Republican Marsha Blackburn won the Tennessee governor's race on Nov. 3, but unofficial results from the Tennessee Secretary of State's Office show Democrats gained ground across the state compared with the 2024 presidential election, including right here in Madison County.
Five counties that backed the Republican ticket in 2024 went for Democratic nominee Jerri Green in this year's governor's race: Madison, Montgomery, Hamilton, Knox and Rutherford counties. Republicans did not flip a single county in the governor's race, according to reporting from WSMV shared by WBBJ.
Most of Tennessee's counties still voted red, and Blackburn will become the first woman to serve as Tennessee's governor when she is sworn in this January. But the results show a broad shift. U.S. Census Bureau data cited in the report shows seven of the 10 largest cities in Tennessee sit in counties that voted for Green.
Associated Press figures show every county in the state moved toward Democrats compared with 2024. Davidson County, which traditionally votes Democratic, saw a 25.6-point rise in Democratic support. Williamson County, a Republican stronghold, moved 17.6 points toward Democrats.
Maury County offers another example. In 2024, nearly 72% of voters there chose Republicans and 27% chose Democrats. This year, AP data shows a 21-point shift, with 54% voting Republican and 33% voting Democratic.
The changes reached Congress as well. Under Tennessee's newly redrawn congressional map, each party flipped one U.S. House seat on election night. Republicans picked up District 9, while Democrats won District 4.
For Madison County, the flip is a notable change in a county that has leaned Republican in recent statewide contests. The results remain unofficial until they are certified.
Sources: WSMV via WBBJ; Tennessee Secretary of State's Office unofficial results; Associated Press data