• Guy Smith, editor of the
Knoxville Journal, from 1948-1958 •
Congressman Carroll Reece (R-Johnson City), from 1958 to 1961. Reece was Chair of the Republican National Committee from 1945-1948. •
Congressman Howard Baker, Sr. (R-Huntsville), from 1961 to 1962 • Erby Jenkins, from 1962 to 1963 • George Ed Wilson, from 1963 to 1964 • Harry Carbaugh, from 1964 to 1965 • Julius Hurst, the McNairy County Superintendent of Schools, was the first person from West Tennessee to chair the party and served from 1965 to 1966 • Ernest Koella, from 1966 to 1977 • Claude Robertson, from 1967 to 1969 • State Rep. Ed Bailey (R-Lexington) from 1969 to 1971 • S.L. “Kopie” Kopald, Jr., from 1971-1974 • Dortch Oldham, from 1974-1977. •
Thomas W. Beasley, from 1977 to 1981. • Charles L. Overby, from 1981-1982. • Susan Richardson Williams, from 1982 to 1984. • State Rep
Jim Henry (R-Kingston), from 1984 to 1988. Henry was also House Republican Leader from 1982 to 1988. • Former State Rep. Brad Martin (R-Memphis), from 1988 to 1990. • Tommy Hopper, 1990 to 1992. • Randle Richardson, from 1992 to 1995. • Jim Burnett, from 1995 to 1999. •
Chip Saltsman, from 1999 to 2001. •
Beth Harwell, from 2001 to 2004. • Bob Davis, from 2005 to August 2007. •
Robin Smith, from August 4, 2007, to May 30, 2009. •
Chris Devaney, from 2009 to 2015 •
Ryan Haynes, from 2015 to 2016. ==Past Republican governors==