The 2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Bill Haslam was re-elected to a second term with 70.3% of the vote, defeating his Democratic challenger Charles Brown. Improving on his performance from 2010, Haslam also carried every county in the state. It was the largest margin of victory for any candidate in the 2014 gubernatorial elections.

The primary elections took place on August 7, 2014, with Republican Bill Haslam and Democrat Charles Brown winning their respective party nominations.

With no political experience, Charles Brown campaigned on raising speed limits on the interstate highways to 80 mph and putting the Bible back in schools. Some of the Tennessee Democratic Party members became concerned over Brown's candidacy when he said in an interview that he would like to put Bill Haslam in an electric chair and "turn it on about half throttle and let him smell a little bit."

Haslam, on the other hand, campaigned on jobs, economic development, education reform, workforce development, and conservative fiscal leadership.

As of 2026, this was the best performance in a Tennessee gubernatorial election since Buford Ellington's victory in 1966. This was also the last time a Republican candidate has won Davidson and Shelby counties in a statewide election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

Results by county Haslam 70–80%80–90%>90%
Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanBill Haslam (incumbent)570,99787.68%
RepublicanMark "Coonrippy" Brown44,1656.78%
RepublicanDonald Ray McFolin22,9683.53%
RepublicanBasil Marceaux, Sr.13,1172.01%
Total votes651,247100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Removed from ballot

Declined

Results

Results by county:Brown 30–40%40–50%50–60%McKamey 30–40% 40–50%50–60%60–70%
Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticCharles V. "Charlie" Brown95,11441.71%
DemocraticWm. H. "John" McKamey59,20025.96%
DemocraticKennedy Spellman Johnson55,71824.44%
DemocraticRon Noonan17,9937.89%
Total votes228,025100.00%

Independents and Third Parties

Candidates

Declared

Removed from ballot

  • Jondavid Balunek (Independent)
  • J. D. Ellis (Independent)

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political ReportSolid RNovember 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal BallSafe RNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political ReportSafe RNovember 3, 2014
Real Clear PoliticsSafe RNovember 3, 2014

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s) administeredSample sizeMargin of errorBill Haslam (R)Charles Brown (D)OtherUndecided
CBS News/NYT/YouGovOctober 16–23, 2014974± 5%58%30%2%11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGovSeptember 20–October 1, 20141,007± 4%60%28%1%11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGovAugust 18–September 2, 20141,056± 4%56%29%4%11%
Rasmussen ReportsAugust 11–12, 2014750± 3%55%30%6%9%
Poll sourceDate(s) administeredSample sizeMargin of errorBill Haslam (R)John McKamey (D)OtherUndecided
CBS News/NYT/YouGovJuly 5–24, 20141,460± 5.4%55%32%4%9%
Rasmussen ReportsApril 29–30, 2014750± 4%57%27%5%11%

Results

2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanBill Haslam (incumbent)951,79670.31%+5.28%
DemocraticCharles Brown309,23722.84%−10.24%
IndependentJohn Jay Hooker30,5792.26%N/A
ConstitutionShaun Crowell26,5801.96%N/A
GreenIsa Infante18,5701.37%N/A
IndependentSteve Coburn8,6120.64%N/A
IndependentDaniel Lewis8,3210.62%N/A
n/aWrite-ins330.00%0.00%
Total votes1,353,728100.00%N/A
Republican hold

