The 2010 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. Incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen was term-limited, and is 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.
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Turnout | 41.32% [1] 8.65 pp | ||||||||||||||||
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County results Haslam: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% McWherter: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The primary election was held on August 5, 2010, with Haslam and McWherter winning their respective parties' nominations.[2]
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.[3] Ever since this election, Republicans have maintained their trifecta.
News organizations The Cook Political Report,[4] CQ Politics,[5] and The New York Times[6] rated the gubernatorial election as leaning Republican, while The Rothenberg Political Report rated it as "Republican favored,"[7] RealClearPolitics[8] and Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] as "Likely Republican", and Rasmussen Reports as "Solid Republican."[10]
A recorded debate featuring 3 of the candidates, organized by campaign coordinator James Crenshaw, was held at the Scarett-Benett Center in Nashville, TN.[11]
Poll source | Dates administered | Bill Haslam |
Ron Ramsey |
Zach Wamp |
Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mason-Dixon | July 19–21, 2010 | 36% | 20% | 25% | 17% |
WSMV TV Channel 4 | July 8, 2010 | 32% | 11% | 21% | 36% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Haslam | 341,229 | 47.3 | |
Republican | Zach Wamp | 210,332 | 29.2 | |
Republican | Ron Ramsey | 158,960 | 22.1 | |
Republican | Joe Kirkpatrick | 6,775 | 0.9 | |
Republican | Basil Marceaux | 3,508 | 0.5 | |
Total votes | 720,804 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike McWherter | 284,894 | 100.00% | |
Total votes | 284,894 | 100.00% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Cook Political Report[30] | Safe R (flip) | October 14, 2010 |
Rothenberg[31] | Safe R (flip) | October 28, 2010 |
RealClearPolitics[32] | Safe R (flip) | November 1, 2010 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[33] | Likely R (flip) | October 28, 2010 |
CQ Politics[34] | Lean R (flip) | October 28, 2010 |
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% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Haslam | 1,041,545 | 65.03% | +35.83% | |
Democratic | Mike McWherter | 529,851 | 33.08% | -35.24% | |
Independent | Carl Twofeathers Whitaker | 6,536 | 0.41% | N/A | |
Independent | Brandon Dodds | 4,728 | 0.29% | N/A | |
Independent | Bayron Binkley | 4,663 | 0.29% | N/A | |
Independent | June Griffin | 2,587 | 0.16% | N/A | |
Independent | Linda Kay Perry | 2,057 | 0.13% | N/A | |
Independent | Howard M. Switzer | 1,887 | 0.12% | N/A | |
Independent | Samuel David Duck | 1,755 | 0.11% | N/A | |
Independent | Thomas Smith II | 1,207 | 0.07% | N/A | |
Independent | Toni K. Hall | 993 | 0.06% | N/A | |
Independent | David Gatchell | 859 | 0.05% | N/A | |
Independent | Boyce T. McCall | 828 | 0.05% | N/A | |
Independent | James Reesor | 809 | 0.05% | N/A | |
Independent | Mike Knois | 600 | 0.03% | N/A | |
Independent | Donald Ray McFolin | 583 | 0.03% | N/A | |
Independent | Write-Ins (3 candidates) | 61 | 0.003% | N/A | |
Majority | 511,694 | 32.21% | -6.64% | ||
Turnout | 1,601,567 | ||||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing |
County[36] | Bill Haslam Republican |
Mike McWherter Democratic |
Other votes | Total 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 |
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