2014 elections review: DesJarlais and Fleischmann survive primary
August 8, 2014
By Ballotpedia's Congressional team
The primary elections of the 2014 election season continued in Tennessee yesterday with two vulnerable, Republican incumbents winning tight races.
In August 2013, Politico labeled Republican Scott DesJarlais the incumbent most likely to lose his primary election. It appears that the prediction was wrong. With all precincts reporting, DesJarlais has 33 more votes than state Sen. Jim Tracy, but the Associated Press has not called the race for DesJarlais. According to The Tennessean, "Tennessee does not have an automatic recount law, but a candidate can request one from state and party officials. There also could be uncounted absentee or provisional ballots."[1]
Tracy did not directly address DesJarlais' scandal-plagued past until days before the election when his campaign released ads and a mailer attacking his character. The attacks, however, appear to have been unsuccessful. "Republicans said many in the district have already forgiven DesJarlais’ behavior," according to Roll Call.[2] The DesJarlais campaign instead focused on his voting record, which was the fourth most conservative voting record in Congress, according to National Journal rankings.[3] Robert Jameson, a DesJarlais spokesman, said, “We're glad that the voters chose to judge the congressman on his record in Washington, rather than the disgusting, disingenuous smear tactics propogated by Sen. Tracy's campaign.”[1]
Incumbent Charles J. Fleischmann defeated Weston Wamp, the son of former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp by less than 1,500 votes.[4] Fleischmann also defeated Wamp in the 2012 primary. The rematch grew increasingly heated and negative in the weeks before the election with Fleischmann "dominating the television and radio 'air wars' in the days leading up to early voting," according to The Time Free Press.[5][6]
U.S. Senate
Despite state Rep. Joe Carr's high-profile endorsements from Sarah Palin and conservative talk-radio host Laura Ingraham, the tea party-backed candidate was unable to defeat incumbent Lamar Alexander, who defeated six challengers in yesterday’s Republican primary.[7][8] Gordon Ball defeated Larry Crim, Gary Davis and Terry Adams in the Democratic primary.[7] Alexander and Ball will face independent candidates Ed Gauthier, Bartholomew Phillips, C. Salekin, Danny Page, Eric Schechter, Joe Wilmoth, Joshua James and Rick Tyler, Tea Party candidate Tom Emerson, Jr. and Green Party candidate Martin Pleasant in the general election.
U.S. House
There are nine seats up for grabs in Tennessee’s 2014 congressional elections. Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held seven of the nine congressional seats from Tennessee.
| Members of the U.S. House from Tennessee -- Partisan Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 2014 | After the 2014 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 2 | 2 | |
| Republican Party | 7 | 7 | |
| Total | 9 | 9 | |
District 1
Incumbent Phil Roe defeated Dan Hartley and John Rader in the Republican primary. He will face Libertarian Michael Salyer and independent candidate Robert Franklin in the general election.[4]
District 2
Incumbent John J. Duncan, Jr. defeated Jason Zachary in the Republican primary. Duncan will face Bob Scott, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, Green Party candidate Norris Dryer and independent Casey Gouge in the general election.[4]
District 3
Incumbent Charles J. Fleischmann defeated Weston Wamp, the son of former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, in the Republican primary.[4] Fleischmann defeated Wamp in the 2012 Republican primary as well.[9][10] Fleischmann will face Dr. Mary Headrick, who did not face a Democratic challenger in the primary, and Independent Cassandra Mitchell in the general election.
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Charles Fleischmann Incumbent |
50.8% | 46,556 | ||
| Weston Wamp | 49.2% | 45,082 | ||
| Total Votes | 91,638 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State |
||||
District 4
With all precincts reporting, DesJarlais has 33 more votes than state Sen. Jim Tracy, but the Associated Press has not called the race for DesJarlais. According to The Tennessean, "Tennessee does not have an automatic recount law, but a candidate can request one from state and party officials. There also could be uncounted absentee or provisional ballots."[1] DesJarlais will face Lenda Sherrell (D) and Robert Doggart (I) in the general election.
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Scott DesJarlais Incumbent |
44.9% | 34,793 | ||
| Jim Tracy | 44.8% | 34,755 | ||
| John Anderson | 5.9% | 4,592 | ||
| Steve Lane | 1.9% | 1,483 | ||
| David Tate | 1.2% | 938 | ||
| Michael Warden | 0.9% | 659 | ||
| Oluyomi Faparusi | 0.4% | 284 | ||
| Total Votes | 77,504 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State |
||||
District 5
Bob Ries defeated Chris Carter, John Smith and Ronnie Holden in the Republican primary.[4] Ries will face incumbent Jim Cooper, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and independent Paul Deakin in the general election.
District 6
Incumbent Diane Black defeated Jerry Lowery in the Republican primary. She will face Amos Powers, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and independent candidate Mike Winton in the general election.[4]
District 7
Incumbent Marsha Blackburn defeated Jacob Brimm in the Republican primary. Dan Cramer defeated Credo Amouzouvik in the Democratic primary.[4] Blackburn and Cramer will face Lenny Ladner (I) in the general election.
District 8
Incumbent Stephen Lee Fincher defeated Dana Matheny and John Mills in the Republican primary. Wes Bradley defeated Larry Pivnick, Rickey Hobson and Tom Reasons in the Democratic primary.[4] Fincher and Bradley will face Constitution Party candidate Mark Rawles and independent candidate James Hart in the general election.
District 9
Incumbent Steve Cohen defeated Ricky Wilkins and Isaac Richmond in the Democratic primary.[4] Cohen will face Charlotte Bergmann, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, and independent candidates Floyd Alberson, Paul Cook and Herbert Bass in the general election.
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2014
- United States Senate elections in Tennessee, 2014
- Tennessee elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Tennessean, "Scott DesJarlais, Jim Tracy in nail-biter," accessed August 8, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "Scott DesJarlais’ Re-Election Hopes Rise, Despite Abortion Scandal (Video)," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ National Journal, "2013 Congressional Vote Ratings," July 30, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Associated Press, "Tennessee - Summary Vote Results," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ The Time Free Press, "Chuck Fleischmann outspent Weston Wamp in early July, records show," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Tennessee - Summary Vote Results"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 '’Associated Press, "Tennessee - Summary Vote Results," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Election 2014: Eric Cantor's loss jolts landscape," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, "Can a center-right 27-year-old beat a Tennessee incumbent?" accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Tennessee - Summary Vote Results"
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