In a list released last week from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office of the candidates for the Tennessee General Assembly, the vast majority will have no opponent in their party primary, the general election or both in 2020.
The list includes candidates who filed their nominating petitions as of the qualifying deadline of last Thursday, April 2 at 12 noon.
Candidates have one week, or until Thursday, April 9 at 12 noon, to withdraw.
Qualified candidates affiliated with a political party will appear on the ballot for the primary elections held on August 6, 2020. Early voting will run from Friday, July 17 to Saturday, August 1.
The primary will include candidates for the even-numbered districts of the Tennessee Senate and all 99 Tennessee House Districts.
In addition to the Tennessee General Assembly (TGA), primary elections will be held for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Of the 115 TGA seats up for election – 16 Senate and 99 House – 40 of the incumbents have no primary opponent in August.
Another 20 TGA incumbents will have no opponent in the general election in November.
Meanwhile, 37 TGA incumbents will face neither a primary nor a general election opponent.
Only a dozen – less than 10 percent – are set to face both a primary opponent in August and a general election opponent in November.
Six incumbents have announced that they will not be running for re-election in 2020, all Republicans including Senator Dolores Gresham (District 26) and Representatives Timothy Hill (District 3), Bill Dunn (District 16), Martin Daniel (District 18), Andy Holt (District 76) and Jim Coley (District 97).
Representative Timothy Hill has qualified as a candidate for the U.S. House District 1 race. Senator Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City) is also running for the seat, but not being an election year for his Senate District 3, he can run for Congress without having to step down from his Senate seat.
Unless an incumbent were to withdraw by the April 9, deadline, which is less likely than a challenger withdrawing, the outlook for incumbents can only improve with any candidate who withdraws by Thursday.
When the 112th Tennessee General Assembly convenes in January 2021, it will be a stark contrast to when the 111th General Assembly was sworn in January 2019. At that time, numbering 28 more than a quarter were new to the House members while there were six new Senate members.
The list of qualified candidates for the Tennessee General Assembly as of end of business Monday are as follows:
TENNESSEE SENATE
District 2
Republican Primary
Art Swann – Incumbent
District 4
Republican Primary
Jon C. Lundberg – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Amber Riddle
District 6
Republican Primary
Becky Duncan Massey – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Sam Brown
Jane George
District 8
Republican Primary
Frank S. Niceley – Incumbent
District 10
Republican Primary
Todd Gardenhire – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Glenn Scruggs
District 12
Republican Primary
Ken Yager – Incumbent
District 14
Shane Reeves – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Chase Clemons
District 16
Republican Primary
Janice Bowling – incumbent
Democratic Primary
Sheila Younglove
District 18
Republican Primary
Ferrell Haile – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
John A. Gentry
District 20
Steven Reid Dickerson – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Kimi Abernathy
Heidi Campbell
District 22
Republican Primary
Doug Englen
Bill Powers – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Ronnie L. Glynn
District 24
Republican Primary
Casey L. Hood
John D. Stevens – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Yahweh Yahweh
District 26 – Incumbent Dolores Gresham not running.
Republican Primary
Jai Templeton
Page Walley
Democratic Primary
Civil Miller-Watkins
District 28
Republican Primary
Joey Hensley – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
James Gray
District 30
Democratic Primary
Marion Latroy A-Williams Jr.
Sara P. Kyle – Incumbent
District 32
Republican Primary
Paul W. Rose – Incumbent
Scott Throckmorton
Democratic Primary
Julie Byrd Ashworth
TENNESSEE HOUSE
District 1
Republican Primary
John K. Crawford – Incumbent
District 2
Republican Primary
Bud Hulsey – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Arvil Love Jr.
District 3 – Incumbent Timothy Hill not running. Candidate for U.S. House District 1.
Republican Primary
Scotty Campbell
Neal Kerney
District 4
Republican Primary
Robert (Bob) Acuff
John B. Holsclaw Jr. – Incumbent
Tim Lingerfelt
Democratic Primary
Bobby Patrick Harrell
District 5
Republican Primary
David B. Hawk – Incumbent
District 6
Republican Primary
Tim Hicks
Micah Van Huss – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Brad Batt
District 7
Republican Primary
Rebecca Kefauver Alexander
Matthew Hill – Incumbent
District 8
Republican Primary
Jerome F. Moon – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Jay Clark
District 9
Republican Primary
Gary W. Hicks Jr. – Incumbent
District 10
Republican Primary
Rick Eldridge – Incumbent
District 11
Republican Primary
Jeremy Faison – Incumbent
District 12
Republican Primary
Dale Carr – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Bennett Lapides
District 13
Republican Primary
Elaine Davis
Democratic Primary
Gloria Johnson – Incumbent
District 14
Republican Primary
Jason Zachary – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Justin Davis
District 15
Democratic Primary
Ovi Kabir
Sam McKenzie
Matthew Park
Rick Staples – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Troy B. Jones (Pending)
District 16 – Incumbent Bill Dunn not running.
