Tennessee's 3rd District Primary

Republican incumbent Chuck Fleischmann runs unopposed in his own party's primary Aug. 6, leaving the only competitive contest of the day to two Democrats fighting for the right to face him in November. The Tennessee 3rd District primary 2026 sets up a familiar dynamic in East Tennessee: a safe Republican seat, an uncontested GOP incumbent, and a Democratic field working to put forward its strongest challenger.

Tennessee holds separate partisan primaries, with each party selecting its own nominee independently. The top vote-getter in each primary advances to the general election Nov. 3. There is no top-two system or ranked-choice mechanism. Four candidates appear on the primary ballots across both parties: Fleischmann alone on the Republican side, and Anna Golladay and Bryan Martin competing for the Democratic nomination. An independent candidate, Dean Arnold of Chattanooga, is associated with the race but is slated to appear on the November general election ballot rather than the Aug. 6 primary.

Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District covers eastern Tennessee and is one of nine House seats in the state's federal delegation. Prior general election vote totals are not available in the source data, but the district's consistent "Solid Republican" ratings from every major forecaster reflect a long-standing Republican advantage in the region.

The Candidates

Chuck Fleischmann (Republican, incumbent)

Chuck Fleischmann, an attorney from Ooltewah, has held this seat since 2011, making him one of the longest-serving members of Tennessee's congressional delegation. In the 119th Congress, he sits on the House Committee on Appropriations, where he chairs the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. That appropriations chairmanship has positioned him to direct federal dollars toward East Tennessee priorities, including the Chickamauga Lock infrastructure project and nuclear energy research investments. Among his recent legislative activity, he sponsored the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027 (H.R. 9022) and the Quantum LEAP Act of 2025. He faces no Republican primary opponent and will enter November as his party's nominee.

Anna Golladay (Democrat)

Golladay is a faith leader and small business owner from Chattanooga running on a platform of economic dignity, housing affordability, and rural community protection. She has called for expanding low-income housing tax credits, funding community land trusts, and preserving federal programs covering food assistance and rural hospital support. Golladay grounds her campaign in moral argument, contending that Congress needs leaders who prioritize what she describes as "care over cruelty." She has built visibility through her affiliation with Vote Common Good, a network of faith-motivated voters.

Bryan Martin (Democrat)

Martin is a Democrat from Signal Mountain competing against Golladay for the party's nomination. Detailed biographical and policy information has not been widely published ahead of the primary. He and Golladay are the two candidates on the Democratic ballot Aug. 6.

The Money Behind the Race

Combined fundraising across all candidates in Tennessee's 3rd U.S. House District has reached $2,386,498 in total receipts, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data as of Aug. 3. No outside spending has been reported for this race. The FEC data shows no independent expenditures or communication costs recorded for the contest, meaning all financial activity tracked to date reflects direct candidate fundraising rather than outside group involvement.

Ratings vs. Odds

Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections all rate Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District as Solid Republican. Cook's rating was issued July 16, Inside Elections' on June 30, and Sabato's on July 30, the most recent of the three. The consensus rating, as aggregated by 270toWin, stands at Solid Republican as of July 30.

Prediction markets reflect the same assessment. On Kalshi, the Republican candidate carries a 95.6% win probability as of Aug. 3, with the Democratic candidate at 4.4%. That market has seen $13,282 in trading volume, a modest figure consistent with a race where the outcome is broadly anticipated.

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