By county

By county
CountyBill Haslam RepublicanCharles Brown DemocraticOther votesTotal votes % # % # % # Anderson75.27%13,36717.86%3,1716.87%1,22017,758 Bedford75.98%5,65316.49%1,2277.53%5607,440 Benton64.73%2,41526.56%9918.71%3253,731 Bledsoe69.41%1,78624.10%6206.49%1672,573 Blount79.75%23,65314.06%4,1716.19%1,83629,660 Bradley83.19%16,70912.59%2,5284.22%84820,085 Campbell77.42%4,98117.80%1,1454.79%3086,434 Cannon71.37%1,97719.71%5468.92%2472,770 Carroll69.54%4,31323.06%1,4307.40%4596,202 Carter77.72%8,37614.20%1,5308.08%87110,777 Cheatham72.63%6,19118.01%1,5359.36%7988,524 Chester78.58%2,65915.07%5106.35%2153,384 Claiborne76.20%4,01517.99%9485.81%3065,269 Clay66.64%96326.16%3787.20%1041,445 Cocke78.30%5,61514.39%1,0327.31%5247,171 Coffee73.11%7,98618.38%2,0088.50%92910,923 Crockett75.84%2,22219.04%5585.12%1502,930 Cumberland79.01%12,97815.48%2,5435.51%90516,426 Davidson53.50%71,66135.41%47,43811.09%14,854133,953 Decatur71.29%1,63422.25%5106.46%1482,292 Dekalb67.85%2,42323.35%8348.79%3143,571 Dickson69.09%6,83023.24%2,2977.67%7589,885 Dyer77.75%5,71015.82%1,1626.43%4727,344 Fayette77.14%8,14118.72%1,9764.14%43710,554 Fentress73.20%2,37119.05%6177.75%2513,239 Franklin70.99%6,59521.77%2,0227.24%6739,290 Gibson70.31%7,81920.68%2,3009.00%1,00111,120 Giles70.94%3,92222.23%1,2296.84%3785,529 Grainger78.93%3,27415.31%6355.76%2394,148 Greene76.27%10,14615.92%2,1187.80%1,03813,302 Grundy64.83%1,55626.88%6458.29%1992,400 Hamblen80.98%8,97813.66%1,5155.36%59411,087 Hamilton71.26%56,75024.44%19,4624.31%3,42979,641 Hancock73.48%67618.04%1668.48%78920 Hardeman59.14%2,89137.01%1,8093.85%1884,888 Hardin80.12%4,04615.13%7644.75%2405,050 Hawkins79.77%8,73014.39%1,5755.84%63910,944 Haywood57.52%1,94039.76%1,3412.73%923,373 Henderson76.90%3,83615.84%7907.26%3624,988 Henry72.77%5,29721.06%1,5336.17%4497,279 Hickman69.18%2,95622.84%9767.98%3414,273 Houston56.11%1,00535.40%6348.49%1521,791 Humphreys60.18%2,51228.77%1,20111.04%4614,174 Jackson63.75%1,45126.85%6119.40%2142,276 Jefferson80.70%8,42313.13%1,3706.18%64510,438 Johnson78.30%2,54714.88%4846.82%2223,253 Knox77.05%78,57115.68%15,9867.28%7,419101,976 Lake54.08%62935.17%40910.75%1251,163 Lauderdale64.95%2,65229.41%1,2015.63%2304,083 Lawrence73.43%6,26419.70%1,6816.87%5868,531 Lewis71.07%1,85720.32%5318.61%2252,613 Lincoln75.70%4,72017.27%1,0777.02%4386,235 Loudon83.68%12,01511.21%1,6105.11%73414,359 Macon76.96%2,43615.27%4837.77%2463,165 Madison64.64%14,56329.47%6,6405.89%1,32822,531 Marion68.23%4,23327.16%1,6854.61%2866,204 Marshall72.06%4,27920.61%1,2247.33%4355,938 Maury69.26%12,79022.45%4,1458.29%1,53118,466 McMinn79.07%8,12016.11%1,6544.83%49610,270 McNairy75.14%4,01919.29%1,0325.57%2985,349 Meigs74.47%1,68319.42%4396.11%1382,260 Monroe77.10%7,56718.22%1,7884.69%4609,815 Montgomery69.45%20,18524.34%7,0736.21%1,80529,063 Moore73.16%1,14519.55%3067.28%1141,565 Morgan67.97%2,45326.66%9625.38%1943,609 