Trump defeats Harris to become president; Incumbents sweep federal, state seats in Tennessee
By KATE COIL
TT&C Assistant Editor
Incumbents won big on election night in Tennessee with returning candidates winning the vote in both federal and state races.
Tennesseans voted to elect federal and state representatives along with presidential and municipal elections on Nov. 5, 2024. The Tennessee Secretary of State's office said more than 2.2 million early votes were cast in Tennessee, about half of all registered voters in the state.
In what pundits called a Red Wave, Donald Trump swept to victory of the presidency with the necessary 270 electoral college votes to win, including all 11 electoral votes from Tennessee. At press time, not all votes had been counted in Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, and Alaska, but Trump had earned 277 electoral college votes needed to win. Trump will become the first president two serve two non-consecutive terms since Grover Cleveland, a Democrat who was both the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
All of Tennessee’s federal races were won by incumbent candidates, including a highly-watched U.S. Senate race where incumbent Republican Marsha Blackburn defeated a challenge from Tennessee State House Rep. Gloria Johnson, who herself ran unopposed and retained her state house seat. Blackburn also defeated three independent candidates.
While a few new faces will be seen in the Tennessee General Assembly, all races for the Tennessee Senate and House retained a candidate from the same party as the previous election.
FEDERAL
SENATE
Incumbent Republican Marsha Blackburn defeated Tennessee State House Member Gloria Johnson as well as independent candidates Tharon Chandler, Pamela Jeanine Moses, and Hastina Robinson to retain her U.S. Senate seat.
Blackburn led the vote count with 1,913,493 followed by Johnson with 1,019,600, Chandler with 28,340, Moses with 24,571. and Robinson with 8,243.
HOUSE
District 1
Incumbent Republican Diana Harshbarger defeated Democrat challenger Kevin Jenkins and Independents Richard Baker and Levi Brake for the House District 1 seat. Harshbarger earned 254,963 votes to Jenkins 63,143, Baker’s 5,587, and Brake’s 2,581.
District 2
Incumbent Republican Tim Burchett defeated Democratic challenger Jane George to retain his District 2 seat. Burchett earned 250,002 votes to George’s 111,094.
District 3
Incumbent Republican Chuck Fleischman defeated challengers Democrat Jack Allen and Independents Jean Howard-Hill and Stephen King to retain the District 3 seat. Fleischman earned 236,258 votes to Allen’s1 02,747, King’s 5,840, and Howard-Hill's 5,109.
District 4
Incumbent Republican Scotts DesJarlais defeated Democrat Victoria Isabel Broderick and Independents Earnest Ensley and Keith Nolan for the District 4 seat. DesJarlais earned 218,980 votes to Broderick’s 83,758, Nolan’s 5,596, and Ensley’s 4,685.
District 5
Incumbent Republican Andy Ogles defeated Democrat Maryam Abolfazli and Independents Yomi Faparusi, Jim Larkin, and Bob Titley to retain the District 5 seat. Ogles earned 204,807 votes to Abolfazi’s 142,136, Larkin’s 7,588, Titley’s 3,063, and Faparusi’s 2,570.
District 6
Republican John Rose defeated Democratic challenger Lore Bergman to retain the District 6 seat. Rose earned 225,430 votes to Bergman’s 106,050.
District 7
Republican incumbent Mark E. Green defeated Democrat and former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and Independent Shaun Greene to retain the District 7 seat. Green earned 191,832 votes followed by Barry with 122,593 and Greene with 7,879.
District 8
Republican David Kustoff defeated Democrat Sarah Freeman and Independent James Hart to retain the District 8 seat. Kustoff received 238,542 votes to Freeman’s 83,206 and Hart’s 6,819.
District 9
Democratic incumbent Steve Cohen defeated Republican Charlotte Bergman and Independents Wendell Blankenship and Dennis Clark to retain the District 9 seat. Cohen led the vote count with 154,802 followed by Bergman with 56,239, Blankenship with 3,666, and Clark with 3,020.
STATE
Two Tennessee Senate races and 31 House races were decided in primary elections in August as the winners of these races faced no challengers on the November ballot.
