The 2018 election season is in full swing, and with primary election day just a few short weeks away, we thought we would ask who your candidate of choice is for the record number of candidates running for open seats this year!
Starting Monday, June 25th, we will begin accepting Letter to the Editor Endorsements for publication consideration. We will continue receiving them until Friday, July 20. The letters will appear throughout the week of July 22.
Are you a ‘Matheny Man,’ or is Judge Bob Corlew your candidate of choice? John Rose? Tell us why!
Who should replace State Rep. Charles Sargent? And State Rep. Shelia Butt?
Should Bill Lee be the next governor, or do you think Diane Black can bring more to the table?
We want to hear about it!
Now, let’s remember this is a family website, so no profanity or un-sourced, ad-hoc attacks, please.
Here is a comprehensive list we put together from The Tennessean and The Green Papers of the all the candidates – Gubernatorial, US House and Senate, and State House and Senate – in challenged races qualified to run as of the last candidate deadline April 5:
Tennessee Governor
Republican:Â Diane Lynn Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell, Bill Lee, Basil J. Marceaux, Sr., Kay White
Democrat:Â Karl Dean, Craig Fitzhugh, Mezianne Vale Payn
Independent:Â Mark “Coonrippy” Brown, Sherry L. Clark, Justin Cornett, Gabriel Fancher, Sean Bruce Fleming, William Andrew “Andrew” Helmstetter, Cory King, Matthew Koch, Heather Scott, Chad Riden, Jeremy Allen Stephenson, Tracy C. Yaste Tisdale, Rick Tyler, Vinnie Vineyard, Joe B. Wilmoth, Mark Wright
U.S. Senate
Republican: Marsha Blackburn, Aaron L. Pettigrew
Democrat: Philip N. Bredesen, Gary Gene Davis, John Wolfe
Independent: Trudy A. Austin, John “Jae” Carico, Dean Hill, Kevin Lee McCants, Robert Breton “Breton” Phillips, Kris L. Todd
Congressional races
U.S. House District 1, East Tennessee
Republican: Phil Roe (incumbent), Mickie Lou Banyas, James Brooks, Todd A. McKinley
Democrat: Marty Olsen
Independent: Michael Salyer
U.S. House District 2, East Tennessee
Republican: Tim Burchett, Jason Frederick Emert, Hank Hamblin, Jimmy Matlock, Sarah Ashley Nickloes, Vito Sagliano, C. David Stansberry
Democrat: Renee Hoyos, Joseph William Schenkenfelder, Joshua Williams
Independent: Jeffrey A. Grunau, Keith A. LaTorre, Greg Samples, Marc Whitmire
U.S. House District 3, East Tennessee
Republican: Chuck Fleischmann (incumbent), Jeremy Massengale, Harold E. Shevlin, William E. Spurlock Sr.
Democrat: Danielle Mitchell
Independent: Rick Tyler
U.S. House District 4, southern Middle Tennessee
Republican: Scott DesJarlais (incumbent), Jack Maddux
Democrat: Christopher J. Hale, Mariah Phillips, Steven Reynolds
Independent: Michael Shupe
U.S. House District 5, Nashville
Republican: Jody M. Ball, Glen Dean
Democrat: Jim Cooper (incumbent)
U.S. House District 6, Middle Tennessee
Republican: Bob Corlew, Judd Matheny, Christopher Brian Monday, John Rose, Lavern “Uturn LaVern” Vivio
Democrat: Dawn Barlow, Christopher Martin Finley, Peter Heffernan, Merrilee Wineinger
Independent: Lloyd Dunn, David Ross
U.S. House District 7, western Middle Tennessee
Republican: Mark. E. Green
Democrat: Justin Kanew, Matt Reel
Independent: Leonard D. (Lenny) Ladner, Brent Legendre
U.S. House District 8, Western Tennessee
Republican: David Kustoff (incumbent), George S. Flinn Jr., Colleen Owens
Democrat: John Boatner, Erika J. Pearson
Independent: James Hart
U.S. House District 9, Memphis
Republican: Charlotte Bergmann
Democrat: Steve Cohen (incumbent), Isaac Richmond, Kasandra L. Smith
Independent: Leo AwGoWhat
State Senate
Republican: Art Swann (incumbent), Wesley P. Maples, Scott P. Williams
Republican: Randy McNally (incumbent)
Democrat: Stuart Starr
Republican: Richard Briggs (incumbent)
Democrat: Jamie Ballinger
Republican: Mike Bell (incumbent)
Democrat: Carl Lansden
Republican: Bo Watson (incumbent)
Democrat: Randall “Randy” Price
Republican: Ernest G. Burgess, Dawn White
Democrat: Kelly Northcutt
Independent: Ginger Smith
Republican: Paul Bailey (incumbent)
Democrat: Angela Hedgecough
Republican: Mark Pody (incumbent)
Democrat: Mary Alice Carfi
Democrat: Brenda Gilmore, Howard Jones, Sandra V. Moore, George Thomas
Independent: Christina “Chris” Callaway, Rueben Dockery
Democrat: Jeff Yarbro (incumbent)
Republican: Jack Johnson (incumbent)
Democrat: Kristen Grimm
Republican: Kerry Roberts (incumbent)
Democrat: Wade Munday
Republican: Ed Jackson (incumbent), Brandon Dodds
Democrat: Jackie Williams, Savannah Williamson, John H. York Jr.
