Voters East Of Nashville Head To Polls To Replace GOP State Senator

Voters east of Nashville will decide tomorrow who’s going to replace state Sen. Mae Beavers.

Republican state Rep. Mark Pody faces Democrat Mary Alice Carfi, an attorney, in a special election to replace Beavers. The longtime conservative firebrand resigned recently to run for governor — one of many GOP legislators contributing to a remarkable run of turnover.

The departures also include Shelbyville Sen. Jim Tracy, who’s joining the Trump administration; East Tennessee’s Doug Overbey, who’s now a federal prosecutor; and Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, who’s soon to become a federal judge. Then, there are people like Sens. Mark Green of Clarksville and Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro, who are running for other offices.

If Republican candidates hold onto these seats, by this time next year, about a quarter of the state Senate’s Republican members will have a year’s experience or less — and that’s assuming no incumbent loses their bids for re-election.

The open seat is in District 17, which includes Wilson, Smith, Macon, DeKalb, Clay and Cannon counties.