2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election

| country = Tennessee

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| image_size = 150x150px

| previous_election = 2010 Tennessee gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 2010

| next_election = 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election

| next_year = 2018

| election_date = November 4, 2014

| nominee1 = Bill Haslam

| party1 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 951,796

| percentage1 = 70.31%

| image2 = File:3x4.svg

| nominee2 = Charles Brown

| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 309,237

| percentage2 = 22.84%

| map_image = {{switcher |300px|County results |300px|Congressional district results}}

| map_size = 300px

| map_caption = Haslam: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#c21b18|80–90%}}
Brown: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Bill Haslam

| before_party = Republican Party (United States)

| after_election = Bill Haslam

| after_party = Republican Party (United States)

| turnout = 35.97% {{decrease}}{{Cite news |date=November 4, 2014 |title=Tennessee Voter Turnout in 2014 |work=Tennessee Secretary of State |url=https://sos.tn.gov/elections/statistics |access-date=February 28, 2023 }} 5.35 pp

| image1 = File:Bill Haslam 2016.jpg

}}

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.

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.{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Tim |title=Tennessee gubernatorial nominee explains why he wants to electrocute governor |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/08/charlie-brown-bill-haslam-tennessee/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Mother Jones |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlgGfzTXr7g |title=Charlie Brown running for Tennessee governor. Good grief! |date=2014-08-12 |last=chattanooga times free press |access-date=2024-06-10 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |date=2014-08-08 |title=Dem Gubernatorial Nominee Wants To Send Governor To Electric Chair |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/charlie-brown-bill-haslam-tennessee_n_5662940 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Hannan |first=Caleb |date=2014-08-08 |title=The Alvin Greene of 2014 |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2014/08/charlie-brown-democratic-candidate-for-tennessee-governor-the-72-year-old-hunter-who-did-no-campaigning.html |access-date=2024-06-10 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}

Haslam, on the other hand, campaigned on jobs, economic development, education reform, workforce development, and conservative fiscal leadership.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-11 |title=Priorities |url=https://www.tn.gov/former-governor-haslam/priorities.html |access-date=2024-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611195727/https://www.tn.gov/former-governor-haslam/priorities.html |archive-date=June 11, 2021 }}{{Cite web |date=2014-10-21 |title=Bill Haslam's Accomplishments |url=http://www.billhaslam.com/accomplishments/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021011451/http://www.billhaslam.com/accomplishments/ |archive-date=October 21, 2014 }}

As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, 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 ==

Basil Marceaux, perennial candidate{{cite web |title=Petitions Filed for Governor, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives |url=http://tn.gov/sos/election/PetitionsFiled.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2014 |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State}}
Bill Haslam, incumbent governor{{cite web |date=December 17, 2012 |title=Gov. Bill Haslam announces re-election campaign |url=http://www.wbir.com/news/article/245982/2/Gov-Bill-Haslam-announces-re-election-campaign |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130618005209/http://www.wbir.com/news/article/245982/2/Gov-Bill-Haslam-announces-re-election-campaign |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |access-date=July 25, 2013 |publisher=wbir.com |df=mdy-all}}
Donald McFolin, Independent candidate for governor in 2010{{cite web |title=Petitions Filed for Governor, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives |url=http://tn.gov/sos/election/PetitionsFiled.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2014 |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State}}
Mark "Coonrippy" Brown{{cite web |date=January 6, 2014 |title=Mark 'Coonrippy' Brown Runs For Governor To Get His Seized Raccoon Rebekah Back |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/mark-coonrippy-brown-raccoon-man-governor_n_4548518.html |access-date=January 7, 2014 |work=The Huffington Post}}

==Declined==

John Jay Hooker, political gadfly and Democratic nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998 (ran as an independent){{cite web|url=http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2014/apr/2/candidates-commit-as-deadline-nears/|title=Candidates Commit as Deadline Nears|publisher=The Daily News|last=Dries|first=Bill|date=April 2, 2014|access-date=April 2, 2014}}

