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This is the 2018 race. The latest: 2026 →

2018Final results

2018 election for Tennessee Governor

Governor · Tennessee

Bill Lee (R) won with 59.6% of the vote, defeating Karl Dean (D) by 21.0 points.

Bill LeeRepublican · winner
59.6%1,336,106
Karl DeanDemocrat
38.6%864,863
Sherry L. ClarkOther party
0.2%5,198
Mark WrightOther party
0.2%4,687
Patrick WhitlockOther party
0.2%3,631
Yvonne NeubertOther party
0.1%3,070
Heather ScottOther party
0.1%2,969
Mark Coonrippy BrownOther party
0.1%2,841
Joe B. WilmothOther party
0.1%2,444
George Blackwell Smith IVOther party
0.1%1,550
Cory KingOther party
0.1%1,502
Tracy C. Yaste TisdaleOther party
0.1%1,396
Justin CornettOther party
0.1%1,217
Chad RidenOther party
0.0%1,096
Robert Sawyers Sr.Other party
0.0%1,059
Vinnie VineyardOther party
0.0%1,012
Rick TylerOther party
0.0%981
Gabriel FancherOther party
0.0%869
Sean Bruce FlemingOther party
0.0%814
Alfred Shawn RapozaOther party
0.0%800
Jessie D. McDonaldOther party
0.0%755
Toney Randall MitchellOther party
0.0%739
Mike ToewsOther party
0.0%726
Matthew KochOther party
0.0%652
Jeremy Allen StephensonOther party
0.0%613
Tommy Ray McAnallyOther party
0.0%609
Jaron D. WeidnerOther party
0.0%588
William Andrew HelmstetterOther party
0.0%496
Eddie MurphyOther party
0.0%11
2,243,294 votes

Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Oct 1, 2026, 6:17 AM ET

The seat over time

D − R margin in this seat's races around 2018

Races before and after

EvenD+39.52006R+32.62010R+47.52014R+21.02018R+32.02022R+2.52026

Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Oct 1, 2026, 6:17 AM ET

The candidates

Bill Lee (R)Karl Dean (D)

Also on the ballot: Sherry L. Clark (Other party), 0.2%; Mark Wright (Other party), 0.2%; Patrick Whitlock (Other party), 0.2%; Yvonne Neubert (Other party), 0.1%; Heather Scott (Other party), 0.1%; Mark Coonrippy Brown (Other party), 0.1%; Joe B. Wilmoth (Other party), 0.1%; George Blackwell Smith IV (Other party), 0.1%; Cory King (Other party), 0.1%; Tracy C. Yaste Tisdale (Other party), 0.1%; Justin Cornett (Other party), 0.1%; Chad Riden (Other party), 0.0%; Robert Sawyers Sr. (Other party), 0.0%; Vinnie Vineyard (Other party), 0.0%; Rick Tyler (Other party), 0.0%; Gabriel Fancher (Other party), 0.0%; Sean Bruce Fleming (Other party), 0.0%; Alfred Shawn Rapoza (Other party), 0.0%; Jessie D. McDonald (Other party), 0.0%; Toney Randall Mitchell (Other party), 0.0%; Mike Toews (Other party), 0.0%; Matthew Koch (Other party), 0.0%; Jeremy Allen Stephenson (Other party), 0.0%; Tommy Ray McAnally (Other party), 0.0%; Jaron D. Weidner (Other party), 0.0%; William Andrew Helmstetter (Other party), 0.0%; Eddie Murphy (Other party), 0.0%