Obion67.03%4,42820.72%1,36912.25%8096,606 Overton65.74%2,61325.79%1,0258.48%3373,975 Perry67.21%94523.26%3279.53%1341,406 Pickett71.63%1,15420.36%3288.01%1291,611 Polk71.35%2,50523.61%8295.04%1773,511 Putnam72.73%10,42519.03%2,7278.24%1,18114,333 Rhea81.00%4,79214.76%8734.24%2515,916 Roane76.91%10,31016.25%2,1786.84%91713,405 Robertson73.81%10,17718.14%2,5018.06%1,11113,789 Rutherford70.14%36,46721.78%11,3238.09%4,20451,994 Scott75.09%2,31820.41%6304.50%1393,087 Sequatchie77.85%2,41817.68%5494.48%1393,106 Sevier82.40%15,40011.80%2,2055.80%1,08418,689 Shelby57.80%107,08937.35%69,1934.85%8,981185,263 Smith65.92%2,72025.40%1,0488.68%3584,126 Stewart67.04%1,99925.49%7607.48%2232,982 Sullivan81.05%26,83713.29%4,3995.67%1,87633,112 Sumner76.74%28,09016.72%6,1216.53%2,39136,602 Tipton77.91%9,63617.01%2,1045.08%62812,368 Trousdale65.38%96526.56%3928.06%1191,476 Unicoi76.31%2,99915.17%5968.52%3353,930 Union76.93%2,31117.31%5205.76%1733,004 Van Buren59.72%90331.94%4838.33%1261,512 Warren70.06%5,28521.85%1,6488.09%6107,543 Washington74.94%19,70717.06%4,4858.00%2,10426,296 Wayne77.67%2,12215.48%4236.84%1872,732 Weakley69.00%5,08221.72%1,6009.27%6837,365 White70.69%4,03021.29%1,2148.02%4575,701 Williamson79.72%45,32913.19%7,5017.09%4,03056,860 Wilson75.95%22,58017.07%5,0756.98%2,07629,731 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Davidson (largest city: Nashville) Haywood (largest city: Brownsville) Houston (largest city: Erin) Lake (largest municipality: Tiptonville) Shelby (largest city: Memphis)
CountyBill Haslam RepublicanCharles Brown DemocraticOther votesTotal votes
%#%#%#
Anderson75.27%13,36717.86%3,1716.87%1,22017,758
Bedford75.98%5,65316.49%1,2277.53%5607,440
Benton64.73%2,41526.56%9918.71%3253,731
Bledsoe69.41%1,78624.10%6206.49%1672,573
Blount79.75%23,65314.06%4,1716.19%1,83629,660
Bradley83.19%16,70912.59%2,5284.22%84820,085
Campbell77.42%4,98117.80%1,1454.79%3086,434
Cannon71.37%1,97719.71%5468.92%2472,770
Carroll69.54%4,31323.06%1,4307.40%4596,202
Carter77.72%8,37614.20%1,5308.08%87110,777
Cheatham72.63%6,19118.01%1,5359.36%7988,524
Chester78.58%2,65915.07%5106.35%2153,384
Claiborne76.20%4,01517.99%9485.81%3065,269
Clay66.64%96326.16%3787.20%1041,445
Cocke78.30%5,61514.39%1,0327.31%5247,171
Coffee73.11%7,98618.38%2,0088.50%92910,923
Crockett75.84%2,22219.04%5585.12%1502,930
Cumberland79.01%12,97815.48%2,5435.51%90516,426
Davidson53.50%71,66135.41%47,43811.09%14,854133,953
Decatur71.29%1,63422.25%5106.46%1482,292
Dekalb67.85%2,42323.35%8348.79%3143,571
Dickson69.09%6,83023.24%2,2977.67%7589,885
Dyer77.75%5,71015.82%1,1626.43%4727,344
Fayette77.14%8,14118.72%1,9764.14%43710,554
Fentress73.20%2,37119.05%6177.75%2513,239
Franklin70.99%6,59521.77%2,0227.24%6739,290
Gibson70.31%7,81920.68%2,3009.00%1,00111,120
Giles70.94%3,92222.23%1,2296.84%3785,529
Grainger78.93%3,27415.31%6355.76%2394,148
Greene76.27%10,14615.92%2,1187.80%1,03813,302
