NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Retired NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore’s race for governor in his home state turned out to be short-lived, very. A day after Wilmore, who grew up in Mt. Juliet and graduated from college at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, told Fox 17 News he was running in the Republican primary for governor, he suspended his campaign.

The state constitution has residency requirements to run for governor. You have to be at least 30-years-old. Wilmore, who turned 63 in December, had that covered. Where he ran into trouble is with the residency requirement. To run for governor, “you shall have been a citizen of this State 7 years before the election.” (TN Constitution Article 3, Section 3)

It’s a hurdle Wilmore, who has been living and voting in Texas because of his time with NASA, couldn’t satisfy. “Wilmore, you know, NASA astronaut, great record, but he’s been living in Houston. Yes. so I guess, you know, to coin a space phrase, Houston, we have a problem,” said Nashville attorney Steve Gill who publishes the conservative news site TristarDaily.com.

“The residency requirement is what it is. I don’t really think there’s any way to get around it. The Secretary of State also has immediate election proceeding or the immediate seven years preceding the election on their guidance. So there’s not really anything much to do about it. I think it was just a little scare for everybody else,” said Heather Leek, communications director for the Davidson County Republican Party.

While they don’t have a dog in the fight, when Barry Wilmore picked up his qualifying petition, it got the attention of state Democrats too. ” I think it would have been interesting, but, given the circumstances, I think, you know, it’s going to end up the way that I think a lot of people are predicting it’s going to end up. It’s going to be interesting,” said Jasper Hendricks a Democratic strategist and Chairman of the Metro Fair Board.

“I love astronauts, seeking higher office. Such as, Mark Kelly, of Arizona. He’s been a great US senator for Arizona. I do reside in Mount Juliet, where he’s from. There was a Butch Wilmore day, so I was it piqued my interest, but then it just faded out really quickly,” said Nashville attorney Isaac Kimes, who previously served as an advisor the to the Tennessee Senate.

The qualifying deadline to run for statewide office is March 10-th. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is running for the GOP nomination for governor has already turned in her qualifying petition. The law requires candidates to collect signatures from 25 registered voters to get on the ballot. Blackburn turned in 3-thousand with signatures from each of the state’s 95 counties.

6-th District Congressman John Rose, who was the first to announce his candidacy for governor (March 2025), is also vying for the republican nomination. Rose of Cookeville, likewise has already turned in his qualifying petition. It contains the names of more than a thousand voters from all 95 counties. State Representative Monty Fritts of Kingston is also in the hunt for the GOP nomination.

Rose and Blackburn are considered the favorites in the GOP race. Blackburn has a big lead in the early polls. Some observers believe that’s because of her long tenure as a state representative, state senator and member of congress before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018. She was sworn into office in January of 2019. Blackburn has statewide name recognition that Rose and Fritts will have to earn.

The governor’s race is expected to tighten this Summer as we get closer to the August primary. I spoke to Congressman Rose earlier this week. He expects to begin a more publicized phase of his campaign in May.

Rose and Blackburn are both well-funded and are expected to wage a spirited battle for the GOP nomination. Memphis city councilwoman Jerri Green, Memphis community advocate Carnita Atwater, musician Adam Kurtz and Tim Cyr of Gallatin are running for governor as Democrats according to Ballotpedia.

Barry Wilmore would have made things more interesting in the Republican primary, but GOP observer Steve Gill believes Wilmore would have struggled to compete with Blackburn and Rose financially.