Takeaways from the Beacon Poll

80%
Tennesseans are extremely unhappy with the conditions of their local roads. A large majority (80%) say roads need some maintenance or significant repair.
Infrastructure & Transportation
63%
In the Republican primary for governor, Senator Marsha Blackburn has increased her already commanding lead with 63% of the vote.
Elections
57%
Utility costs are clearly weighing on Tennessee households. A majority of Tennesseans (57%) report that utilities such as electricity, water, gas, and internet account for more than 10% of their monthly budget (the highest option given).
Economy
61%
When it comes to traditional energy sources, such as coal, natural gas, and hydroelectricity, most Tennesseans (61%) view them favorably.
Energy
78%
A vast majority of Tennessee voters (78%) believe there should be a variety of options for educating K-12 students, while just 18% believe all K-12 students should be required to attend traditional public schools.
Education
84%
A strong majority of Tennesseans (84%) support requiring a valid photo ID before casting a ballot in any state or local election, while only 13% oppose.
Elections

Political Polling Results: Tennessee

63% of Tennessee Republican primary voters support Senator Marsha Blackburn in the Republican primary for Governor, giving her a 53-point lead over Congressman John Rose (10%) and a 58-point lead over state Rep. Monty Fritts (5%).

POLITICS

In a crowded Democratic field for governor, the most popular candidate by far was “Not Sure” at 62%. The betting favorite Jerri Green has a slight edge on the rest of the field, polling at 14%, but is followed closely by Kevin Lee McCants (11%), and Carnita Atwater (8%).

POLITICS

In a hypothetical 2026 general election matchup based on prediction markets, Blackburn leads Democratic candidate Jerri Green 51% to 27%, with 22% choosing “other” or undecided.

POLITICS

As his second term winds down, Governor Lee’s job approval rating has improved from our last poll, with 55% approving of his job performance and 37% disapproving (+18%).

POLITICS

President Trump’s approval rating continues to drop and is at its lowest since we began conducting the Beacon Poll in 2023 (+8%). While he is still above water, the +8% approval rating is a far cry from his dominant 30-point win in Tennessee in 2024.

POLITICS

Policy Polling Results: National Issues

Tennessee voters are split with 46% satisfied and 53% dissatisfied with the direction of the United States.

POLITICS

+52% of Tennessee voters support the proposed SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, require verified citizenship documentation, remove non-citizens from voting rolls, and require states to share unredacted voting rolls with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

POLITICS

When it comes to President Trump’s policies on illegal immigration, a plurality of Tennesseans (44%) say they are about right, while 36% say they are going too far and 14% say they are not going far enough.

POLITICS

Most Tennesseans (+41%) approve of the U.S. Men’s National Hockey Team being recognized at the State of the Union address for winning the Olympic gold medal. Interestingly, despite some national media discussion of the “controversy,” even a plurality of Democrats (+14%) supported recognizing the team.

Policy Polling Results: Tennessee

When it comes to traditional energy sources, such as coal, natural gas, and hydroelectricity, most Tennesseans (61%) view them favorably, while just 11% view them unfavorably. Unsurprisingly, Republicans are the most supportive (+71%), but they are also viewed positively by Democrats (+25%) and Independents (+42%).

ENERGY

Tennesseans are dissatisfied with their utility costs, with 59% dissatisfied and 39% satisfied. The dissatisfaction is universal across parties, with Republicans’ (-13%), Democrats’ (-26%), and Independents’ (-26%) satisfaction all underwater.

ENERGY

Tennesseans are extremely unhappy with the conditions of their local roads. A large majority (80%) say roads need some maintenance or significant repair, while just 19% say the roads in their community are in good condition.

INFRASTRUCTURE

A vast majority of Tennessee voters (78%) believe there should be a variety of options for educating K-12 students, while just 18% believe all K-12 students should be required to attend traditional public schools. Notably, even a large majority of Democrats (+53%) believe students should have a variety of options.

EDUCATION

When asked about what educational options Tennesseans support, home education is the most popular choice (66%).

EDUCATION

Methodology

  • Online poll of 1,200 registered voters in Tennessee
  • Only respondents who passed our data quality checks were included in the final results and compensated for participating.
  • Sampling was stratified by demographics and geography.
  • Results were weighted by demographics, party, geography, and behavioral measures to properly reflect the profile of the state.
  • Estimated margin of error: +/- 2.77%
  • Fieldwork: April 20 through April 27, 2026
  • Due to weighting and rounding, percentages may not always total exactly 100%.
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