Green Wins Rutherford County Over Blackburn
Democrat Jerri Green carried Rutherford County in Tennessee's 2026 gubernatorial election while Republican Marsha Blackburn won the statewide race.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Political Parties
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Democrat Jerri Green won Rutherford County in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election with 49.5% of the vote, ahead of Republican Marsha Blackburn at 40.8%. Blackburn went on to win the gubernatorial race statewide.
Why it matters
The county result marks a shift from 2024, when Donald Trump carried Rutherford County by 22 percentage points over Kamala Harris, and shows how local voting patterns diverged from the statewide outcome. Green's strength in populous precincts contrasted with Blackburn's performance in outlying rural areas.
Green received 49.5% of the Rutherford County vote, Blackburn 40.8%, Independent David Hatley 7.6%, and Independent Lauren Pinkston 1.2%. The county's 2024 presidential margin was 22 points for Trump, a much wider gap than Green's 9-point county result.
The players
Jerri Green
Jerri Green is the Democratic candidate who won Rutherford County in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election.
Marsha Blackburn
Marsha Blackburn is the Republican candidate who won the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election statewide, after serving as a United States senator from Tennessee.
The details
Green won most precincts in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne and along the I-24 corridor, while Blackburn performed best in the county's outlying rural areas. Harris had prevailed in five precincts in 2024, including those surrounding MTSU, Smyrna and La Vergne.
Timeline
2024: Trump defeated Harris by 22 points in Rutherford County.
November 3, 2026: Tennessee election held and results reported.
November 3, 2026, around 10 p.m.: Blackburn claimed victory at a Nashville watch party.
Political Context
Rutherford County's swing from a 22-point Trump margin in 2024 to a 9-point Green margin in 2026 marks a sharp departure from the county's recent partisan baseline. The statewide Republican win shows the contrast between a suburban county and the rest of Tennessee.
The result shows Tennessee voters in suburban counties such as Rutherford may hold views that differ from the statewide outcome. Residents following county and state politics can track how party strength is changing across the state's precincts.
The takeaway
Rutherford County's split from the statewide result shows that local precinct data can reveal patterns that statewide totals obscure.
Further reading
Explore more on Political Parties to see how party coalitions are shaping Tennessee's electoral map.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MTSU Sidelines.
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