David Hatley, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, is self-funding his campaign with a $7 million personal loan, according to the Nashville Banner. He has no donors. He has spent just under $1 million on advertising ahead of the general election.

Hatley shares the ballot with Republican Marsha Blackburn, Democrat Jerri Green and other independents, according to BallotReady election data.

The policy positions and biographical details below are drawn from Hatley's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses unless otherwise noted. Statements reflect the candidate's own claims and have not been independently verified.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Tennessee governor
  • Party: Independent
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Hometown: Elizabethton, Tennessee (Carter County)
  • Current role: Chief executive officer, Whisper LLC (since 2009), a hot tub manufacturing company
  • Business background: Hatley said he has built nine companies, holds 11 patents and operates 740,000 square feet of Tennessee manufacturing. He said his hot tub company is the No. 1 hot tub manufacturer in America and employs approximately 750 Tennessee workers.
  • Campaign funding: Hatley has loaned his campaign $7 million and has no donors, the Nashville Banner reported.

Experience and public service

Hatley said he started his first business at twelve and opened his first retail store at eighteen. After rebuilding from the 2008 financial crisis, he said he established an employee stock ownership plan so workers could become owners.

On the issues

Government accountability and transparency

Hatley said he would create an independent, nonpartisan state auditor elected statewide, with authority to conduct forensic and performance audits, subpoena records and protect whistleblowers. He said the auditor would need a CPA or equivalent credentials.

He said he would rebuild Tennessee's spending portal so every legally disclosable contract, grant, amendment and payment is posted within 30 days, searchable and downloadable. He said the requirement would be codified in law so a future administration could not shut it down.

Affordable housing

Hatley said Tennessee is roughly 120,000 starter homes short. He said he would provide infrastructure grants with conditions: the state helps pay for water, sewer and road work, and communities set aside 5–10% of new developments for homes priced at $250,000 or less. He said he would also roll back building code changes that added cost without improving safety.

Education and workforce development

Hatley said his goal is for Tennessee to reach the top ten nationally in reading within four years, measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. He said he would place full-time reading coaches in the 100 lowest-performing elementary schools and require elementary teachers to demonstrate competency in the science of reading before licensure.

On workforce training, Hatley said he would end waitlists in the five highest-demand Tennessee College of Applied Technology programs: welding, mechatronics, practical nursing, industrial maintenance and HVAC. He said he would double registered apprenticeships in four years.

Data centers and economic development

Hatley said he would impose a moratorium on new data center approvals until Tennessee writes new rules. He said he would end payments in lieu of taxes and abatements, require at least half of new tax revenue from data centers to go to cutting property taxes for homeowners in the host county, and require companies to pay for their own power and water infrastructure.

Public safety and criminal justice

Hatley said he would clear the state crime-lab backlog, expand the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's violent-crime team and give rural sheriffs regional investigators with same-day state assistance.

His reentry plan begins 180 days before release. Every eligible person would leave prison with identification, medication, a verified address, transportation and a scheduled appointment. He said he aims to cut recidivism in half by expanding drug, mental-health and veterans courts to every judicial district.