Jerri Green
Jerri Green | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1977/1978 (age 48–49) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Tennessee, Knoxville (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Jerri Green (born 1977/1978)[1] is an American lawyer and politician who has served as a member of the Memphis City Council since 2023. She is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election.[2][3]
Early life and education
Green was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and graduated from White Station High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and political science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.[2][4]
Legal career
Green is a licensed attorney in Tennessee. She has practiced public interest law in Washington, D.C., Nashville, and Memphis, including work in criminal defense and international human rights. She also taught criminal law and juvenile justice for the University of Phoenix.[2][4]
Green worked at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law before joining the Community Legal Center in Memphis. She joined the organization in 2016 and later served as its interim executive director in 2021.[5]
Shelby County government
Green served as a senior policy adviser and later deputy chief of staff to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. In those positions, she worked on issues including women's health, public safety, refugee assistance, blight remediation, and employee wages.[4][2]
In 2026, Green became chief public defender of Shelby County.[2][6]
Memphis City Council
Green ran for the Memphis City Council's 2nd district in 2023 and was elected on November 16, 2023.[2]
During her tenure on the council, Green has chaired the Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology Committee and served as vice chair of the Transportation Committee.[2]
2020 Tennessee House of Representatives campaign
In 2020, Green was the Democratic nominee for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 83. She challenged Republican incumbent Mark White. White won the general election with 54% of the vote to Green's 46%.[7]
2026 gubernatorial campaign
Green announced her campaign for governor of Tennessee in 2025. Her campaign focused on issues including education, health care, reproductive rights, child care, wages, and public safety.[6]
Green won the Democratic primary on August 6, 2026, receiving 244,194 votes, or approximately 69% of the vote. She defeated Carnita Atwater, Kevin Lee McCants, Tim Cyr, and Adam Kurtz.[8]
Following the primary, Green became the Democratic nominee for governor and is scheduled to face Republican nominee Marsha Blackburn in the November 3, 2026, general election.[3]
The election will be the first Tennessee gubernatorial general election in which both major-party nominees are women. Regardless of the outcome, the election will result in Tennessee's first woman governor.[9]
Political positions
Green has campaigned on expanding access to child care and health care, increasing public-school funding, protecting reproductive rights, and supporting working families.[6]
Personal life
Green is a mother of three children. She has lived in Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis.[4][3]
References
- ↑ https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/07/16/jerri-green-tn-gov-campaign/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "District 2 - Jerri Green". City of Memphis. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Jerri Green wins Tennessee Democratic gubernatorial primary". WSMV. August 7, 2026. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Memphis Workforce Leadership Academy Fellows and Facilitators". Aspen Institute. 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Memphis's Community Legal Center names Jerri Green interim executive director". Tennessee Lookout. January 4, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Governor | Voter Guide: 2026 Primary election". Tennessee Lookout. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ "White defeats Green in District 83 House race". The Daily Memphian. November 3, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Tennessee primary election results: Here are the vote totals for key races". WSMV. August 7, 2026. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Marsha Blackburn, Jerri Green win nominations for Tennessee governor". Axios. August 7, 2026. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jason Martin |
Democratic nominee for Governor of Tennessee 2026 |
Most recent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bill Lee |
Governor of Tennessee Taking office 2027 |
Elect |
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- AfC submissions by date/13 August 2026
- 1970s births
- 21st-century American women lawyers
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century Tennessee politicians
- Candidates in the 2026 United States elections
- Democratic Party governors of Tennessee
- First women governors
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- Tennessee Democrats
- University of Tennessee alumni
- Women in Tennessee politics
- Women state governors of the United States