=Results=

[[File:Tennessee Governor R Primary 2014.svg|thumb|300px|Results by county

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#E27F7F|Haslam}}

|{{legend|#D72F30|70–80%}}

|{{legend|#C21B18|80–90%}}

|{{legend|#A80000|>90%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.tn.gov/dynamic/20140807.php?ByOffice=Governor|title=August 7, 2014 Official Election Results|access-date=September 15, 2014|publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914080301/http://www.elections.tn.gov/dynamic/20140807.php?ByOffice=Governor|archive-date=September 14, 2014|df=mdy-all}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Bill Haslam (incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 570,997

| percentage = 87.68%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mark "Coonrippy" Brown

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 44,165

| percentage = 6.78%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Donald Ray McFolin

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 22,968

| percentage = 3.53%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Basil Marceaux, Sr.

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 13,117

| percentage = 2.01%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 651,247

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Charles V. Brown, retired engineer and candidate for governor in 2002{{cite web |title=Petitions Filed for Governor, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives |url=http://tn.gov/sos/election/PetitionsFiled.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2014 |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State}}
Kennedy Spellman Johnson
John McKamey, former Sullivan County Commissioner
Ron Noonan

==Removed from ballot==

Mark E. Clayton, Vice President of Public Advocate of the United States and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/03/start-engines-candidates-qualify-state-races/7276285/|title=Start your engines: Candidates qualify for state races|publisher=The Tennessean|last=Cass|first=Michael|date=April 3, 2014|access-date=April 11, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/10/get-fooled-democrats-deny-mark-clayton/7562305/|title=Won't get fooled again: Democrats deny Mark Clayton|publisher=The Tennessean|last=Cass|first=Michael|date=April 10, 2014|access-date=April 11, 2014}}
Jesse Gore
Ed Borum

==Declined==

Lowe Finney, state senator{{cite web |url=http://www.newschannel5.com/story/22980119/democratic-senator-lowe-finney-wont-seek-re-election |title=Democratic Senator Lowe Finney Won't Seek Re-Election |publisher=News Channel 5 |date=July 31, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130912161808/http://www.newschannel5.com/story/22980119/democratic-senator-lowe-finney-wont-seek-re-election |archive-date=September 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
Craig Fitzhugh, minority leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives{{cite web |last=Zelinski |first=Andrea |url=http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/rep-fitzhugh-passes-run-governor |title=Rep. Fitzhugh passes on run for governor |publisher=Nashville City Paper |date=July 22, 2013 |access-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822180639/http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/rep-fitzhugh-passes-run-governor |archive-date=August 22, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
Roy Herron, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, former state senator and nominee for Tennessee's 8th congressional district in 2010
John Jay Hooker, political gadfly and nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998 (ran as an Independent)
Jim Kyle, state senator and candidate for governor in 2010{{cite web|last=Garrison|first=Joey |url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130812/NEWS02/308120008/A-year-out-TN-Democrats-search-governor-Senate-candidates-turning-cold|title=A year out, TN Democrats' search for governor, Senate candidates turning cold|work=The Tennessean |date=August 12, 2013 |access-date=August 20, 2013}}
Sara Kyle, former director of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/jan/02/democrat-sara-kyle-wont-challenge-gov-bill-haslam-/|title=Democrat Sara Kyle won't challenge Gov. Bill Haslam in 2014|work=Chattanooga Times Free Press|last=Sher|first=Andy|date=January 2, 2014|access-date=January 5, 2014}}
Mike McWherter, businessman, attorney and nominee for governor in 2010{{cite web|url=http://knoxblogs.com/humphreyhill/2013/09/06/mike-mcwherter-haslam-created-culture-corruption/ |title=Mike McWherter: Haslam has created a 'culture of corruption' | Humphrey on the Hill |publisher=Knoxblogs.com |date=September 6, 2013 |access-date=October 6, 2013}}

=Results=

[[File:Tennessee_Governor_D_Primary_2014.svg|thumb|300px|Results by county:{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#7996E2|Brown}}|{{legend|#bfccff|30–40%}}|{{legend|#a6b2ff|40–50%}}|{{legend|#7a97e3|50–60%}}

