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A majority of Tennesseans, 56% of voters, believe the cap on Education Freedom Scholarships should be lifted from where it currently sits at 20,000 so that all eligible families who applied this year can use the program, while 30% of Tennesseans disagree and believe the cap should remain where it is.

Polling has shown consistent support for school choice in Tennessee and throughout the country. Despite Tennessee passing a universal school choice bill last session, voters want to see even more. A whopping 56% of voters believe the cap on Education Freedom Scholarships should be lifted so that more families can use the program. Despite the 20,000-student cap, more than 40,000 students applied for the program, and most voters believe the program should be expanded to all eligible families.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld Tennessee’s law banning medical treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors. The decision is widely supported by Tennesseans, with 65% approving of the decision and only 26% opposing it. The issue of transgender healthcare for minors has been a key topic of debate in political campaigns across the country, with a clear partisan divide. In the Beacon Poll, both Republicans (+80%) and Independents (+20%) backed the ruling, while most Democrats (-31%) oppose it.

As Tennessee continues to grow, cities across the state are increasingly turning to property tax hikes to generate revenue. Places like Nashville, Kingsport, and Bartlett have all recently raised property taxes, and most voters think these increases will do more harm than good. Sixty-two percent of voters say property tax increases will hurt local communities, while only 15% say they will help. In addition, 70% of registered voters believe property taxes should be limited or outright banned. Only 21% believe property taxes are necessary to fund local government services. Interestingly, 64% of Democrats support either limiting or banning property taxes.

Tariffs have been one of the most controversial aspects of President Trump’s policy agenda. While Trump maintains strong approval among Tennesseans, voters are split on tariffs, with 45% viewing them as taxes that raise the cost of goods and 44% believing they are essential for protecting American-made products. Most Democrats (+59%) and Independents (+21%) consider tariffs a tax, whereas 62% of Republicans see them as a necessary tool to protect American consumers.

Forty-seven percent of voters say that tariffs have impacted their family negatively, while only 16% say tariffs have had a positive impact on their family. Nearly one-third of voters say tariffs haven’t had any noticeable impact.

In 2024, Tennessee’s 30 largest cities spent roughly $1.4 million in taxpayer dollars on contract lobbyists, a practice that likely leaves most Tennesseans unaware. The Beacon Poll shows broad opposition to this practice, with Republicans (-65%), Democrats (-67%), and Independents (-60%) all expressing strong disapproval of local governments using public funds to hire private lobbyists.

Taxpayer-funded lobbying was one of the very few issues in this quarter’s Beacon Poll that showed overwhelming bipartisan consensus.

In the field before Senator Blackburn’s official announcement that she will be running for governor in 2026, the Beacon Poll asked Tennesseans who they would support in the GOP primary for governor, Senator Blackburn or Representative John Rose. The poll was taken of 623 Republican primary voters. 

The results show Senator Blackburn enters the race as a clear frontrunner, with a strong early lead, earning 66% of Tennesseans’ support to Representative Rose’s 14%.

Whoever comes out as the Republican nominee is expected to be the favorite in the general election. The Beacon Poll shows both Blackburn and Rose leading a generic Democratic candidate by 19 points.

You can read the full poll with party and region crosstabs here.
You can read the full poll with demographic crosstabs here.
You can find the polling graphics here.