The 2020 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 3, 2020, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate. The 2020 U.S. presidential election and elections to the U.S. House of Representatives were also held, as well as the State Senate and State House elections. Incumbent Republican Senator Lamar Alexander announced that he would not run for re-election on December 17, 2018. The former United States Ambassador to Japan, Bill Hagerty won the open seat by a large margin defeating his Democratic opponent Marquita Bradshaw.
In the primary, President Donald Trump endorsed Hagerty. He ended up winning the Republican nomination, defeating orthopedic surgeon Manny Sethi and 13 others in the Republican primary. In the Democratic primary, environmental activist Marquita Bradshaw from Memphis defeated Robin Kimbrough Hayes, as well as three other candidates. Nine independent candidates also appeared on the general election ballot.
Bill Hagerty outperformed Donald Trump by nearly four percentage points during the general election, a gap largely attributed to his stronger performance in suburban areas across Tennessee. Hagerty ran particularly well in the suburbs of Nashville, including Forest Hills, Belle Meade, Oak Hill, Franklin, Hendersonville, and Murfreesboro. He also exceeded Trump’s margins in suburban Memphis communities, most notably Germantown and Collierville as well as other surrounding suburbs. Bradshaw later ran for Tennessee's other U.S. Senate seat in 2024 and lost the Democratic primary.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Bill Hagerty, businessman, former United States Ambassador to Japan and former Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Eliminated in the primary Cliff Adkins Natisha Brooks Byron Bush, dentist Roy Dale Cope, small business owner and pharmacist Terry Dicus, attorney Tom Emerson Jr., Tea Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 George Flinn Jr., former Shelby County commissioner, Nixon Administration Official, physician, engineer, businessman, and Republican candidate in Tennessee's 8th congressional district in 2016 and 2018 Jon Henry, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kent Morrell, business owner Glen Neal Jr., retired public servant John Osborne, real estate agent and business owner Aaron Pettigrew, truck driver David Schuster, U.S. Navy veteran Manny Sethi, orthopedic surgeon, director of the Vanderbilt Orthopedic Institute Center for Health Policy and founder and president of the non-profit Healthy Tennessee
Disqualified from the primary ballot Jim Elkins, Republican candidate for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district in 2020 Johnny Presley, retired physician's assistant, hospital and clinic owner, farmer
Withdrawn Clyde Benson, army veteran and Republican candidate for District 39 of the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2016 Larry Crim Josh Gapp, physician (unsuccessfully ran for TN-01) Garrett "Lance" Nichols Stokes Nielson, music industry executive and guitarist for the Lost Trailers
Declined Lamar Alexander, incumbent U.S. senator Mae Beavers, former state senator (endorsed Sethi) Diane Black, former U.S. representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district and candidate for governor in 2018 Randy Boyd, former Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, candidate for governor in 2018, and President of the University of Tennessee system Bob Corker, former U.S. senator Stephen Fincher, former U.S. representative for Tennessee's 8th congressional district and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018 Chuck Fleischmann, U.S. representative for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district Mark E. Green, U.S. representative for Tennessee's 7th congressional district and former state senator Tre Hargett, Tennessee Secretary of State Beth Harwell, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives and candidate for governor in 2018 Bill Haslam, former governor of Tennessee David Kustoff, U.S. representative for Tennessee's 8th congressional district and former U.S. Attorney Peyton Manning, retired NFL quarterback Jeff Webb, businessman (endorsed Sethi)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error George Flinn Bill Hagerty Manny Sethi Other UndecidedJMC Analytics and PollingJMC Analytics and Polling July 18–19, 2020 600 (LV) ± 4.0%5%36%32%9%20%The Trafalgar GroupThe Trafalgar Group July 6–8, 2020 1,062 (LV) ± 2.92%4%42%39%2%13%Victory PhonesVictory Phones June 30 – July 1, 2020 800 (LV) ± 3.46%6%33%31% –30%The Tarrance GroupThe Tarrance Group June 28–30, 2020 651 (LV) ± 4.0%5%46%29%2%18%Victory Phones June 2, 2020 – – –27%11% –
+ Mark Green vs. Bill Haslam Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Mark Green Bill Haslam UndecidedTriton/Tennessee StarTriton/Tennessee StarApril 13–16, 20191,003 (LV)± 3.1%30%39% ≈30%
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Marquita Bradshaw, environmentalist
Eliminated in the primary Gary G. Davis, small business owner, baker, pilot, and perennial candidate Robin Kimbrough Hayes, attorney and Christian minister James Mackler, attorney, U.S. Army veteran and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018 Mark Pickrell, entrepreneur, attorney and Baptist deacon
Disqualified from the primary ballot Tharon Chandler, journalist, economist, and conservationist
Withdrawn Diana C. Onyejiaka, college professor and consultant
Declined Andy Berke, incumbent mayor of Chattanooga and former state senator Phil Bredesen, former mayor of Nashville and Governor of Tennessee and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018 (endorsed James Mackler) John Ray Clemmons, state representative and candidate for Mayor of Nashville in 2019 Karl Dean, former mayor of Nashville and nominee for Governor of Tennessee in 2018 Sara Kyle, incumbent state senator Tim McGraw, singer-songwriter Jason Powell, state representative, real estate agent, non-profit manager Madeline Rogero, former mayor of Knoxville Renata Soto, executive director of Conexión Américas Jeff Yarbro, minority leader of the Tennessee State Senate
Endorsements
Results
Independents Declared Yomi Faparusi, physician, attorney, researcher, and former Republican candidate for Tennessee's 4th congressional district in 2014 and 2016 Jeffrey Grunau, activist Ronnie Henley, Dean Hill, US veteran, former federal employee, and activist Steven Hooper Aaron James Elizabeth McLeod, conservative activist Eric William Stansberry
Withdrawn Tom Kovach, attorney Kacey Morgan, freelancer and operations director (endorsed Marquita Bradshaw) (remained on ballot)
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report October 29, 2020 Inside Elections October 28, 2020 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 2, 2020Daily Kos November 30, 2020PoliticoNovember 2, 2020RCPOctober 23, 2020DDHQNovember 3, 2020538November 2, 2020EconomistNovember 2, 2020
Post-primary endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillHagerty (R) MarquitaBradshaw (D) Other UndecidedSwayableSwayable October 23 – November 1, 2020431 (LV)± 6.2%61%39% – –CygnalCygnalOctober 20–22, 2020610 (LV)± 3.97%56%36%1%7%
with Bill Hagerty and James Mackler Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillHagerty (R) JamesMackler (D) UndecidedMason-DixonMason-DixonJanuary 28–30, 2020625 (RV)± 4%55%33%12% with Manny Sethi and James Mackler Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MannySethi (R) JamesMackler (D) UndecidedMason-DixonJanuary 28–30, 2020625 (RV)± 4%46%35%19%
with Generic Republican and Generic Democrat Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican GenericDemocrat UndecidedCygnalOctober 20–22, 2020610 (LV)± 3.97%58%38%4%East Tennessee State UniversityEast Tennessee State University April 22 – May 1, 2020536 (LV) –43%26%31%
Results
By county