Misam Abidi is running as an independent for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Asked in our candidate questionnaire why he is running, Abidi said: "I am running so people can spend more time living, with less fear about getting by." His campaign slogan is "People Over Institutions," according to his campaign website.

Other candidates in the race include Marsha Blackburn (Republican), Jerri Green (Democratic), Charles Van Morgan, Dave Seeman, David Hatley, Dean Brewer, Eddie Lee Murphy, Karl Knox Smithson, L. Webb Taylor, Lauren Pinkston, Ray Brown, Robert C. Vick, Victor L. Scoggin and Wendell Jackson (all Independent), according to BallotReady.

Candidate information

Party: "Independent," Abidi said in our questionnaire.

Family: "My wife and I are raising our daughter in Nolensville," Abidi said in our questionnaire.

Education: "Some college, and a lifetime of learning through independent study, work, and lived experience," Abidi said in our questionnaire.

Previous public office: "I have never held elected or appointed public office," Abidi said in our questionnaire.

Biography: Abidi was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, and moved to the United States in 1997 as a teenager, according to his campaign website.

Experience and public service

Abidi described his work history in our questionnaire: "I currently work in consumer debt relief and drive for a rideshare service. My background also includes small-business ownership, entrepreneurship, and solar sales."

BallotReady lists additional employment including personal banker at Bank of America, sales in telecom and renewable energy, and work at McDonald's.

Asked about accomplishments, Abidi said in our questionnaire: "I have taken an idea from imagination to a U.S. patent: technology that turns physical cash and spare change into digital money at checkout."

On the issues

Top priority: Abidi said in our questionnaire: "My top priority is economic security: helping children enter adulthood with earning power, financial understanding, and a foundation for a home." He proposed a "Skills Guarantee" so "every graduate leaves with a diploma and an employable skill," along with financial education and "First Home Accounts" giving "every child a state-supported account with a starter deposit and matching contributions, growing toward a first home's down payment."

Cost of living: Abidi said in our questionnaire he would "phase out the state sales tax on groceries, with each step funded through a published budget plan." He also proposed requiring "major new industrial users, including data centers, to pay for the grid improvements they need, protecting household bills" and phasing in "a $15 minimum wage with temporary support for small businesses."

Education: On K-12 changes, Abidi said in our questionnaire: "Prioritize qualified teachers, special education, counselors, and rural schools, so opportunity reaches children wherever they live." He called for making "every public education dollar traceable, including money supporting private tuition" and protecting "public schools from destabilizing funding losses."

Public safety: Abidi said in our questionnaire he would "fund local teams that connect schools, families, and trained professionals to respond to credible threats early, with due process" and "pair officers with mental-health specialists when appropriate, so each emergency receives the help it needs."

Economy and technology: Abidi said on his campaign website he would pursue "clear pro-crypto regulations" and use blockchain technology to improve government transparency. He wants to attract blockchain, AI and fintech companies to Tennessee, according to the site.

Healthcare: Abidi said on his campaign website he would seek to "lower insurance premiums by 40%." He proposed that "the state and insurers share responsibility for extremely high-cost cases so those rare situations do not force premiums higher for everyone else."

What sets him apart: Abidi said in our questionnaire: "My approach combines independence, direct experience with working people, and a vision for making technological progress benefit ordinary households. … I also believe leadership should lower the temperature. People can disagree without becoming enemies, and every Tennessean deserves to feel heard, respected, and cared for."

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire. Answers are presented in the candidate's own words. The Duck River Sentinel did not independently verify claims the candidate made about his record or proposals.