}}{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#37c837|McKamey}}|{{legend|#a2f9a2ff|30–40%}}

{{legend|#78e478ff|40–50%}}|{{legend|#5bc75bff|50–60%}}|{{legend|#41b742ff|60–70%}}

}}]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Charles V. "Charlie" Brown

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 95,114

| percentage = 41.71%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Wm. H. "John" McKamey

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 59,200

| percentage = 25.96%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Kennedy Spellman Johnson

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 55,718

| percentage = 24.44%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ron Noonan

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 17,993

| percentage = 7.89%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 228,025

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

Independents and Third Parties

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Steven Coburn (Independent)
Shaun Crowell (Constitution)
John Jay Hooker (Independent), political gadfly and Democratic nominee for governor in 1970 and 1998
Isa Infante (Green)
Daniel T. Lewis (Libertarian), educator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008

==Removed from ballot==

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

General election

= Predictions =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Source ! Ranking ! As of
align=left \| The Cook Political Report{{cite web \| title=2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014 \| url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings/139257 \| website=The Cook Political Report \| access-date=September 3, 2018}} \| {{USRaceRating\|Solid\|R}} \| November 3, 2014
align=left \| Sabato's Crystal Ball{{cite web \| title=The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks \| url=http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-crystal-balls-final-2014-picks/ \| website=Sabato's Crystal Ball \| date=November 3, 2014 \| access-date=September 3, 2018}} \| {{USRaceRating\|Safe\|R}} \| November 3, 2014
align=left \| Rothenberg Political Report{{cite web \| title=2014 Gubernatorial Ratings \| url=http://www.insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2014-gubernatorial-ratings-november-3-2014 \| work=Senate Ratings \| publisher=The Rothenberg Political Report \| access-date=September 3, 2018}} \| {{USRaceRating\|Safe\|R}} \| November 3, 2014
align=left \| Real Clear Politics{{cite web \| title=2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races \| url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/2014_elections_governor_map.html\| publisher=Real Clear Politics \| access-date=September 3, 2018}} \| {{USRaceRating\|Safe\|R}} \| November 3, 2014

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Source

! Ranking

! As of

align=left | The Cook Political Report{{cite web | title=2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014 | url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings/139257 | website=The Cook Political Report | access-date=September 3, 2018}}

| {{USRaceRating|Solid|R}}

| November 3, 2014

align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball{{cite web | title=The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks | url=http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-crystal-balls-final-2014-picks/ | website=Sabato's Crystal Ball | date=November 3, 2014 | access-date=September 3, 2018}}

| {{USRaceRating|Safe|R}}

| November 3, 2014

align=left | Rothenberg Political Report{{cite web | title=2014 Gubernatorial Ratings | url=http://www.insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2014-gubernatorial-ratings-november-3-2014 | work=Senate Ratings | publisher=The Rothenberg Political Report | access-date=September 3, 2018}}

| {{USRaceRating|Safe|R}}

| November 3, 2014

align=left | Real Clear Politics{{cite web | title=2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races | url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/2014_elections_governor_map.html| publisher=Real Clear Politics | access-date=September 3, 2018}}

| {{USRaceRating|Safe|R}}

| November 3, 2014

=Polling=

class="wikitable"

valign= bottom

! style="width:190px;"| Poll source

! style="width:200px;"| Date(s)
administered

! class=small | Sample
size

! Margin of
error

! style="width:100px;"| Bill
Haslam (R)

! style="width:100px;"| Charles
Brown (D)

