Robert C. Vick is running as an independent for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. This is his first run for public office.

Asked why he is seeking the office, Vick said in our candidate questionnaire, "I've spent 40 years in public education and enjoy being a servant leader. I felt God's calling to join the race and run as a Christian Independent."

Other candidates in the race, according to BallotReady election data, 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, Misam Abidi, Ray Brown, Victor L. Scoggin and Wendell Jackson (all Independent).

Candidate information

Party: Independent

Hometown: Born and raised in White Pine, Tennessee, in Jefferson County, according to his campaign website.

Family: "Married to Stephanie Bishop Vick, we have a blended family of 5 grown children and 6 grandchildren."

Education: Bachelor of science in math and science education, University of Tennessee (1986); master's of education in administration and supervision, Lincoln Memorial University (1996); educational specialist in administration and supervision, Lincoln Memorial University (1997); doctorate in education in school leadership, East Tennessee State University (2004).

Previous elected or appointed office: "NONE, first attempt for public office."

Experience and public service

Vick said in our questionnaire that he retired after 40 years in public education. He described his career: "I just retired that past June after 40 great years in public education, started in 1986. Morristown West High School , Hamblen Co, (teacher/coach) 10 years … Jefferson Elementary, Jefferson Co, (assistant princiapl) 4 years … Dandridge Elementary, Jefferson Co, (principal) 2 years … Jefferson Elementary, Jefferson Co, (principal) 7 years … Maury Middle School, Jefferson Co, (teacher/coach) 2 years … Parrottsville Elementary, Cocke Co, (principal) 11 years … Cocke Co High School, Cocke Co, (assistant principal, athletich director) 4 years."

On the issues

Top priority — public education: Asked the single most important issue he would address, Vick said in our questionnaire:

"I would have to say "pubic education", I feel it has been the step child of our state's government … I believe more funding should be put into public education. I am 100% against school vouchers."

Education policy: On K-12 changes, Vick said, "… the greatest impact I could make as governor would be to lower pupil to teacher ratios. The greatest impact on a student's edcuation is the teacher in the classroom. Next, I would work to keep our great teachers in the classroom. We need to make teacher salaries competitive."

On vouchers, Vick said on his campaign issues page, "In many of our rural counties, 'school choice' is an empty promise because there are simply no private schools nearby. Vouchers drain money from the local schools that serve as the heartbeat of these communities."

Cost of living and taxes: Vick said in our questionnaire, "To help with the daily cost of living I would first look at our sales tax on groceries. In my eyes, that is a very unfair tax to consumers in the lower income bracket, they pay a higher percent of their income."

Public safety and mental health: Vick said, "Driving to all 95 Tennessee counties, I saw two common themes across our state, poor mental health issues and homelessness … As governor, I would look to get more mental health experts in more areas. Our police force and mental health experts need to work as a team."

Data centers and AI: Vick told NewsChannel 9, "I think data centers should be a local decision within each county. Concerning AI, we do need to look at guardrails to protect our children, privacy concerns, and employees while balancing the need for economic innovation."

Infrastructure: Vick told the Nashville Banner, "The backlog in road maintenance is not going to get fixed quickly … I will use Dave Ramsey-style financial discipline in running the budget for our great state."

Candidate responses were collected through the Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire and publicly available sources. Responses are presented in the candidate's own words and have not been edited for grammar or spelling.