Tennessee was won by incumbent United States Vice President George H. W. Bush of Texas, who was running against Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.

[1] Hardeman County, Tennessee would not vote for a Republican again until the 2016 United States presidential election.

Ned McWherter's victory in 1986 gubernatorial election also restored Democratic control since 1974.

Senator Al Gore, a favorite son, won Tennessee in the Democratic primary with 72% of the vote.

[7] Bill Brock, a former member of the U.S. Senate from Tennessee, served as the chair of Bob Dole's national campaign.

[12] Peter Goelz, a Democratic politician from Kansas City, was selected to be the political director of Dukakis's campaign in the state.

Chip Forrester, the executive director of the Tennessee Democratic Party, criticized Dukakis for not utilizing McWherter during the campaign despite his popularity in rural counties.

Senator Jim Sasser won reelection in the concurrent senatorial election and the Democrats maintained their control of the Tennessee General Assembly despite Bush's victory.