Republican Primary
Patti Lou Bounds
Michele Carringer
Democratic Primary
Elizabeth Rowland
District 17
Republican Primary
Andrew Ellis Farmer – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Delynn McCash
District 18
Republican Primary – Incumbent Martin Daniel not running.
James Corcoran
Eddie Mannis
Gina Oster
Democratic Primary
Virginia Couch
District 19
Republican Primary
Dave Wright – Incumbent
District 20
Republican Primary
Bob Ramsey – Incumbent
Bryan Richey
Democratic Primary
Susan Sneed
District 21
Republican Primary
Lowell Russell – Incumbent
District 22
Republican Primary
Dan Howell – Incumbent
District 23
Republican Primary
Mark Cochran – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
David G. E. Fankhauser
District 24
Republican Primary
Mark Hall – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Daniel Jones
District 25
Republican Primary
Cameron Sexton – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Robyn Deck
District 26
Republican Primary
Robin T. Smith – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Joan Farrell
District 27
Republican Primary
Patsy Hazlewood – Incumbent
District 28
Democratic Primary
Yusuf A. Hakeem – Incumbent
District 29
Republican Primary
Mike Carter – Incumbent
District 30
Republican Primary
Esther Helton – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Joseph Udeaja
District 31
Republican Primary
Ron Travis – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Dean Sparks
District 32
Republican Primary
Kent Calfee – Incumbent
Mike Hooks
District 33
Republican Primary
John D. Ragan – Incumbent
District 34
Republican Primary
Tim Rudd – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Mary R. Vaughn
District 35
Republican Primary
Jerry Sexton – Incumbent
District 36
Republican Primary
Dennis Powers – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
CJ Mitchell
District 37
Republican Primary
Charlie Baum – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Mariah N. Phillips
District 38
Republican Primary
Kelly T. Keisling – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Carol Abney
District 39
Republican Primary
Iris Rudder – Incumbent
District 40
Republican Primary
Terri Lynn Weaver – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Paddy Sizemore
District 41
Democratic Primary
John Mark Windle – Incumbent
District 42
Republican Primary
Dennis C. Bynum
Ryan Williams – Incumbent
District 43
Republican Primary
Jerry Lowery
Bobby Robinson
Paul Sherrell – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Luke Cameron
District 44
Republican Primary
William Lamberth – Incumbent
District 45
Republican Primary
Johnny Garrett – Incumbent
District 46
Republican Primary
Clark Boyd – Incumbent
District 47
Republican Primary
Rush Bricken – Incumbent
Ronnie E. Holden
District 48
Republican Primary
Bryan Terry – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Matt Ferry
District 49
Republican Primary
Mike Sparks – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Brandon Thomas
District 50
Democratic Primary
Bo Mitchell – Incumbent
District 51
Democratic Primary
Bill Beck – Incumbent
District 52
Republican Primary
Donna Tees
Democratic Primary
Mike Stewart – Incumbent
James C. Turner II
District 53
Democratic Primary
Jason L. Powell – Incumbent
District 54
Democratic Primary
Terry Clayton
Vincent Dixie – Incumbent
District 55
Democratic Primary
John Ray Clemmons – Incumbent
District 56
Republican Primary
Diane Michel Canada
Democratic Primary
Bob Freeman – Incumbent
District 57
Republican Primary
Susan Lynn – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Tom Sottek
District 58
Democratic Primary
Harold M. Love – Incumbent
District 59
Democratic Primary
Jason Potts – Incumbent
District 60
Democratic Primary
Darren Jernigan – Incumbent
Grant Thomas Medeiros
District 61
Republican Primary
Brandon Ogles – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Sam Bledsoe
District 62
Republican Primary
Pat Marsh – Incumbent
District 63
Republican Primary
Glen Casada – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Elizabeth Madeira
Independent Candidate
Bradley Fiscus
District 64
Republican Primary
Scott E. Cepicky – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
James Campbell
District 65
Republican Primary
Sam Whitson – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Jennifer Foley
District 66
Republican Primary
Sabi “Doc” Kumar – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Jarvus M. Turnley
District 67
Republican Primary
John Dawson
Democratic Primary
Jason Hodges – Incumbent
District 68
Republican Primary
Curtis Johnson – Incumbent
District 69
Republican Primary
Michael G. Curcio – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Eddie Johnson
District 70
Republican Primary
Clay Doggett – Incumbent
District 71
Republican Primary
David “Coach” Byrd – Incumbent
Austin Carroll
Garry Welch
Democratic Primary
Christi M. Rice
District 72
Republican Primary
Kirk Haston – Incumbent
Gordon Wildridge
District 73
Republican Primary
Chris Todd – Incumbent
District 74
Republican Primary
Jay D. Reedy – Incumbent
District 75
Republican Primary
Bruce Griffey – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
James Hart
District 76 – Incumbent Andy Holt not running.
