Republican Rep. John Rose has reported raising over $6.1 million for the upcoming 2026 governor race in Tennessee. Most of this funding comes from personal loans, which Rose has described as “an unprecedented start” to his campaign.
The former state farm commissioner announced that since declaring his candidacy in March, he raised $1.1 million from supporters across all 95 Tennessee counties, which includes a significant loan of $5 million to kickstart the campaign.
“Receiving such strong support from my fellow Tennesseans in just a few months highlights my mission to uphold our campaign values,” Rose mentioned in a statement. “This isn’t just about numbers; it shows that voters want to safeguard their freedoms, much like I do.”
Rose, a resident of Cookeville and owner of a family farm, generated much of his wealth through an online IT company he established back in 2000. He currently serves as the owner and president of Boson Software.
Campaign Chairman Chris Devanney referred to the initial fundraising total as “an unprecedented start” and recognized Rose as a leading figure. However, Rose’s campaign had not yet submitted a financial report to the Tennessee election commission as of Monday.
While Rose’s campaign is touting this fundraising effort as historically significant for a Tennessee governor’s race, it’s worth noting that the 2018 Republican primary was also notably expensive. That year, five candidates, including University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd and former U.S. Rep. Diane Black, collectively spent nearly $50 million.
In the first two months of his campaign, Governor Bill Lee raised $1.4 million and lent the campaign almost the same amount, totaling $2.8 million. Lee is now serving his fourth year and still carries an outstanding loan of $4.58 million.
Boyd, in the early months of his own campaign, raised $4.4 million, with about half of that amount coming from his personal donations.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn is anticipated to enter the governor’s race as a Republican, though she has not made an official announcement yet.
On the Democratic side, Memphis City Council member Jerri Greene revealed last week that he will be running for the governor’s seat in the primary.
