Image: U.S. Rep. John Rose hugs supporter Natisha Brooks at his March gubernatorial campaign announcement. Image Credit: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout
By Sam Stockard [Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –
Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose is reporting more than $6.1 million in fundraising for Tennessee’s 2026 gubernatorial race, calling it an “unprecedented start” for the campaign, though most comes from a personal loan.
The state’s former commissioner of agriculture announced he raised $1.1 million from hundreds of supporters in all 95 of Tennessee’s counties and made an initial loan of $5 million to his campaign after announcing his candidacy in March.
“To receive this level of support in just a few short months from my fellow Tennesseans is huge for our campaign and my mission to protect our shared values,” Rose said in a release. “This is more than just a fundraising number — it’s a clear signal that voters want to defend this state and our freedoms just as badly as I do.”
The Cookeville resident who owns a family farm in rural Temperance Hall put together most of his wealth through an online information technology company he founded in 2000. He is now owner and president of Boson Software.
Campaign chairman Chris Devaney called the initial fundraising total an “unprecedented start” that puts Rose in a “commanding position.” Rose’s campaign had not filed a report with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance as of Monday.
While Rose’s campaign touts what it calls the largest first filing in Tennessee gubernatorial history, the 2018 Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary was expensive as well.
By the end of the campaign, the five candidates — Gov. Bill Lee, University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd, former U.S. Rep. Diane Black, former House Speaker Beth Harwell and former state Sen. Mae Beavers — had spent almost $50 million.
In the first two months of his initial campaign, Lee raised $1.4 million and loaned his campaign nearly $1.4 million for a total of $2.8 million. Lee, who is wrapping up his second four-year term, still has outstanding loans of $4.58 million.
Boyd, in the first four months of his campaign, raised $4.4 million, about half of which was a personal donation of $2 million.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is expected to enter the Republican primary in the governor’s race but hasn’t made an announcement.
Memphis City Council member Jerri Green said last week she will run in the Democrat primary for the governor’s seat.