Republican: Tom Stephen
Democrat: Raumesh Akbari, Justin Ford
Republican: Brian Kelsey (incumbent)
Democrat: M. Rodanial Ray Ransom, Gabby Salinas, David Weatherspoon
Democrat: Reggie Tate (incumbent), Katrina Robinson
State House
Republican: Bud Hulsey (incumbent)
Democrat: Arvil Love Jr.
Independent: Robert M. Ellis
Republican: John Holsclaw (incumbent), Tim Lingerfelt
Republican: David Hawk (incumbent)
Democrat: Park Overall
Republican: Micah Van Huss (incumbent), Steve Darden
Independent: Murphey Johnson
Republican: Matthew Hill (incumbent)
Democrat: Nathan Farnor
Republican: Jerome Moon (incumbent), Rick Hillegas
Democrat: Jay Clark
Republican: Gary Hicks Jr. (incumbent), Melville Bailey
Democrat: Derek Winkle
Republican: Rick Eldridge, Tommy Pedigo
Democrat: Barbara Simmons
Republican: Jeremy Faison (incumbent), Greg Fodness
Democrat: Vincyl Fitzgerald II
Independent: Carl R. Eggers Sr
Republican: Dale Carr (incumbent)
Democrat: Robert G. Williams
Republican: Eddie Smith (incumbent)
Democrat: Gloria Johnson
Independent: Zachary Houk
Republican: Jason Zachary (incumbent)
Democrat: Justin Davis, Alex Dunn Jr.
Republican: Bill Dunn (incumbent)
Democrat: Kate Trudell
Republican: Andrew Farmer (incumbent)
Democrat: Delynn McCash
Republican: Martin Daniel (incumbent)
Democrat: Joshua Gregory, Greg Mackay
Republican: Dallas E. Sivley, Donald M. Wiser, Dave Wright
Democrat: Edward Nelson
Independent: Michelle Westover
Republican: Bob Ramsey (incumbent)
Democrat: Susan Sneed
Republican: Tony R. Aikens, Doyle Arp, Lowell Russell
Democrat: Laura Miller
Republican: Mark Cochran, Donald (Trey) Winder III
Democrat: Brad W. Hartley
Independent: Brian Scott Hicks
Republican: Israel David Farless, Mark Hall, Alan Ledford, Garry D. Moore
Democrat: Mallory Pickert
Republican: Cameron Sexton (incumbent)
Democrat: Anne F. Quillen
Republican: Gerald McCormick (incumbent)
Democrat: David Jones, Jean-Marie Lawrence
Republican: Patsy Hazlewood (incumbent)
Democrat: Danielle Johnson, Brent S. Morris
Republican: Lemon C. Williams Jr.
Democrat: Dennis Clark, Yusuf A. Hakeem, Melody Shekari, Jackie Anderson Thomas, Brandon D. Woodruff
Republican: Mike Carter (incumbent)
Democrat: Tammy Magouirk
Republican: Esther Helton, Jonathan Mason
Democrat: Joda Thongnopnua
Independent: J. Michael Holloway
Republican: Ron Travis (incumbent)
Democrat: Dean M. Sparks
Republican: Kent Calfee (incumbent)
Democrat: Mary Ellen Blencoe
Republican: John Ragan (incumbent)
Democrat: Richard Dawson, Nathaniel Varner
Republican: Tim Rudd
Democrat: Jennifer Vannoy
Republican: Jerry Sexton (incumbent), James Acuff, Mike Williams
Republican: Dennis Powers (incumbent)
Democrat: Cassandra Mitchell
Republican: Charlie Baum
Democrat: Deanna Debow Osborne
Republican: Kelly Keisling (incumbent)
Democrat: Carol Venea’ Abney
Republican: Richard “R.C.” Helton, Iris Rudder, Sloan Andrew Stewart
Democrat: Sharon “Layne” Adams
Republican: Terri Lynn Weaver (incumbent), Chad Z. Williams
Democrat: Jason Holleman
Republican: Ed Butler
Democrat: John Mark Windle (incumbent)
Republican: Ryan Williams (incumbent)
Democrat: Terry Scott
Republican: Paul Sherrell (incumbent), Jerry Lowery
Democrat: Les Trotman
Republican: William Lamberth (incumbent)
Democrat: Rachel Mackey
Republican: Avery L. Field, Johnny C. Garrett
Democrat: Hana Ali
Republican: Clark Boyd (incumbent), Menda McCall Holmes
