Dean Brewer, an Independent from Knoxville, is running for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Brewer says on his campaign's Facebook page that he is running to put people before party, with a focus on helping veterans.
The race includes Marsha Blackburn (Republican), Jerri Green (Democratic) and a large field of Independent candidates: Charles Van Morgan, Dave Seeman, David Hatley, Eddie Lee Murphy, Karl Knox Smithson, L. Webb Taylor, Lauren Pinkston, Misam Abidi, Ray Brown, Robert C. Vick, Victor L. Scoggin and Wendell Jackson, according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Name: Dean Brewer
- Party: Independent
- Residence: Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee
- Office sought: Tennessee Governor
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Brewer filed his petition for governor on March 10, 2026, according to Tennessee Secretary of State records. His petition signatures were approved.
On the issues
Campaign rationale
Brewer describes his candidacy as a call for Americans to work together beyond party lines. "I'm running as independent. It's time we remember how to be America and work together as Americans again," Brewer said, according to a candidate questionnaire published by Daughter of Tennessee.
Veterans housing and workforce development
Brewer has described a program that would take homeless veterans, provide them counseling and housing, and teach them a skilled trade through on-the-job training, according to the same questionnaire. He has not released details on how the program would be funded or administered.
Editor's note: Some candidate responses in this profile were drawn from a questionnaire published by Daughter of Tennessee and from the candidate's Facebook page. This profile will be updated as more information becomes available.
