Victor L. Scoggin, a Mt. Juliet High School graduate and independent, is running for Tennessee governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Scoggin said on his campaign website that he accepts no outside donations or special-interest money. "I am not funded by anybody. Nobody jerks my chain. I answer to no one except the Tennessee law abiding taxpayers," Scoggin said, according to his campaign site.

The race includes more than a dozen candidates. Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green are among the field, along with multiple independents, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Name: Victor L. Scoggin
  • 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, according to BallotReady

Experience and public service

Scoggin said he is an active Coast Guard auxiliarist and a 100 Ton Master Western Rivers captain. He said he is also a Tennessee armed guard.

He said he served as a volunteer firefighter for 43 years before retiring.

BallotReady lists his work history as a power plant operator at Nashville Glass Plant/Carlex from 1985 to 2017 and a stationary engineer at Carlex/Ford Motor Company/Nashville Glass from 1985 to the present.

Scoggin said he founded Save The Cumberland Inc. in 1996. He said he swam 696 miles that year 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 species and won.

He is listed as president and founder of Western Rivers Exploration LLC since 2011, according to BallotReady.

On the issues

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

Property taxes and government reform: Scoggin said he supports property tax reform and eliminating property taxes for retirees. He said he wants term limits on elected offices, campaign spending limits on politicians, drug testing for government employees and a ban on PACs and lobbyists. He said he would apply efficiency reviews to all state agencies.

Schools and public safety: Scoggin said he wants to secure schools with fences and metal detectors. On criminal justice, he said he supports speedy trials for violent crimes, license plate readers on interstates, jail time for scammers and hackers, and restoring Second Amendment and voting rights for nonviolent felons.

Environment and energy: Scoggin said he opposes a proposed dam on the Duck River in Columbia. He said he wants to eliminate state-issued water pollution discharge permits. He also said he opposes data centers.

He said he wants to ban styrofoam on consumable products and require biodegradable packaging.

Economy and infrastructure: Scoggin said he supports promoting Tennessee-made products. On transportation, he said he wants fines for slow vehicles in the passing lane and satellite phone and internet access as a national security measure.

Guns and constitutional carry: Scoggin said he supports constitutional carry and wants firearm lockers installed at courthouses.

Scoggin's policy positions were collected from his campaign website and his BallotReady candidate questionnaire responses. The Mt. Juliet Journal did not interview the candidate. This profile is part of the Journal's 2026 election coverage.