David Sutman Jr. is running as an independent for U.S. Senate in Tennessee's Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Sutman, from Gray, Tennessee, qualified for the ballot by petition and filed March 6, 2026, according to Tennessee Firefly. He says he is running to break partisan gridlock.

Nine other candidates are also on the ballot, according to BallotReady election data:

  • Bill Hagerty (Republican)
  • Marquita Bradshaw (Democratic)
  • Andrew Gerena (Independent)
  • Catherine Barcel Whitson (Independent)
  • James William Macon III (Independent)
  • Jeremy Dean Hearn (Independent)
  • Robert Jones (Independent)
  • Tharon Chandler (Independent)
  • Yoshi D. Matthews (Independent)

Candidate information

  • Name: David Sutman Jr.
  • Party: Independent
  • Hometown: Gray, Tennessee
  • Filing date: March 6, 2026 (qualified by petition)

Experience and public service

Sutman describes himself on his campaign website as coming from a working-class background. He says he built his experience in business and problem-solving rather than in political offices.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Sutman's campaign website and his BallotReady candidate response.

Cost of living: Sutman says groceries, housing and fuel are crushing working families and that Washington continues to spend without accountability. He says he would focus on practical solutions to reduce everyday costs.

Government reform: Sutman says he supports term limits, increased government transparency and cutting wasteful spending.

Independent leadership: Sutman says he would owe no blind loyalty to Democrats or Republicans and would base decisions on what benefits constituents rather than party leadership.

Economy: Sutman says he would promote economic opportunity and support small businesses.

Civil liberties and public safety: Sutman says he would protect individual freedoms and uphold respect for the rule of law.

Editor's note: This profile is based on publicly available candidate information and the candidate's own responses. It was not produced from an interview. Voters seeking more information can visit sutmanjr4senate.com.