Govenor

Jerri Green

Jerri Green

Democrat

Tell us about your campaign.

Jerri Green is a mom, a lawyer, a public servant, and a proud Democrat who gets things done. She’s fought her entire career for working people and families helping guarantee wages families can actually live on, creating programs to reduce violent crime and gun theft, and increasing healthcare access through pioneering an at-home HIV test program and funding for Black midwives. Born and raised in Memphis, Jerri Green is a proud alumna of White Station High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center and returned home to begin her career as a juvenile public defender in Nashville. As an attorney whose experience spans public defense, human rights work, and legal education. Jerri has dedicated herself to public service and served as Executive Director of the Community Legal Center, where she helped provide legal services to people in Memphis who otherwise couldn’t have afforded it. She also served Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris as Senior Policy Advisor and now as Deputy Chief of Staff where she helps advance issues like public safety, women’s health, and living wages. She currently serves District 2 on the Memphis City Council. In her role as a public servant, Jerri has increased funding for first responders, pushed legislation to crack down on neglectful landlords, put more kids in pre-K and youth programming, and reduced violent crime by getting guns off our streets. Beyond her professional endeavors, Jerri Green is deeply involved in her community. She served as President of the Democratic Women of Shelby County and held board positions with Habitat for Humanity of Memphis, Girls Inc. of Memphis, the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, and the Overton Shell. She was also the statewide election lead for the Tennessee Moms Demand Action Chapter. Green is married to Patrick, and together they have three children: Beau, Vivienne, and Wilder.

In your own words, describe the responsibilities of the office you are seeking.

First, one of the biggest responsibilities that I will hold is development of our state budget. I have long said that budgets are moral documents - you show me yours, and I’ll show you what you care about. My budget will demonstrate care for our state: for our veterans, our farmers, our educators, the families who make their homes here and the people who make Tennessee the place it is. Additionally, the role of governor holds a heavy responsibility to stand up for those who are less privileged. Because of that, I have an entire section on my policy platform dedicated to protections for marginalized communities as well as broad policy plans that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans on day one, including our more vulnerable populations

What are your priorities for this office?

My campaign focuses on five pillars. Real Support for Working Families – Paid family leave. Affordable child care. A real living wage. Because families deserve more than survival—they deserve stability and dignity. This platform is the foundation for achieving Equal Pay and economic independence for Tennessee women. Strong Public Schools – Fully funded classrooms. Respected teachers. Honest education—not censorship and political interference. By protecting the right to an unbiased education, we uphold the Equal Rights of every student to have a fair shot at a successful future. Health Care Access – A government that expands Medicaid, especially in rural Tennessee, and respects a woman’s decisions regarding her own health. This is a direct commitment to the NWPC’s pillars of Access to Care and the Right to Choose. Common-Sense Laws – Background checks. Red flag laws. Gun locks. Because no parent should fear sending their child to school. We view safety as an Equal Rights issue; women and families cannot be truly free or equal until they are safe from gun violence and gender-based violence in their own communities. A Future Worth Fighting For – Clean air, safe water, and climate-smart policies that protect our land—and our children. This priority ensures that the Equal Rights and Access to Care we fight for today are preserved for the next generation of Tennesseans. You can find a more extensive platform here: https://greenforgovernor.com/policy/

Describe your qualifications for this office.

I have dedicated decades of my career as a public defender to defending the most vulnerable, and I believe our government must actively protect the civil rights of every person in our state. My time as a volunteer with Moms Demand helped understand the power of grassroots organizing because I’ve done it. As the only gubernatorial candidate to have served in local office, my time on Memphis City Council has taught me how to work across party lines. And my time as a mother to my three kids has made it clear that their future is on the line. I am fighting to become the first female governor of Tennessee - and one of the few state electeds in all of Tennessee with school-age children. That perspective matters in a state where the majority of residents are women, and we are failing parents, kids, and families on nearly every front. Tennessee deserves to be led by One Tough Mother.