Republican Primary
Tandy Darby
Dennis J. Doster
David Hawks
Keith Priestley
Independent Candidate
Jeffery T. Washburn
District 77
Republican Primary
Rusty Grills – Incumbent
Joshua Kraus
District 78
Republican Primary
James Ebb Gupton Jr.
Mary Littleton – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Holly Spann
District 79
Republican Primary
Curtis Halford – Incumbent
Christine Warrington
District 80
Democratic Primary
Ernest Brooks II
Johnny W. Shaw – Incumbent
District 81
Republican Primary
Debra F. Moody – Incumbent
District 82
Republican Primary
Chris Hurt – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Andrea Bond-Johnson
District 83
Republican Primary
Mark White – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Jerri Green
District 84
Democratic Primary
William Frazier
Phyllis Parks
Dominique Primer
Joe Towns Jr. – Incumbent
District 85
Democratic Primary
Jesse Chism – Incumbent
Alvin Crook
District 86
Republican Primary
Rob White
Democratic Primary
Barbara Cooper – Incumbent
Austin A. Crowder
Dominique Frost
Joan Wooten-Lewis
District 87
Democratic Primary
Karen Camper – Incumbent
District 88
Democratic Primary
Larry J. Miller – Incumbent
Orrden W. Williams Jr.
District 89
Republican Primary
Justin Lafferty – Incumbent
Independent Candidate
Greg Mills
District 90
Democratic Primary
John J. DeBerry Jr. – Incumbent
Torrey C. Harris
Anya Parker
Catrina Smith
District 91
London Lamar – Incumbent
District 92
Republican Primary
Vincent A. Cuevas
Rick Tillis – Incumbent
Todd Warner
District 93
Democratic Primary
G. A. Hardaway – Incumbent
District 94
Republican Primary
Ron M. Gant – Incumbent
District 95
Republican Primary
William Kevin Vaughn – Incumbent
Democratic Primary
Lynnette P. Williams
District 96
Republican Primary
Patricia “Patti” Possel
Democratic Primary
Dwayne Thompson – Incumbent
District 97 – Incumbent Jim Coley not running.
Republican Primary
John Gillespie
Brandon S. Weise
Democratic Primary
Allan Creasy
Ruby Powell-Dennis
Gabby Salinas
Clifford Stockton III
District 98
Democratic Primary
Antonio Parkinson – Incumbent
Charles A. Thompson
District 99
Republican Primary
Tom Leatherwood – Incumbent
Lee Mills
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The majority of these incumbents are Republicans who DO need a challenge by members of both parties. May God help Tennessee!
William, you should stop biting the hand that feeds you. If you are so dissatisfied with the way Tennessee is being governed, why don’t you move to….say California, Illinois, or the Socialist Republic of
Vermont. You’d love. Bloated state government, the government making all the decisions for you, excessive taxation to pay for the big government and their wasteful programs, high cost of energy, i.e. home heating and air conditioning and gasoline to pay for their foolish “stop global warming” programs. Liberalism is a losing ideology that strives to take away people’s rights in the name of “the government know what’s best for you”. Seriously, of you can afford it, maybe you would be happier in one of the deep blue states. I love Tennessee and I like it just the way it is. I lived in Vermont for thirty years and one of the happiest days in my life was when we crossed the state line in Bristol. God bless Tennessee and Conservatism.