Democrat: Mark Cagle, Faye Northcutt-Knox
Republican: Rush Bricken, Ronnie Holden
Democrat: Mike Winton
Republican: Bryan Terry (incumbent)
Democrat: Matt Ferry
Republican: Mike Sparks (incumbent), Tim Morrell
Democrat: Chris Mayor, Richard C. Petty
Republican: Judd Cowan
Democrat: Bo Mitchell (incumbent)
Democrat: Bill Beck (incumbent), Trey Palmedo
Independent: Randell Stroud
Republican: Amberlee’ Brooks
Democrat: Jason Powell (incumbent)
Independent: David J. Dennison
Democrat: Lola Denise Brown, Terry R. Clayton, Scott Davis, Vincent Dixie
Independent: John “Big John” Smith
Republican: Brent Moody, Joseph Williams
Democrat: Bob Freeman
Republican: Susan Lynn (incumbent), Aaron Shane
Democrat: Jordan Cole
Democrat: Harold Love Jr. (incumbent), Leah Dupree
Republican: David R. Birdsong
Democrat: Jason Potts, Kyle G. Southern
Republican: Gino Bulso, Rebecca Ann Burke, Jeff Ford, Robert Hullett, Brandon Ogles, Terrence A. Smith
Democrat: Rebecca Purington
Republican: Pat Marsh (incumbent)
Democrat: Marty Davis
Republican: Glen Casada (incumbent)
Democrat: Bill Peach
Republican: Scott E. Cepicky, Michael A. Fulbright
Democrat: A.J. Holmes
Independent: James Gray
Republican: Sam Whitson (incumbent)
Democrat: Toby L. Shaffer
Republican: Sabi “Doc” Kumar (incumbent)
Democrat: Larry Proffitt
Independent: David W. Ross
Republican: Tommy J. Vallejos
Democrat: Jason Hodges, Houston Rye
Independent: John W. Dawson
Republican: Curtis Johnson (incumbent)
Democrat: Dennis Potvin
Republican: Michael G. Curcio (incumbent)
Democrat: Eddie Johnson
Republican: Barry Doss (incumbent), Clay Doggett
Democrat: Jessica B. Yokley
Independent: Roy Donald Waldrop
Republican: David “Coach” Byrd (incumbent)
Democrat: Frankie G. Floied
Republican: Kirk Haston, Dan Hughes, Gordon D. Wildridge
Democrat: James T. Haynes
Republican: Jay Bush, Joe Coury, Chris Todd
Democrat: James A. Baxter, T. Robert Hill
Republican: Jay Reedy (incumbent)
Democrat: Billy Borchert
Republican: Tim Wirgau (incumbent), Bruce I. Griffey
Democrat: Richard Carl
Independent: James Hart
Republican: Andy Holt (incumbent), Scott Fortner
Democrat: Deane Arganbright
Republican: Mary Littleton (incumbent)
Democrat: John E. Patrick
Republican: Curtis Halford (incumbent)
Democrat: Gregory Frye
Republican: Andy Cole, Chris Hurt
Democrat: Andrea Bond-Johnson, Robert A. Harris
Republican: Mark White (incumbent), Doyle Silliman
Democrat: Danielle Schonbaum
Democrat: Jesse Chism, Ricky Dixon, Brett N. Williams, Lynette P. Williams
Democrat: Barbara Cooper (incumbent), Amber Huett-Garcia, Jesse Kirk Jeff
Republican: Stacey Campfield, Tim Hutchison, Justin Lafferty, Jesse D. Nelson, Guy L. Smoak
Democrat: Keifel A. Agostini, Coleen Martinez
Democrat: John DeBerry Jr. (incumbent), Torrey Harris
Democrat: Doris Deberry Bradshaw, Juliette Eskridge, London P. Lamar
House District 92
Republican: Rick Tillis (incumbent), Billy Spivey
Democrat: C.S. “Scott” Coffey
Democrat: G.A. Hardaway (incumbent), Eddie Neal
Republican: Ron M. Gant (incumbent)
Democrat: Terry S. Saine
Republican: Kevin Vaughan (incumbent)
Democrat: Sanjeev Memula
Republican: Scott McCormick, Patricia “Patti” Possel
Democrat: Dwayne Thompson (incumbent)
Republican: Jim Coley (incumbent)
Democrat: Allan Creasy
Democrat: Antonio Parkinson (incumbent), Johnnie Hatten
Republican: Ron Lollar (incumbent)
Democrat: David Cambron
