David Weatherspoon
David Weatherspoon (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 31. Weatherspoon is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2026.[source]
Biography
Weatherspoon earned a bachelor's degree from Belmont University in 1998 and an M.Div. from Mercer University in 2003. He is an ordained Baptist minister and has worked for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Franklin College, Grady Hospital, Peachtree Baptist Church, and Emory University as both a chaplain and minister. He was also a chaplain participant in White House discussions in 2010 and 2012.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on August 6, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31
David Weatherspoon (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31 on August 6, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | David Weatherspoon | |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31
Incumbent Brent Taylor (R) is running in the Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31 on August 6, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Brent Taylor | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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2018
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2018
General election
Incumbent Brian Kelsey defeated Gabby Salinas in the general election for Tennessee State Senate District 31 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for Tennessee State Senate District 31
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brian Kelsey (R) | 50.9 | 40,504 |
 | Gabby Salinas (D) | 49.1 | 39,086 | |
| Total votes: 79,590 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Gabby Salinas defeated David Weatherspoon and M. Rodanial Ray Ransom in the Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31 on August 2, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gabby Salinas | 48.0 | 7,737 |
| David Weatherspoon | 42.7 | 6,890 | |
| M. Rodanial Ray Ransom | 9.3 | 1,499 | ||
| Total votes: 16,126 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Incumbent Brian Kelsey advanced from the Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31 on August 2, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 31
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Kelsey | 100.0 | 22,767 |
| Total votes: 22,767 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
David Weatherspoon has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are David Weatherspoon, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
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2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
David Weatherspoon participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on July 25, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and David Weatherspoon's responses follow below.[2]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | Healthcare - ensuring access to health insurance and quality healthcare for all Tennesseans Public education - from providing universal pre-K to vocational training programs, we need to fully fund public education Infrastructure - improving roads, mass transport, utilities and communications to improve business efficiency and to attract new businesses[3][4] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Since I work in a hospital, healthcare insurance so that families don't have added worry of finances in time of crisis is crucial for me. Ensuring access to quality healthcare given the highest rate of hospital closings in TN is also a high priority. I also feel that ensuring access to top-tier educational and vocational opportunities for all our citizens will develop the workforce required in today's economy. We need to be at the forefront of technology, green energy, and other emerging industries and attracting them to our district will help our local economy.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. David Weatherspoon answered the following:
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
| “ | Servant leadership. Integrity. Honesty. Actively listening to the needs of constituents and not residing in an echo chamber.[4] | ” |
| “ | I work every day with patients and families across all sections of the population -- all faiths, ethnicities, and beliefs. I am able to stay in the room with every one of them, no matter what occurs or how hard things get. The ability to work with all people is crucial in politics, especially in a super-majority such as the TN legislature has, and I have honed this skill over years of experience working with people in highly emotional situations.[4] | ” |
| “ | Listening to the people, advocating for what is right for them, and taking the best course of action for each situation that will breathe life into the community.[4] | ” |
| “ | I have worked in construction, a level-one trauma center, as a college chaplain and now as a hospital chaplain. These jobs have all given me opportunities to learn and to serve, and I am grateful for every experience.[4] | ” |
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
Caring for the neighbor is central to my faith and to my work. As a chaplain, I am led to make decisions that breathe life into the lives of others. That’s why I am running for office. Serving the neighbor means creating a neighborhood where all can succeed. It means working to ensure a community with safe homes and good schools to educate our children. It means making certain everyone has access to quality health care. It means working so there are jobs available in the community that allow everyone to provide for their families. In short, the kind of neighbor and representative I intend to be for District 31 is one who makes sure everyone in the neighborhood knows that they are included in this vision.[4] |
” |
| —David Weatherspoon[1] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on May 17, 2018
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "David Weatherspoon's responses," July 25, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
