Robert C. Vick is running for Tennessee governor as an independent in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Asked in our candidate questionnaire why he is seeking the office, Vick said, "I've spent 40 years in public education and enjoy being a servant leader. I felt God's calling to join the race and run as a Christian Independent."

This is Vick's first run for public office. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. Other candidates in the race include Marsha Blackburn (Republican), Jerri Green (Democratic) and independents Charles Van Morgan, Dave Seeman, David Hatley, Dean Brewer, Eddie Lee Murphy, Karl Knox Smithson, L. Webb Taylor, Lauren Pinkston, Misam Abidi, Ray Brown, Victor L. Scoggin and Wendell Jackson.

Candidate information

Hometown: Vick said on his campaign website that he was born and raised in White Pine, Tennessee, and has always called Jefferson County home.

Family: "Married to Stephanie Bishop Vick, we have a blended family of 5 grown children and 6 grandchildren," Vick said in our questionnaire. No one in his family works in politics or government, he said.

Party: Independent

Education: Bachelor of science in math and science education, University of Tennessee-Knoxville (1986); master of education in administration and supervision, Lincoln Memorial University (1996); educational specialist in administration and supervision, Lincoln Memorial University (1997); doctorate of education, East Tennessee State University (2004).

Experience and public service

Vick described his career in our questionnaire: "I just retired that past June after 40 great years in public education, started in 1986." His career spanned roles as a teacher and coach at Morristown West High School, principal at multiple elementary schools in Jefferson and Cocke counties, and most recently assistant principal and athletic director at Cocke County High School, according to his questionnaire responses.

He has never held elected office. "NONE, first attempt for public office," he said.

On the issues

Top priority — public education: Asked the single most important issue he would address, Vick said in our questionnaire, "I would have to say 'pubic education', I feel it has been the step child of our state's government … I believe more funding should be put into public education. I am 100% against school vouchers."

Education policy: "I've learned in my 40 years in public education that the greatest impact I could make as governor would be to lower pupil to teacher ratios. The greatest impact on a student's edcuation is the teacher in the classroom. Next, I would work to keep our great teachers in the classroom. We need to make teacher salaries competitive," Vick said in our questionnaire.

Economy and cost of living: "To help with the daily cost of living I would first look at our sales tax on groceries," Vick said in our questionnaire. "In my eyes, that is a very unfair tax to consumers in the lower income bracket, they pay a higher percent of their income."

Public safety and mental health: "Driving to all 95 Tennessee counties, I saw two common themes across our state, poor mental health issues and homelessness," Vick said. He called for police and mental health professionals to collaborate: "… Our police force and mental health experts need to work as a team."

Infrastructure: Vick told the Nashville Banner, "The backlog in road maintenance is not going to get fixed quickly … I will use Dave Ramsey-style financial discipline in running the budget for our great state."

Technology and AI: Vick told NewsChannel 9 that data center siting should be a local decision and that the state needs guardrails on artificial intelligence to protect children, privacy and employees.

What sets him apart: Asked about critical differences between himself and other candidates, Vick said in our questionnaire, "Being a product of public education and working in it for 40 years, I have first hand experience on the importance of public education. I would 100% support public education."

Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire and supplemented with publicly available campaign materials. Quotations reflect the candidate's original wording.