! style="width:40px;"| Other

! style="width:40px;"| Undecided

CBS News/NYT/YouGov[http://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/09/governor-races-headline-results/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov]

| align=center| October 16–23, 2014

| align=center| 974

| align=center| ± 5%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 58%

| align=center| 30%

| align=center| 2%

| align=center| 11%

CBS News/NYT/YouGov[http://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/09/governor-races-headline-results CBS News/NYT/YouGov]

| align=center| September 20–October 1, 2014

| align=center| 1,007

| align=center| ± 4%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 60%

| align=center| 28%

| align=center| 1%

| align=center| 11%

CBS News/NYT/YouGov[https://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/battleground-tracker-2014-tennessee/#TNgovernor CBS News/NYT/YouGov]

| align=center| August 18–September 2, 2014

| align=center| 1,056

| align=center| ± 4%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 56%

| align=center| 29%

| align=center| 4%

| align=center| 11%

Rasmussen Reports[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2014/tennessee/election_2014_tennessee_governor Rasmussen Reports]

| align=center| August 11–12, 2014

| align=center| 750

| align=center| ± 3%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 55%

| align=center| 30%

| align=center| 6%

| align=center| 9%

{{hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#cff|title=Hypothetical polling|contentstyle=border:solid 1px silver; padding:8px; background:white;}}

class="wikitable"

valign= bottom

! style="width:190px;"| Poll source

! style="width:150px;"| Date(s)
administered

! class=small | Sample
size

! Margin of
error

! style="width:100px;"| Bill
Haslam (R)

! style="width:100px;"| John
McKamey (D)

! style="width:40px;"| Other

! style="width:40px;"| Undecided

CBS News/NYT/YouGov[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2014-midterms-republicans-narrowly-favored-to-capture-senate-in-november/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov]

| align=center| July 5–24, 2014

| align=center| 1,460

| align=center| ± 5.4%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 55%

| align=center| 32%

| align=center| 4%

| align=center| 9%

Rasmussen Reports

| align=center| April 29–30, 2014

| align=center| 750

| align=center| ± 4%

| {{party shading/Republican}} align=center| 57%

| align=center| 27%

| align=center| 5%

| align=center| 11%

=Results=

{{align|right|{{Switcher| 300px|County flips
{{collapsible list| title = Legend| {{col-begin}}

Republican

{{col-end}}}}}}}}

{{Election box begin

| title = 2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election{{cite web|url=https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/20141104_CountyTotals_01.pdf|title=State of Tennessee - November 4, 2014 - State General|author= |date=December 15, 2014|website=tn.gov|publisher=Secretary of State of Tennessee}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Bill Haslam (incumbent)

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 951,796

| percentage = 70.31%

| change = +5.28%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Charles Brown

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 309,237

| percentage = 22.84%

| change = -10.24%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = John Jay Hooker

| party = Independent (United States)

| votes = 30,579

| percentage = 2.26%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Shaun Crowell

| party = Constitution Party (United States)

| votes = 26,580

| percentage = 1.96%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Isa Infante

| party = Green Party (United States)

| votes = 18,570

| percentage = 1.37%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Steve Coburn

| party = Independent (United States)

| votes = 8,612

| percentage = 0.64%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Daniel Lewis

| party = Independent (United States)

| votes = 8,321

| percentage = 0.62%

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Write-ins

| party = n/a

| votes = 33

| percentage = 0.00%

| change = 0.00%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 1,353,728

|percentage = 100.00%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

==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)

References

External links

[http://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_gubernatorial_election,_2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2014] at Ballotpedia

Official campaign websites (Archived)

[https://web.archive.org/web/20141019233639/http://www.billhaslam.com/ Bill Haslam for Governor] incumbent
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140924065146/http://www.charliebrown4gov.com/ Charlie Brown for Governor]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140413143752/http://www.republicaninarepublic.com/ Basil Marceaux for Governor]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140808235033/http://mckameyforgovernor.com/ John McKamey for Governor]

Category:2014 Tennessee elections

2014

Category:2014 United States gubernatorial elections

2014 Tennessee gubernatorial election

Republican primary

=Candidates=

==Declared ==

==Declined==

=Results=

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

==Declared==

==Removed from ballot==

==Declined==

=Results=

Independents and Third Parties

=Candidates=

==Declared==

==Removed from ballot==

General election

= Predictions =

=Polling=

=Results=

==Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican==

See also

References

External links