Victor L. Scoggin is running as an independent for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. BallotReady election data shows Scoggin is certified for the ballot.

Scoggin said he accepts no outside funding. "I am not funded by anybody. Nobody jerks my chain. I answer to no one except the Tennessee law abiding taxpayers," he said on his campaign website.

The race also includes Marsha Blackburn (Republican), Jerri Green (Democratic) and multiple independent candidates, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Party: Independent
  • Education: High school diploma, Mt. Juliet High School; associate's degree in history and geography, Nashville State Community College
  • Military service: U.S. Navy (1977–1981); U.S. Merchant Marine (1994–2012)
  • Current roles (claimed by the candidate): Coast Guard Auxiliarist; 100 Ton Master Western Rivers Captain, a Coast Guard credential for inland waterway vessels; Tennessee Armed Guard; president and founder of Save The Cumberland Inc. (since 1996) and Western Rivers Exploration LLC (since 2011)

Experience and public service

Scoggin said he served as a volunteer firefighter for 43 years before retiring. He worked as a power plant operator at Nashville Glass Plant/Carlex from 1985 to 2017 and as a stationary engineer at Carlex/Ford Motor Company/Nashville Glass beginning in 1985, according to BallotReady profile data.

Scoggin said he swam 696 miles in 1996 at his own expense to draw attention to pollution of the Cumberland River as a drinking water source. He also said he fought a $300 million marina project over a federally endangered crayfish and won.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Scoggin's responses to BallotReady questionnaires and his campaign website. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

Property taxes and budget: Scoggin said he supports property tax reform and eliminating property taxes for retirees. He also said he opposes tax breaks for special interests.

Criminal justice and public safety: Scoggin said he supports speedy trials for violent crimes, RICO laws targeting Antifa and gangs, license plate readers on interstates and jail time for scammers and hackers. He said he wants to restore Second Amendment and voting rights for nonviolent felons. He also said he supports eliminating bail and pleas as part of justice system reform.

Environment and energy: Scoggin said he opposes a proposed Duck River Dam in Columbia, Tennessee, and opposes state-issued NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits. He said he supports requiring consumable products to be biodegradable and banning styrofoam.

Government reform: Scoggin said he supports term limits on elected offices, campaign spending limits, drug testing for government employees and eliminating PACs, AIPAC and lobbyists. He said he wants to apply DOGE-style efficiency reviews, modeled on the federal Department of Government Efficiency concept, to all state agencies.

Education: Scoggin said he supports securing schools with fences and metal detectors. He also said he wants an equal number of conservative and liberal educators in state-funded schools and colleges.

Scoggin lists additional positions on his campaign website.

Scoggin's positions were collected from his campaign website and BallotReady candidate questionnaire responses. The Franklin Beacon did not interview the candidate. This profile is part of the Beacon's 2026 election coverage. Content is AI-curated and human-edited.