Grundy64.83%1,55626.88%6458.29%1992,400
Hamblen80.98%8,97813.66%1,5155.36%59411,087
Hamilton71.26%56,75024.44%19,4624.31%3,42979,641
Hancock73.48%67618.04%1668.48%78920
Hardeman59.14%2,89137.01%1,8093.85%1884,888
Hardin80.12%4,04615.13%7644.75%2405,050
Hawkins79.77%8,73014.39%1,5755.84%63910,944
Haywood57.52%1,94039.76%1,3412.73%923,373
Henderson76.90%3,83615.84%7907.26%3624,988
Henry72.77%5,29721.06%1,5336.17%4497,279
Hickman69.18%2,95622.84%9767.98%3414,273
Houston56.11%1,00535.40%6348.49%1521,791
Humphreys60.18%2,51228.77%1,20111.04%4614,174
Jackson63.75%1,45126.85%6119.40%2142,276
Jefferson80.70%8,42313.13%1,3706.18%64510,438
Johnson78.30%2,54714.88%4846.82%2223,253
Knox77.05%78,57115.68%15,9867.28%7,419101,976
Lake54.08%62935.17%40910.75%1251,163
Lauderdale64.95%2,65229.41%1,2015.63%2304,083
Lawrence73.43%6,26419.70%1,6816.87%5868,531
Lewis71.07%1,85720.32%5318.61%2252,613
Lincoln75.70%4,72017.27%1,0777.02%4386,235
Loudon83.68%12,01511.21%1,6105.11%73414,359
Macon76.96%2,43615.27%4837.77%2463,165
Madison64.64%14,56329.47%6,6405.89%1,32822,531
Marion68.23%4,23327.16%1,6854.61%2866,204
Marshall72.06%4,27920.61%1,2247.33%4355,938
Maury69.26%12,79022.45%4,1458.29%1,53118,466
McMinn79.07%8,12016.11%1,6544.83%49610,270
McNairy75.14%4,01919.29%1,0325.57%2985,349
Meigs74.47%1,68319.42%4396.11%1382,260
Monroe77.10%7,56718.22%1,7884.69%4609,815
Montgomery69.45%20,18524.34%7,0736.21%1,80529,063
Moore73.16%1,14519.55%3067.28%1141,565
Morgan67.97%2,45326.66%9625.38%1943,609
Obion67.03%4,42820.72%1,36912.25%8096,606
Overton65.74%2,61325.79%1,0258.48%3373,975
Perry67.21%94523.26%3279.53%1341,406
Pickett71.63%1,15420.36%3288.01%1291,611
Polk71.35%2,50523.61%8295.04%1773,511
Putnam72.73%10,42519.03%2,7278.24%1,18114,333
Rhea81.00%4,79214.76%8734.24%2515,916
Roane76.91%10,31016.25%2,1786.84%91713,405
Robertson73.81%10,17718.14%2,5018.06%1,11113,789
Rutherford70.14%36,46721.78%11,3238.09%4,20451,994
Scott75.09%2,31820.41%6304.50%1393,087
Sequatchie77.85%2,41817.68%5494.48%1393,106
Sevier82.40%15,40011.80%2,2055.80%1,08418,689
Shelby57.80%107,08937.35%69,1934.85%8,981185,263
Smith65.92%2,72025.40%1,0488.68%3584,126
Stewart67.04%1,99925.49%7607.48%2232,982
Sullivan81.05%26,83713.29%4,3995.67%1,87633,112
Sumner76.74%28,09016.72%6,1216.53%2,39136,602
Tipton77.91%9,63617.01%2,1045.08%62812,368
Trousdale65.38%96526.56%3928.06%1191,476
Unicoi76.31%2,99915.17%5968.52%3353,930
Union76.93%2,31117.31%5205.76%1733,004
Van Buren59.72%90331.94%4838.33%1261,512
Warren70.06%5,28521.85%1,6488.09%6107,543
Washington74.94%19,70717.06%4,4858.00%2,10426,296
Wayne77.67%2,12215.48%4236.84%1872,732
Weakley69.00%5,08221.72%1,6009.27%6837,365
White70.69%4,03021.29%1,2148.02%4575,701
Williamson79.72%45,32913.19%7,5017.09%4,03056,860
Wilson75.95%22,58017.07%5,0756.98%2,07629,731

See also

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

  • incumbent