Jacob Anders and Incumbent DesJarlais Deadlocked in TN-4 Congressional Survey (35.3% to 36.5%) Released August 28,2026
August Poll Shows Independent Challenger Jacob Anders Within Margin of Error; Broderick at 18.2%, Faircloth at 1.4%, with 8.6% Undecided as Race Narrows to Top Candidates
1. Executive Summary Independent challenger Jacob Anders is locked in a statistical dead heat with incumbent Scott DesJarlais, trailing 35.3% to 36.5% on the initial head-to-head ballot in Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. Democratic nominee Victoria Broderick receives 18.2% support, Independent Clay Faircloth receives 1.4% support, while undecided voters have narrowed down to 8.6%. The incumbent's 36.5% standing reflects persistent electorate dissatisfaction across the district. Following the exit of primary candidates, voter preferences have rapidly consolidated, with Anders maintaining a strong lead among Independent voters alongside notable cross-party appeal. The survey was conducted via live telephone calls from August 10th through August 18th, 2026, among 718 likely General Election voters, carrying a margin of error of ±3.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
2. Methodology The survey was conducted from August 10th through August 18th 2026 by in-house live-caller survey using live telephone interviews (cell and landline). Zero robo-calls. • Sample size: 718 completed interviews with likely General Election voters • Universe: Registered voters who participated in the 2024 General Election in TN-4 counties (Coffee, Rutherford, Davidson, Warren, Franklin, Marion etc.)
• Source of sample: Public voter file obtained directly from county election commissions. • Screening question: "Are you planning to vote in the November 2026 General Election for U.S. House in Tennessee's 4th District?" • Margin of error: ±3.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level (calculated at maximum variability) • Completion rate: 64% Data were statistically weighted by age, gender, party identification, and geographic region based on a multi-cycle turnout model of Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. Full granular crosstabulations are maintained on file by the campaign and are available to verifiable members of the press upon professional request.
3. Exact Question Wording Head-to-head: "If the General Election for Congress in Tennessee's 4th District were held today and the candidates were Jacob Anders, Scott DesJarlais, Victoria Broderick, or Clay Faircloth who would you vote for?"
4. Full Results Tables Head-to-head: Jacob Anders 35.3%, Scott DesJarlais 36.5%, Victoria Broderick 18.2%, Clay Faircloth 1.4%, (Undecided: 8.6%)
5. Key Findings / Highlights • Statistical Tie at the Top: Jacob Anders (35.3%) trails incumbent Scott DesJarlais (36.5%) by just 1.2 percentage points, placing both candidates well within the survey's ±3.4% margin of error. • Incumbent Vulnerability: Scott DesJarlais remains capped at 36.5% district-wide, underscoring persistent weakness for a multi-term incumbent in a broad general election field. • Commanding Independent Advantage: Anders leads comfortably among Independent voters at 52%, outpacing DesJarlais (27%) by 25 percentage points, Broderick (11%) by 41 percentage points, and Faircloth (1%) by 51 percentage points.
• Bipartisan Crossover Appeal: Anders retains 18% of self-identified Republicans while attracting 32% of Democratic voters seeking a viable alternative to the incumbent. • Generational Support Divide: Voters under 50 favor Anders (41%) over DesJarlais (25%), Broderick (24%), and Faircloth (1%). Conversely, voters aged 50 and older favor DesJarlais (46%) over Anders (30%), Broderick (16%), and Faircloth (1%). • Minor Candidate Marginalization & Consolidation: Clay Faircloth draws just 1.4% of support, while undecided voters have contracted to 8.6%. This indicates rapid voter alignment behind the main contenders as campaign visibility increases.
6. Charts
7. Appendix A Jacob
Scott
Victoria
Clay
Anders
DesJarlais
Broderick
Faircloth
35.3%
36.5%
18.2%
1.4%
8.6%
Republicans
18%
71%
1%
1%
9%
Democrats
32%
0%
59%
2%
7%
Independents
52%
27%
11%
1%
9%
18-49
41%
25%
24%
1%
9%
50+
30%
46%
15%
1%
8%
Subgroup ALL VOTERS
Undecided
Party ID:
Age:
8. Disclosure Statement This poll was conducted, sponsored, and paid for by the Jacob Anders for Congress campaign. It is an internal poll and was not conducted by an independent polling firm.
9. Contact for Verification
Jacob Kristopher Anders Candidate for U.S. Congress, TN-4 Email: Anders4USA@gmail.com X: @jacobkanders Phone: 1-256-323-0997