Party primary Election Day in Tennessee determined the final candidates for almost all of the state’s congressional seats — one for U.S. Senate and all nine positions in the U.S. House — and a multitude of statehouse posts. There were also general election local races on many ballots.
Other than Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, in Memphis, the congressional delegation is entirely Republican. The primary set up some competitive contests in November, with high-profile Democrats challenging for all three of the House seats — Districts 5, 6 and 7 — that include parts of Nashville.
Tennessee’s high-profile U.S. Senate battle is set with Blackburn vs. Johnson
It will be incumbent Sen. Marsha Blackburn against state Rep. Gloria Johnson in a high-profile battle for one of Tennessee’s two U.S. Senate seats in November. The women secured the Republican and Democratic nominations in Thursday’s primary.
Johnson was catapulted onto the national stage as a member of the so-called Tennessee Three after her Republican colleagues in the statehouse tried to expel her along with Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson. Johnson parlayed that attention into her campaign against Blackburn, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018.
Some analysts think that Tennessee’s Democratic enthusiasm over Kamala Harris, coupled with growing disapproval of the state’s Republican supermajority, might bolster Johnson’s campaign.
More: Supermajority podcast, from WPLN and NPR’s Embedded, tackles single-party rule
Tennessee delegates to the Democratic National Convention were among the first in the nation to support Harris.
But Blackburn is still favored to win the general election, and no Democrat has won a statewide race in Tennessee since Phil Bredesen’s re-election as governor in 2006. In her time in office, Blackburn has been a major proponent of former President Donald Trump, and has maintained strong approval ratings.
— Paige Pfleger
U.S. Rep. Ogles defends 5th congressional seat
Tennessee U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles is now one step closer to re-election, having fended off Republican challenger Courtney Johnston with nearly 58% of the vote. Ogles currently represents Tennessee’s 5th congressional district, which spans parts of Davidson, Wilson and Williamson counties and all of Maury, Lewis and Marshall.
Republican voter Brad Pendleton cast his ballot in Green Hills yesterday. He says he didn’t care who won the Republican primary, as long as they beat the Democratic challenger in November.
“I think any, Republican can be thrilled that after 160 years, the 5th Tennessee (congressional district) is no longer Democratic,” he said.
In his first term, Ogles caused controversy for his inflammatory statements about those across the aisle — and on his own side of it, having voted to oust Republican House speaker Kevin McCarthy. Ogles has filed articles of impeachment against both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the latter which were announced after the California Democrat became the party’s presumptive nominee for the presidency.
Johnston, who serves on Nashville’s Metro Council, had out-fundraised the incumbent by nearly double the donations. She saw support from well-established state Republicans, including former Gov. Bill Haslam and former U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Bill Frist. That support didn’t translate to votes during the primary.
Ogles will face Nashville activist Maryam Abolfazli in the general election this November.
— Marianna Bacallao
6th district Democrats choose Bergman to face incumbent Rose
Lore Bergman has won the 6th district Democratic primary, defeating Clay Faircloth and Cyril Focht.
Bergman ran a progressive campaign focused on reproductive and disability rights. Faircloth, an East Nashville pastor, was the moderate in the race, and Focht, a Tennessee Tech computer science instructor, ran primarily on tech issues like data privacy and the effects of social media.
Bergman will challenge Republican incumbent John Rose in November. Rose is heavily favored to win.
Meanwhile, the general election matchup in the 7th congressional district has been decided. Republican incumbent Mark Green and Democratic former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry were both unopposed for their parties’ nominations.
— Char Daston
In crowded primary, finalists chosen to fill Jernigan’s district 60 House seat
Shaundelle Brooks has won the House District 60 Democratic primary, defeating Tyler Brasher.
A third candidate, John Parrish, announced on Facebook last Sunday that he had suspended his campaign and put his support behind Brooks.
Brooks ran on a campaign that included restoring reproductive rights for women and opposing school vouchers. But gun reform has always been her top issue.
The mother of four lost her son, Akilah DaSilva, in the 2018 Waffle House shooting in Antioch. Following his death, she became a fierce advocate for gun safety measures, testifying regularly at the state capitol.
“For five, six years I’ve been going up to the capitol, begging and pleading and trying to bring change,” she said in an interview with WPLN. “And it hasn’t happened. So I just decided that I have to be the change that I need to see.”
Brasher pitched himself as a locally focused candidate who would be able to work with Republicans in the statehouse. Brooks emphasized her advocacy bonafides and her personal stake in the issues she would be fighting for as a representative.
That resonated with voters like Yvonne Bender, 70, from Hermitage.
“I feel for her, and what’s she’s gone through. And if she can help put some of this stuff to rest, I’ll go for it,” she said.
Her campaign also won several high-profile endorsements from state lawmakers (including the Tennessee Three), Planned Parenthood and Nashville DA Glenn Funk.
This November, Brooks will be facing Republican Chad Bobo in the general election. The winner will replace Democrat Darren Jernigan in District 60, which includes Hermitage, Donelson and Old Hickory.
Bobo is a former staffer for House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and won endorsements from his former employer, Gov. Bill Lee and the Fraternal Order of Police. He defeated his primary opponent Christopher Huff, who ran against Jernigan previously.
— Rose Gilbert
In Nashville’s only contested school board seat, Taylor wins
Democrat Robert Taylor will represent families in District 1 on the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board. The Meharry Medical College instructor beat out Republican Demytris Savage-Short in the school board’s only contested race.
Rodriquez Wright II was campaigning for Taylor in North Nashville on Election Day. The 34-year-old says the school board race is a crucial decision for the next generation.
“A lot of times, people in the community don’t know what’s going on in the schools. So his platform really wants to include the parents in, to make sure they’re getting the newsletters, make sure they’re knowing the services that’s out there, making sure they now how they can help their school and other schools within the community,” he said.
Taylor ran on listening to families who he says have historically been ignored, and increasing equity and opportunities for under-resourced schools. He says he hopes to use this position to build up not just the schools in his district, but the community as a whole.
Meanwhile, Savage-Short sought to refocus education on core academic subjects, rather than social emotional learning. Savage-Short also ran on protecting students from what she calls “pornographic and age-inappropriate content.”
— Alexis Marshall
Turnout has lagged in recent years
Davidson County’s voter turnout was even lower than August 2020, the last primary before a presidential election. Then, more than 120,000 Nashvillians cast ballots, compared to the 68,000 this time. That’s 26% of registered voters compared to just 13%.
The percentage of Tennesseans who participate in elections lags behind the nation as a whole, and people in the state’s rural counties are especially unlikely to vote.
A new study from the think tank Think Tennessee says this state was last in the nation for voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections. That rate has generally been declining for the past decade.
And that’s just looking at the percentage of people on the voter rolls who actually came to the polls.
An estimated 156,000 people in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga are not registered voters. Participation is even lower in eight of the most remote counties, where fewer than 75% of residents are registered to vote.
— Rachel Iacovone and Nina Cardona
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