These included John Steves, R-24, and Paul Rose, R-32, in the Senate. In the house: John Crawford, R-1; Bud Husley, R-2; Renea Jones, R-4; Gary Hicks Jr., R-9; Rick Eldridge, R-10; Andrew Farmer, R-17; Dave Wright, R-19; Monty Fritts, R-32; Dennis Powers, R-36; Paul Sherrell, R-43; Vincent Dixie, D-54; John Ray Clemmons, D-55; Bob Freeman, D-56; Harold Love, D-58; Caleb Hemmer, D-59; Pat Marsh, R-62; Joseph “Jody” Barrett, R-69; Kirk Haston, R-72; Chris Todd, R-73; Jay Reedy, R-74; Rusty Grills, R-77; Brock Martin, R-79; Debra Moody, R-81; Chris Hurt, R-82; Joe Towns Jr., D-84; Jesse Chism, D-85; Karen Camper, D-87; Gloria Johnson, D-90; Torrey C. Harris, D-91; Kevin Vaughn, R-95; and Gabby Salinas, D-96.
SENATE
District 2
Republican Tom Hatcher defeated Democrat Patti Young for the District 2 seat previously held by Art Swann. Hatcher received 78,284 votes to Young’s 21,093.
District 4
Republican Bobby Harshbarger defeated Independent challenger Dalia M. Price for the District 4 seat previously held by Jon Lundberg, who Harshbarger defeated in the Republican primary. Harshbarger received 70,318 votes to Price’s 21,087.
District 6
Incumbent Republican Becky Duncan Massey defeated Democrat Domonica Bryan to retain the District 6 seat. Massey earned 62,380 votes to Bryan’s 35,061.
District 8
Republican Jessie Seal defeated Democrat R.E. Ellison for the District 8 seat previously held by Republican Frank Niceley. Seal earned 74,557 votes to Ellison’s 14,672.
District 10
Republican incumbent Todd Gardenhire defeated Democrat challenger Missy Crutchfield to retain the District 10 seat. Gardenhire earned 54,439 votes to Crutchfield’s 34,498.
District 12
Republican incumbent Ken Yager defeated Independent Charles Hutson III to retain his District 12 seat. Yager earned 77,231 votes to Hutson’s 12,941.
District 14
Incumbent Republican Shane Reeves defeated Democrat E.R. Smith to retain the District 14 seat. Reeves earned 48,932 votes to Smith’s 23,025.
District 16
Republican incumbent Janice Bowling defeated Democrat Wayne Steele and Independent Scott Bean to retain the District 16 seat. Bowling earned 66,312 votes to Steele’s 15,909 and Bean’s 5,098.
District 18
Incumbent Republican Ferrell Haile defeated challengers including Democrat Walter S. Chandler and Independents Laura A. Black and John Gentry to retain the District 18 seat. Haile earned 64,407 votes followed by Chandler with 23,579, Gentry with 3,952, and Black with 3,380.
District 20
Democrat incumbent Heidi Campbell defeated Republican challenger for the District 20 seat. Campbell earned 63,216 votes to Rampy’s 46,897.
District 22
Incumbent Republican Bill Powers defeated Democrat Karen Reynolds to retain the District 22 seat. Powers earned 45,563 votes to Reynolds’ 29,171.
District 28
Republican incumbent Joey Hensley defeated Democrat James Dallas to retain the District 28 seat. Hensley earned 74,231 votes to Dallas’ 25,072.
District 30
Democrat incumbent Sara P. Kyle defeated Independent Mitchell Morrison to retain the District 30 seat. Kyle earned 39,067 votes to Morrison’s 10,146.
HOUSE
District 3
Republican incumbent Timothy Hill defeated Democrat Lori Love for the District 3 seat. Hill earned 24,922 votes to Love’s 5,062.
District 5
Republican incumbent David B. Hawk defeated independent Rebecca Anderson to retain the District 5 seat. Hawk received 24,492 votes to Anderson’s 5,374.
District 6
Republican incumbent Tim Hicks defeated Democrat Brad Batt to retain the District 6 seat. Hicks received 22,507 votes to Batts’ 8,341.
