Gary Humble, who founded the grassroots conservative group Tennessee Stands, has dropped out of the 2026 race for Tennessee Senate District 27, ending visions he could overcome a small deficit from four years ago.
In a press release, Humble said his personal life “is in a season of significant transition,” citing business opportunities and family needs.
Humble first ran for the seat in 2022, challenging Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Franklin Republican, in the Republican primary. Johnson was a heavy favorite but beat Humble by only 786 votes out of a total 24,100 cast in the election, and the narrow win left the door open for a rematch.
In April, the Lookout reported Humble would run again for the seat, and he formally launched his campaign in September.