, 11R198523D, 10R62D, 37RAl Gore 19861987Ned McWherter 61D, 38R1988George H. W. Bush/Dan Quayle 198922D, 11R59D, 40R1990199120D, 13R55D, 44R1992Bill Clinton/Al Gore 199319D, 14R64D, 35RHarlan Mathews 19941995Don Sundquist 18D, 15R59D, 40RBill Frist Fred Thompson 5R, 4D199617R, 16D199718D, 15R61D, 38R1998199959D, 40R2000George W. Bush/Dick Cheney 200118D, 15R58D, 41R20022003Phil Bredesen 54D, 45RLamar Alexander 5D, 4R2004200517R, 16D53D, 46R200618R, 15D200717R, 16DBob Corker 16R, 16D, 1I2008John McCain/Sarah Palin 200919R, 14D50R, 49D49R, 49D, 1CCR201050R, 48D, 1I2011Bill Haslam 20R, 13D64R, 34D, 1I7R, 2D2012Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan 201326R, 7D71R, 27D, 1I201472R, 26D, 1I201528R, 5D73R, 26D2016Donald Trump/Mike Pence 201774R, 25D20182019Bill Lee 73R, 26DMarsha Blackburn 2020Donald Trump/Mike Pence 202127R, 6DBill Hagerty 2022202375R, 24D8R, 1D2024Donald Trump/JD Vance 20252026
Political history of Tennessee Pre-Civil War In 1789, the new United States designated this area as the "Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio." Even though Tennessee was not yet a state, some government was organized to administer the territory. William Blount was appointed as the first official governor of Tennessee, James White became the state's first representative in Congress, and Tennessee's political party history under European Americans was started. The majority party in Tennessee began as the Democratic-Republican party and operated until 1828. That year it was dissolved and the Democratic Party was formed.
From 1828, control of Tennessee state government alternated initially between the Democratic Party and the on. Whig Party in opposition. It later became the Republican Party, shortly before the American Civil War began in 1861. While these two parties fought for the majority during these years, the Know-Nothing Party, Unionist Party, and Constitutional Party were also active in the state. Their representatives were elected to state government, but did not dominate it. The politics of Middle and Western Tennessee were dominated by planters and slaveholders, especially the major planters in the western Delta area of Memphis and environs near the Mississippi River. Overseeing a large population of enslaved African Americans, planters voted to secede at the time of the Civil War in order to protect slavery, which was profitable for them and the commodity crop of cotton. Eastern Tennessee, by contrast, had a population with higher representation of white yeomen and subsistence farmers and artisans. They supported the Union during the Civil War and resisted secession.
Civil War to WWII From the Civil War until World War II, Tennessee was controlled by the Democratic Party, made up of conservative whites in the state, especially of the planter and former slaveholding class. Together with other white Democratic Southerners in Congress, they formed a voting block known as the Solid South. Based on the seniority rules of the time and their virtually unrestricted control of seats from Southern states by having disenfranchised most African American at the turn of the century, senior Congressmen and Senators from the South controlled chairmanships of important committees, strongly influencing national policy. During the Great Depression, they limited benefits for African Americans in the South.
World War II to present day During the period from 1939 until about 1970, the conservative whites of the Democratic party in Tennessee largely controlled the state politically. A minority of Republican voters were dominant in the eastern part of the state, which had favored the Union during the Civil War. But the state had been more competitive between its two parties than others in the South, as more blacks had retained their ability to vote and supported the Republican Party into the early 20th century.
From 1928 through 2004, with the exception of 1960, Tennessee voted for the winner of the Electoral College in races for President of the United States. This made the Volunteer State one of the few Bellwether states in the traditional South.