District 7
Republican incumbent Rebecca K. Alexander defeated Democrat Sylvain Bruni to retain the District 7 seat. Alexander earned 18,996 votes to Bruni’s 7,654.
District 8
Incumbent Republican Jerome Moon defeated Democrat Sue DuBois to retain the District 8 seat. Moon earned 26,424 votes to DuBois’ 7,817.
District 11
Republican incumbent Jeremy Faison defeated Democrat challenger Justin L. Gross to retain the District 11 seat. Faison earned 24,371 votes to Gross’ 4,512.
District 12
Republican Fred A. Atchley defeated Democrat Leslie P. Braddock for the District 12 seat previously held by Republican Dale Carr. Atchley received 23,943 votes to Braddock’s 5,193.
District 13
Incumbent Republican Robert Stevens defeated Democrat Jonathan Yancey to retain the District 13 seat. Stevens earned 16,194 votes to Yancey’s 10,848.
District 14
Republican incumbent Jason Zachary defeated Democrat Amanda S. Collins to retain the District 14 seat. Zachary earned 27,106 votes to Collins’ 14,702.
District 15
Incumbent Democrat Sam McKenzie defeated Republican Justin Hirst to retain the District 15 seat. McKenzie earned 12,272 votes to Hirst’s 5,787.
District 16
Republican incumbent Michele Carringer defeated Democrat Lauren Carver and Independent Sean Eastham to retain the District 16 seat. Carringer earned 21,951 votes to Carver’s 9,216 and Eastham’s 833.
District 18
Incumbent Republican Elaine Davis defeated Democrat Bryan Goldberg to retain the District 18 seat. Davis earned 18,599 votes to Goldberg’s 15,996.
District 20
Republican Tom Stinnett defeated fellow newcomer Democrat Karen Gertz for the seat previously held by Republican Bryan Richey. Stinnett received 24,680 to Gertz’s 8.306 votes.
District 21
Incumbent Republican Lowell Russell defeated Democrat Kenneth R. Moore to retain the District 21 seat. Russell earned 29,905 votes to Moore’s 6,964.
District 22
Incumbent Republican Dan Howell defeated Democrat Anna Grabowski for the District 22 seat. Howell earned 27,453 votes to Grabowski’s 4,772.
District 23
Republican incumbent Mark Cochran defeated Democrat David W. Thomforde to retain the District 23 seat. Cochran earned 25,235 votes to Thomforde’s 4,466.
District 24
Republican incumbent Kevin Raper defeated Democrat Andrea Chase to retain the District 24 seat. Raper earned 20,818 votes to Chase’s 5,769.
District 25
Incumbent Republican Cameron Sexton defeated Democrat Wesley M. Adkins to retain the District 25 seat. Sexton earned 29,717 votes to Adkins’ 6,603.
District 26
Republican incumbent Greg Martin defeated Democrat Allison Gorman to retain the District 26 seat. Martin earned 24,552 votes to Gorman’s 14,966.
District 27
Republican newcomer Michele Reneau defeated Democrat Kathy Lennon to earn the District 27 seat previously held by Patsy Hazlewood. Reneau defeated Hazlewood in the Republican primary. Reneau earned 23,058 votes to Lennon’s 15,261.
District 28
Democrat Incumbent Yusuf A. Hakeem defeated Independent Thomas J. Brooks III to retain the District 28 seat. Hakeem earned 17,710 votes to Brooks’ 5,933.
District 29
Republican incumbent Greg Vital defeated Democrat Ryan Scofield to retain the District 29 seat. Vital earns 25,656 to Scofield 10,662.
District 30
Incumbent Republican Esther Helton-Haynes defeated Democrat Heather McClendon to retain the District 30 house seat. Helton-Haynes earned 19,443 to McClendon’s 13,123.
District 31
Republican incumbent Ron Travis defeated both Democrat Brittany Lynn Warfel and Independent William “Jay” Jenkins to retain the District 31 seat. Travis earned 25,402 votes to Warfel’s 4,090 and Jenkins’ 809.
