There has been much recent talk about the Trump administration ending the U.S. Department of Education and returning power to the states. In an interesting and somewhat contradictory response, a majority of Tennesseans support eliminating the Department of Education, even though a plurality of voters actually approve of the agency. Fifty percent of voters support eliminating the department and returning funding to the states, while 37% oppose eliminating it. Unsurprisingly, eliminating the Department of Education was most popular among Republicans (+53%), while it was substantially underwater with both Democrats (-40%) and Independents (-10%).

Beacon’s Senior Fellow for Public Opinion Mark Cunningham stated, “The results on the U.S. Department of Education are among the most interesting of the entire poll. While a plurality of voters (40%) have a favorable opinion of the Department of Education, most voters want it eliminated. It’s clear that most Tennesseans believe the government should have some role in education, but most prefer that it be done at the state level, even if they have a positive opinion of the Department of Education generally.”

Coming on the heels of a special session on school choice, immigration reform, and Hurricane Helene relief, Governor Bill Lee is the most popular politician in Tennessee, even beating out President Trump. Governor Lee enjoys his highest approval rating to date in the Beacon Poll, with a +25% spread (59%-34%). Not only is Lee well above water with Republicans (+69%), but he is also the only statewide or national politician viewed positively among Tennessee Independents (+4%). 

As rumors swirl around Senator Marsha Blackburn Blackburn’s potential run for governor, the new Beacon Poll is a mixed bag when it comes to her popularity. Senator Blackburn is very popular among Republicans (+66%), which would make her extremely formidable in a Republican primary for governor. While winning the primary would make her a substantial favorite for the governorship, she would have her work cut out to win over Independents (-18%) and Democrats (-57%).

One of the more surprising results in this quarter’s Beacon Poll is the bipartisan consensus around banning a statewide property tax. When asked, 61% of Tennesseans said they would vote for the amendment to ban a statewide property tax, while just 19% said they would vote against the amendment, and 21% were unsure how they would vote. Democrats (+28%), Independents (+47%), and Republicans (+46%) are all in favor of banning a statewide property tax.

While Tennessee is the birthplace of country music, rock is actually the most popular music genre among Tennesseans. A plurality of voters picked rock as their favorite genre of music (30%), followed closely by country music (26%). The list was rounded out by pop (10%), rap (9%), and R&B (8%).