Misam Abidi is running as an independent for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He is one of 15 candidates 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." Abidi said on his campaign website that he frames the race as "not about left vs. right but about restoring balance between institutions and the citizens they serve."

Candidate information

Party: Independent

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

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

Background: Abidi said on his campaign website that he was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, and moved to the United States in 1997 as a teenager. He said his career was disrupted by the financial crisis. He said he expanded work into cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation after a career in banking.

Occupation: Abidi said 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."

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

Work history: Abidi's past positions include personal banker at Bank of America, sales roles in telecom and renewable energy, systems administrator, founder of a credit consulting company and driver at Uber, according to BallotReady profile data and his campaign website.

On the issues

Top priority — economic security: 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 said he would propose a "Skills Guarantee" so "every graduate leaves with a diploma and an employable skill…" He also proposed "First Home Accounts" that give "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 he would "phase out the state sales tax on groceries, with each step funded through a published budget plan." He said he would "phase in a $15 minimum wage with temporary support for small businesses…"

He also said he would "require major new industrial users, including data centers, to pay for the grid improvements they need, protecting household bills."

Education: Abidi said he would "prioritize qualified teachers, special education, counselors, and rural schools, so opportunity reaches children wherever they live." He said he would "improve pay, mentoring, and classroom support, giving good educators reasons to stay."

He said he would "make every public education dollar traceable, including money supporting private tuition, and protect public schools from destabilizing funding losses."

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

He said he would "connect people leaving incarceration with identification, housing, and employment, reducing barriers to rebuilding their lives."

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

Technology and economy: Abidi said on his campaign platform that he would "create clear pro-crypto regulations" and attract blockchain, artificial intelligence and financial technology companies. He said he would establish a "Tennessee Dividend Fund on Blockchain" to "reduce long-term tax pressure through smart asset growth."

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."

Other candidates in this race include Marsha Blackburn (Republican), Jerri Green (Democratic) and 12 additional independents, according to BallotReady.

Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire. Answers are presented in the candidate's own words.