District 33
Republican Rick Scarbrough defeated fellow newcomer Democrat Anne Backus to earn the District 33 seat previously held by Republican John Ragan, who Scarbrough defeated in the August primary. Scarbrough earned 20,268 votes to Backus’ 9,672.
District 34
Incumbent Republican Tim Rudd defeated Democrat Amelia Pant to retain the District 34 seat. Rudd earned 17,794 votes to Pant’s 11,615.
District 35
Republican incumbent William H. Slater defeated Democrat Lexi Melton to retain the District 35 seat. Slater earned 20,176 votes to Melton’s 8,338.
District 37
Republican incumbent Charlie Baum defeated Democrat Cheri Brown to retain the District 37 seat. Baum earned 16,854 votes to Brown’s 9,989.
District 38
Incumbent Republican Kelly T. Keisling defeated Independent Alexander Armor to retain the District 38 seat. Keisling earned 24,775 votes to Armor's 3,126.
District 39
Republican incumbent Iris Rudder defeated Democrat Rose Mary Drake to retain the District 39 seat. Rudder earned 24,625 votes to Drake’s 7,626.
District 40
Incumbent Republican Michael Hale defeated Democrat Daniel T. Hawthorne to retain the District 40 seat. Hale received 25,270 votes to Hawthorne’s 4,907.
District 41
Republican incumbent Ed Butler defeated Democrat Joel Derek Hawn to retain the District 41 seat. Butler earned 24,723 votes to Hawn’s 5,107.
District 42
Republican incumbent Ryan D. Williams defeated Democrat Amber "Bennie" Taylor to retain the District 42 seat. Williams earned 21,167 votes to Taylor’s 7,474.
District 44
Incumbent Republican William Lamberth defeated Democrat Brian Robertson to retain the District 44 seat. Lamberth earned 27,098 votes to Robertson’s 8,082.
District 45
Republican incumbent Johnny Garrett defeated Democrat Alison Beale to retain District 46. Garrett earned 21,850 to Beale’s 10,361.
District 46
Republican incumbent Clark Boyd defeated Democrat Joni Cochran to retain the District 46 seat. Boyd earned 28,284 votes to Cochran’s 9,478.
District 47
Incumbent Republican Rush Bricken defeated Independent Veronica Owens to retain the District 47 seat. Bricken earned 23,040 votes to Owens’ 5,816.
District 48
Republican incumbent Bryan Terry defeated Democrat Matt Ferry to retain the District 48 seat. Terry earned 20,542 votes to Ferry’s 10,893.
District 49
Incumbent Republican Mike Sparks defeated Democrat Luis Mata to retain the District 49 seat. Sparks earned 15,351 votes to Mata’s 11,485.
District 50
Democrat incumbent Bo Mitchell defeated Republican Jennifer Frensley Webb to retain the District 50 seat. Mitchell earned 16,589 votes to Webb’s 14,084.
District 51
Democrat incumbent Aftyn Behn defeated Independent Jeff Ketelsen to retain the District 51 seat. Behn earned 24,335 votes to Ketelsen’s 8,590.
District 52
Incumbent Democrat Justin Jones defeated Republican Laura Nelson to retain the District 52 seat. Jones earned 13,453 votes to Nelson’s 5,969.
District 53
Democrat incumbent Jason L. Powell defeated Republican Yog Nepal and Independent Rueben Dockery to retain the District 53 seat. Powell earned 13,953 votes to Nepal’s 7,468 and Dockery’s 917.
District 57
Republican incumbent Susan Lynn defeated Democrat Ailina Carona to retain the District 57 seat. Lynn earned 26,994 votes to Carona’s 12,880.
District 60
Democrat Shaundelle Brooks defeated Republican Chad Bobo to take the District 60 seat previously held by Democrat Darren Jernigan. Brooks earned 16,636 votes to Bobo’s 14,300.
District 61
Republican incumbent Gino Bulso defeated Democrat Claire Jones and Independent Alana LeBlanc to retain the District 61 seat. Bulson earned 25,588 votes to Jones’ 14,709 and LeBlanc’s 928.
