Who's In the Race

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) faces Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in the Nov. 3 general election for Tennessee's U.S. Senate seat, and the ballot includes independent candidates. ​

The contest is a rematch: Bradshaw challenged Hagerty in 2020, and her 2026 nomination sets up a second meeting between the two.

Hagerty has served as U.S. senator from Tennessee since 2021, previously serving as U.S. ambassador to Japan before his Senate career. Bradshaw is a Memphis environmental activist who founded Youth Terminating Pollution, an environmental-justice organization.

Hagerty ran unopposed in the Aug. 6 Republican primary. Bradshaw won the Aug. 6 Democratic primary with about 55 percent of the vote; runner-up Maria Brewer received about 18 percent, according to the Associated Press.

What They Stand For

Bradshaw has proposed expanding access to broadband infrastructure and greater affordability, according to her campaign website. She has also supported:

  • Expanded access to education,
  • Expanded access to health care and jobs,
  • Environmental justice, saying "Every community deserves clean air, safe water, and protection from climate threats"; and
  • Expanded access to essential services.

No platform positions were available from Hagerty's Senate website or other sources for this article.

The Money Behind the Race

Through July 17, Hagerty had raised about $16 million and had about $5.2 million in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings. No comparable fundraising figures were available for Bradshaw or the independent candidates in the race.

Outside groups have spent about $772,000 supporting Hagerty through Sept. 30, with National Victory Action Fund leading at about $275,000, followed by Winning Right PAC at about $220,000 and Senate Conservatives Fund at about $208,000.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 12; Sabato's Crystal Ball also rated it "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 9; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Republicans, whose nominee is Hagerty, a 93.09 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 14.

In the 2024 Tennessee Senate race for the Class I seat, Republican Marsha Blackburn won with 63.8 percent of the vote. Republicans won eight of Tennessee's nine U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024, with Democrats holding one. Donald Trump carried Tennessee in the 2024 presidential election with about 64 percent of the vote.

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