David Sutman Jr. is running as an independent for U.S. Senate in Tennessee's Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He qualified by petition and filed March 6, 2026, according to Tennessee Firefly.

Other candidates certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data:

  • Bill Hagerty (Republican)
  • Marquita Bradshaw (Democratic)
  • Andrew Gerena (Independent)
  • Catherine Barcel Whitson (Independent)
  • James William Macon III (Independent)
  • Jeremy Dean Hearn (Independent)
  • Robert Jones (Independent)
  • Tharon Chandler (Independent)
  • Yoshi D. Matthews (Independent)

Candidate information

  • Name: David Sutman Jr.
  • Party: Independent
  • Hometown: Gray, Tennessee
  • Office sought: U.S. Senate, Tennessee

On his campaign website, Sutman said he comes from a working-class background and built his experience in business and problem-solving rather than political offices.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Sutman's campaign website and his BallotReady candidate response. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

Cost of living and the economy

Sutman said groceries, housing and fuel are crushing working families. He said Washington continues to spend without accountability. He called for practical solutions to reduce everyday costs. He also said he supports small businesses, according to his BallotReady response.

Government reform and transparency

Sutman said he supports term limits. He also called for increased government transparency and cutting wasteful spending, according to his BallotReady response.

Independent leadership

Sutman said he owes no blind loyalty to Democrats or Republicans. He said his decisions would be based on what benefits constituents, not party leadership, and pledged to break what he called the cycle of partisan gridlock.

Civil liberties and public safety

Sutman said he would protect individual freedoms. He also said he supports respect for the rule of law, according to his BallotReady response.

Editor's note: This profile was built from publicly available candidate information and the candidate's own campaign materials. The Franklin Beacon did not interview the candidate for this profile. Voters can learn more at sutmanjr4senate.com.

Tennessee's U.S. senators serve six-year terms and vote on federal legislation, confirm presidential appointments and ratify treaties.