Closest U.S. Senate elections in Tennessee
The closest U.S. Senate election in Tennessee history was in 2006, a margin of 2.7 points. Bob Corker beat Harold E. Ford Jr., 929,911 to 879,976. Next closest are 1970 (3.9 points) and 1976 (5.5 points).
Every state is ranked together on Closest U.S. Senate elections in history. For every Senate race Tennessee has held, special elections included, see the Tennessee U.S. Senate hub.
What is the closest Senate race in Tennessee history?
The Tennessee Senate election decided by the narrowest margin was in 2006, 2.7 points. Bob Corker beat Harold E. Ford Jr., 929,911 to 879,976. The next closest were 1970 (3.9 points) and 1976 (5.5 points).
How is the margin measured?
As the gap in vote share between the first and second-place finishers, from the certified general-election count. It is not adjusted for recounts, runoffs or later court rulings; the figure is the result as certified.
Does this include special elections?
No. These are the regular general elections for Tennessee’s two Senate seats. Special elections to fill a vacancy appear on the Tennessee Senate hub, which lists every race including specials, and in a few states one of those is closer than anything here.
Why does the list start in 1914?
Because senators were chosen by state legislatures before the Seventeenth Amendment. 1914 is the first cycle of the popular-vote era for the Senate, so it is the first Tennessee election with a popular margin to measure.
| # | Election | Result | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006 | Bob Corker R def. Harold E. Ford Jr. D | 929,911 – 879,976 | 2.7 points |
| 2 | 1970 | Bill Brock R def. Albert Gore D | 562,645 – 519,858 | 3.9 points |
| 3 | 1976 | James R. Sasser D def. Bill Brock R | 751,180 – 673,231 | 5.5 points |
| 4 | 1964 | Albert Gore D def. Dan H. Kuykendall R | 570,542 – 493,475 | 7.2 points |
| 5 | 1916 | Kenneth D. McKellar D def. Ben W. Hooper R | 143,718 – 118,174 | 9.7 points |
| 6 | 2002 | Lamar Alexander R def. Bob Clement D | 891,498 – 728,232 | 9.9 points |
| 7 | 2018 | Marsha Blackburn R def. Phil Bredesen D | 1,227,483 – 985,450 | 10.8 points |
| 8 | 1966 | Howard H. Baker R def. Frank G. Clement D | 483,063 – 383,843 | 11.4 points |
| 9 | 1994 | Bill Frist R def. James R. Sasser D | 834,226 – 623,164 | 14.3 points |
| 10 | 1924 | Lawrence D. Tyson D def. Hugh B. Lindsay R | 147,825 – 109,863 | 14.7 points |
| 11 | 1978 | Howard H. Baker R def. Jane Eskind D | 642,644 – 466,228 | 15.3 points |
| 12 | 1928 | Kenneth D. McKellar D def. Harley G. Fowler R | 175,431 – 120,259 | 18.7 points |
| 13 | 1972 | Howard H. Baker R def. Ray Blanton D | 716,539 – 440,599 | 23.7 points |
| 14 | 1982 | James R. Sasser D def. Robin Beard R | 780,113 – 479,642 | 23.9 points |
| 15 | 1918 | John K. Shields D def. H. Clay Evans R | 98,605 – 59,989 | 24.3 points |
| 16 | 1996 | Fred Thompson R def. Houston Gordon D | 1,091,554 – 654,937 | 24.5 points |
| 17 | 1984 | Al Gore D def. Victor Ashe R | 1,000,607 – 557,016 | 26.9 points |
| 18 | 2020 | Bill Hagerty R def. Marquita Bradshaw D | 1,840,926 – 1,040,691 | 27.0 points |
| 19 | 1934 | Kenneth D. McKellar D def. Ben W. Hooper R | 195,430 – 110,401 | 27.6 points |
| 20 | 2024 | Marsha Blackburn R def. Gloria Johnson D | 1,918,743 – 1,027,461 | 29.6 points |
| 21 | 2014 | Lamar Alexander R def. Gordon Ball D | 850,087 – 437,848 | 30.0 points |
| 22 | 1988 | James R. Sasser D def. Bill Andersen R | 1,020,061 – 541,033 | 30.6 points |
| 23 | 1948 | Estes Kefauver D def. B. Carroll Reece R | 326,032 – 166,947 | 31.9 points |
| 24 | 2000 | Bill Frist R def. Jeff Clark D | 1,255,444 – 621,152 | 32.9 points |
| 25 | 2008 | Lamar Alexander R def. Robert D. Tuke D | 1,579,477 – 767,236 | 33.5 points |