District 63
Incumbent Republican Jake McCalmon defeated Democrat Laura Andreson to retain the District 63 seat. McCalmon earned 28,661 votes to Andreson’s 13,427.
District 64
Republican incumbent Scott Cepicky defeated Democrat Eileen H. Longstreet to retain the District 64 seat. Cepicky earned 24,875 votes to Longstreet’s 10,579.
District 65
Republican Lee Reeves defeated fellow newcomer LaRhonda Williams to take the District 65 seat previously held by Republican Sam Whitson. Reeves earned 28,227 votes to Williams’ 12,497.
District 66
Republican incumbent Sabi Kumar defeated Democrat Elizabeth Webb and Independent Kevin Mead to retain the District 66 seat. Kumar earned 23,760 votes to Webb’s 6,152 and Mead’s 2,626.
District 67
Incumbent Democrat Ronnie Glynn defeated Republican Jamie Dean Peltz for the District 67 seat. Glynn earned 11,051 votes to Peltz’s 10,920.
District 68
Republican Aron Maberry defeated fellow newcomer Democrat Garfield Scott to earn the District 68 seat previously held by Republican Curtis Johnson. Maberry earned 23,247 votes to Scott’s 10,949 votes.
District 70
Incumbent Republican Clay Doggett defeated Democrat Jason Luttrell to win the District 70 seat. Dogett earned 25,462 votes to 4,965 votes.
District 71
Republican incumbent Kip Capley defeated Democrat challenger Tim Coy to retain the District 71 seat. Capley earned 25,605 votes to Coy’s 5,851.
District 75
Incumbent Republican Jeff Burkhart defeated Democrat Allie Phillips to retain the District 75 seat. Burkhart earned 11,162 votes to Phillips’ 9,226.
District 76
Republican incumbent Tandy Darby defeated Independent James Hart to retain the District 76 seat. Darby earned 21,357 votes to Hart’s 3,942.
District 78
Incumbent Republican Mary Littleton defeated Democrat Deborah Castle Doyle to retain the District 48 seat. Littleton earned 23,664 votes to Doyle’s 8,267.
District 80
Democrat incumbent Johnny W. Shaw defeated Republican Brad Grantham to retain the District 80 seat. Shaw earned 12,138 votes to Grantham’s 7,842.
District 83
Incumbent Republican Mark White defeated Democrat Noah Nordstrom to retain the District 83 seat. White earned 19,283 votes to Nordstrom’s 13,713.
District 86
Democrat Incumbent Justin J. Pearson defeated Independent Jeff Johnston to retain the District 86 seat. Pearson earned 15,136 votes to Johnston’s 4,351.
District 88
Incumbent Democrat Larry J. Miller defeated Republican Larry Hunter to retain the District 88 seat. Miller earned 14,640 votes to Hunter’s 5,751.
District 89
Incumbent Republican Justin Lafferty defeated Democrat Cary Hammond to retain the District 89 seat. Lafferty earned 23,713 votes to Hammond’s 11,914.
District 92
Republican incumbent Todd Warner defeated Democrat Teri Mai to retain the District 92 seat. Warner earned 25,072 to Mai’s 8,564.
District 93
Democrat Incumbent G. A. Hardaway defeated Republican Renarda Renee Clariett for the District 93 seat. Hardaway earned 12,047 votes to Clariett’s 2,858
District 94
Incumbent Republican Ron M. Gant defeated Democrat Terry S. Saine to retain the District 94 seat. Gant earned 26,036 votes to Saine’s 7,175.
District 97
Republican incumbent John Gillespie defeated Democrat Jesse Huseth for the District 97 seat. Gillespie earned 15,859 votes to Huseth’s 14,600.
District 98
Democrat incumbent Antonio Parkinson defeated Republican Cecil Hale for the District 98 seat. Parkinson earned 14,981 votes to Hale’s 5,289.
District 99
Republican incumbent Tom Leatherwood defeated Independent William P Mouzon to retain the District 99 seat. Leatherwood earned 24,794 votes to Mouzon’s 8,003.