Tharon Chandler, an Independent from Lawrenceburg, is running for U.S. Senate in Tennessee's Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Chandler filed his petition on Feb. 10, 2026, and his signatures were approved by the Tennessee Secretary of State, according to state records. He is one of 10 candidates certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. The seat carries a six-year term and represents the entire state.
The field includes one Republican, one Democrat and eight Independents. The Republican candidate is Bill Hagerty. The Democratic candidate is Marquita Bradshaw. The Independent candidates are Andrew Gerena, Catherine Barcel Whitson, David Sutman Jr., James William Macon III, Jeremy Dean Hearn, Robert Jones and Yoshi D. Matthews.
Candidate information
- Full name: William Tharon Chandler
- Party: Independent
- Residence: Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
- Education: Bachelor's degree in German and economics, Memphis State University
Experience and public service
Chandler has a long history of running for federal office. He has run for U.S. House four times in Tennessee since 2002 and once in Missouri in 2008, according to the Nashville Banner. He was the Democratic nominee for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 in 2016. He also ran as an Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2020, according to the same profile.
Outside of politics, Chandler has worked as a farmer since 1998 and as an independent journalist since 2009, according to BallotReady profile data. Both are listed as current occupations. Earlier in his career, he worked as a grounds maintenance worker at Davy Crockett State Park from 1986 to 1987 and as a taxi driver at Allied Cab in 2003, according to the same data.
This profile is based on publicly available records and reporting. Voters can find more information on the general election ballot at their county election commission office.
