TN state Rep. Monty Fritts announces candidacy for governor
WJHL

By TN Today | September 9, 2025

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) -Tennessee state Representative Monty Fritts announced his candidacy in the governor’s race Friday night at the “Trump Day dinner” hosted by the Washington County GOP.

Fritts joins the Republican race alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn and Representative John Rose.

Fritts said he decided to run in order to combat government interference in everyday life.

“I talked a bit tonight about the fact that [the government is] infringing upon your rights to make your own decisions,” he said. “We’ve done that several times in the last few years. That’s not in the Constitution. I really think we’ve got to get back to liberty and less government in Tennessee. I do think there is a thirst for liberty, and I think there’s a big distaste for big government and big budgets. Let’s move in the other direction.”
According to a report by WalletHub, Tennessee had the largest increase in unemployment claims in the nation in Aug. Fritts said that the government must prioritize small businesses rather than corporations to solve this issue.

“For three years, I’ve been fighting with this establishment to get that we’re all first in God’s eyes and also right,” he said. “Under the Constitution, we are as well to be better to them, to the businesses that are here, and stop worrying so much about the corporate welfare to pull in a better baseball team or football team or whatever, and some of the things that we do.”

When asked what values are important to his campaign, Fritts answered that he hopes he can resonate with the common people.

“What will help me be most successful?” he said. “Because I do think we’ll win, and I think it will be folks like us that say ‘I’ve had enough with an establishment, politics in Nashville that thinks they don’t have to listen to me.’ I think there’s a lot of frustration with that, and I think it’s important for us that we reestablish the confidence of the Republican voter.”

The primary election for Tennessee takes place on Aug. 6, 2026. The general election will take place on Nov. 3, 2026.

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