Jerri Green

Jerri Green is the most credible Democrat in the 2026 Tennessee governor's race — and she's the first to acknowledge what she's up against. Tennessee hasn't elected a Democratic governor since Phil Bredesen won re-election in 2006, and the party hasn't won any statewide office since. Green's pitch is that she's different from the party's recent candidates: she's a local officeholder, not a national figure; a public defender, not a politician; and a mother of three who brands herself "One Tough Mother."

Born and raised in Memphis, Green grew up in the city's diverse Midtown corridor and attended White Station High School, one of the state's premier public schools. She earned her B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, then headed to Washington, D.C. for her Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. After law school, she worked as a public defender in D.C. and practiced international human rights law before returning to Tennessee.

Back in Memphis, Green became the Executive Director of the Community Legal Center, a nonprofit providing civil legal services to low-income residents. She also spent nearly a decade teaching criminal law and juvenile justice at the University of Phoenix. Her legal career brought her into Shelby County government, where she served as Senior Policy Advisor and then Deputy Chief of Staff to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. In January 2026, Harris appointed her as the county's Interim Chief Public Defender, overseeing an office that handles more than 22,000 cases per year.

Green won her seat on the Memphis City Council representing District 2 in a runoff election in November 2023, making her the only Democrat in the governor's race who currently holds elected office. Her first run for office was the 2020 race for Tennessee House District 83, where she earned 46% of the vote against long-time Republican incumbent Mark White — a notable performance in a suburban East Memphis/Germantown district that typically leans Republican.

She describes herself as a three-time gun violence survivor, having lost people close to her to gun violence — an experience that shaped her work as the statewide election lead for the Tennessee Moms Demand Action Chapter and her policy focus on gun safety. She's married to Patrick and has three children: Beau, Vivienne, and Wilder.

Green announced her candidacy in August 2025, making her the first Democrat to formally enter the race. Her campaign message — "Lead with love and govern with grit" — targets working families, teachers, and parents who feel overlooked by Republican state leadership. Her $125,014 in first-filing contributions puts her well ahead of her nearest Democratic primary opponent, musician Adam "Ditch" Kurtz, who reported just $9,502.

Unlike Blackburn and Rose, who can point to congressional voting records, Green's track record comes from local government accomplishments in Memphis and Shelby County. What she lacks in federal-level experience, she compensates with tangible, hands-on policy work that directly affected constituents:

Campaign finance data from the Year-End Supplemental filing (February 2026). This was Green's first campaign filing.

Green has the most detailed education platform of any candidate in the 2026 governor's race — largely because education funding is central to her campaign message, not an afterthought. Her campaign tagline on schools: "We fund what we value — and it's time Tennessee starts valuing public schools again."

Green's platform is organized around six core themes that she describes as fighting for "change you can feel at your kitchen table."

Green's endorsement profile reflects a grassroots campaign built on community organizations and local support rather than major political figures. No major statewide Democratic endorsements have been publicly reported as of February 2026.

As a city council member and county official, Green doesn't have a congressional voting record like Blackburn or Rose. However, her public statements, campaign positions, and policy actions reveal clear stances on key issues.