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Mike Stewart (Tennessee)

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Mike Stewart
Image of Mike Stewart
Prior offices
Tennessee House of Representatives District 52
Successor: Justin Jones

Education

Bachelor's

University of Pennsylvania, 1987

Law

University of Tennessee College of Law, 1994

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1987 - 1991

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1988 - 1991

Personal
Birthplace
Alexandria, Va.
Religion
Methodist
Profession
Lawyer
Contact

Mike Stewart (Democratic Party) was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 52. He assumed office in 2008. He left office on November 8, 2022.

Stewart (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent District 52. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Stewart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stewart was born in Alexandria, Virginia. He earned a B.A. in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 and a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1994. His career experience includes working as an attorney for Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. Stewart served in the United States Army from 1987 to 1991.[1]

Stewart has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]

  • American Bar Association
  • Nashville Bar Association
  • Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2021-2022

Stewart was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Stewart was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Tennessee committee assignments, 2017
Calendar and Rules
• Civil Justice
Education Instruction and Programs
Government Operations
Government Operations

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Stewart served on the following committees:

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Stewart served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Stewart served on these committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Stewart served on these committees:

Issues

Anti-terrorism bill

Judd Matheny sponsored the 2011 bill, "Material Support to Designated Entities Act of 2011," which originally specifically targeted people who practice Sharia Law, the foundation of Islamic Code. It been stripped of any language about religion and instead widening the reach of the bill to anyone exhibiting potentially terrorist-like tendencies.

It aims to fight “homegrown terrorism,” whether the state finds that threat in gangs, cults, religious groups or individuals, according to lawmakers carrying the bill.

“I would just, please, like to implore the Muslim community, this is not against you,” said Matheny. “This is not a witch hunt. This is nothing but to protect ourselves where the federal government can’t or won’t.”

Members of the House Judiciary Committee approved the bill 12-4 while the measure won a 6-3 favorable vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. From there, both measures had to advance to the houses’ Finance, Ways and Means committees.

Rep. Mike Stewart said the bill doesn’t give enough of a recourse for people falsely accused of being or helping terrorists.

“It’s un-American as far as I’m concerned,” said Stewart. “What we’re saying here is that somebody in Tennessee, a regular person, can be declared a terrorist, and they have no right to a trial of their peers to clear their good name. That’s just completely the opposite of what we should be doing in this country.”[2]

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2022

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2022

Mike Stewart did not file to run for re-election.

2020

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52

Incumbent Mike Stewart defeated Donna Tees in the general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mike Stewart
Mike Stewart (D) Candidate Connection
 
72.0
 
16,421
Donna Tees (R)
 
28.0
 
6,382

Total votes: 22,803
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52

Incumbent Mike Stewart defeated James C. Turner II in the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 on August 6, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mike Stewart
Mike Stewart Candidate Connection
 
62.2
 
4,327
Image of James C. Turner II
James C. Turner II
 
37.8
 
2,634

Total votes: 6,961
Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52

Donna Tees advanced from the Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 on August 6, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Donna Tees
 
100.0
 
1,226

Total votes: 1,226
Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52

Incumbent Mike Stewart won election in the general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mike Stewart
Mike Stewart (D)
 
100.0
 
13,934

Total votes: 13,934
Candidate Connection = 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52

Incumbent Mike Stewart advanced from the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 on August 2, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mike Stewart
Mike Stewart
 
100.0
 
4,797

Total votes: 4,797
Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Tennessee House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 4, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 7, 2016.

Incumbent Mike Stewart ran unopposed in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 general election.[3][4]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Mike Stewart Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State


Incumbent Mike Stewart ran unopposed in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 52 Democratic primary.[5][6]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Mike Stewart Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for 99 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 7, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 3, 2014. Incumbent Mike Stewart was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Stewart was unopposed in the general election.[7][8]

2012

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2012

Stewart won re-election in the 2012 election for Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52. Stewart ran unopposed in the August 2 primary election and defeated Daniel Lewis (I) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[9][10]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Stewart Incumbent 75.6% 12,601
     Independent Daniel Lewis 24.4% 4,060
Total Votes 16,661

2010

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2010

Stewart won re-election to the 52nd District seat in 2010. He was unopposed in the August 5 primary.[11] He also faced no opposition in the general election on November 2, 2010.[12]

2008

On Nov. 4, 2008, Stewart won election to the 52nd District Seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, defeating opponent Dan Scott (I).[13]

Stewart raised $120,813 for his campaign while Scott raised $0.[14]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52 (2008)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Mike Stewart (D) 13,802
Dan Scott (I) 4,048

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Mike Stewart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stewart's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a Democratic State Representative and the Caucus Chairman of the Democrats in the House of Representatives in Tennessee. I am a strong advocate for issues of importance to Democrats, such as fighting racism and discrimination, expanding Medicaid under President Obama's Affordable Care Act, protecting women's reproductive rights, fighting discriminatory legislation aimed at LGBT citizens, improving pay and working conditions for working Tennesseans and protecting the environment. I routinely fight against the Republicans in the Tennessee Legislature as they attempt to carry out Trump's agenda, including school vouchers, eliminating healthcare for seniors and promoting hatred and division among citizens. My wife, Ruth, and I bought an old home that needed fixing up in 1996 and have raised our children, Will, Joseph and Eve there. I am a partner at the law firm of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC, which has for decades represented persons whose civil rights have been violated, workers and others who are taking on powerful interests. Ruth is a practicing physician and an Associate Dean at Meharry Medical College. We attend East End United Methodist Church.
  • I have been a strong leader in the Legislature on all issues of importance to Democrats, and repeatedly taken on Republicans pushing the Trump agenda in Tennessee.
  • Despite being outnumbered by Republicans, I have successfully achieved success pushing and defending Democratic priorities. For example, I have helped kill school voucher legislation backed by Trump and by Republican governors year after year. Most recently, we limited the primary voucher bill to two counties, rendering it unconstitutional.
  • I have been elected Caucus Chairman by my fellow Democrats three times. As Caucus Chairman, I have developed a campaign operation that has recruited more Democratic candidates than ever before and switched seats from Republican to Democratic control in West, Middle and East Tennessee.
Healthcare. I have successfully pushed back against Trump Administration efforts to eliminate President Obama's Affordable Care Act, standing with veterans against Trump's legislation and demanding that our Senators oppose it. Ultimately, Trump withdrew the legislation. I have also for years pushed for expanded Medicaid. I have put forward legislation, held numerous press events and called out two Republican Governors in my effort to enact this essential policy.

Criminal Justice Reform. As Caucus Chairman, I have made criminal justice reform a core priority for Democrats in the House. Many Democrats have pushed this important agenda on many fronts. I have focused on reforming Tennessee's prisons, which are full of non-violent offenders who should not be incarcerated, are overcrowded and understaffed and are often highly unsafe to inmates and staff. I have successfully pushed for management changes, for greater oversight, for better medical care and other important reforms.

Protecting Public Schools. I have successfully opposed many bills designed to defund public schools, supported legislation to eliminate unneeded testing and promoted policies that provided teachers the respect, autonomy and pay they need and deserve.

Gun Background Checks. I have strongly pushed for gun background checks, which would prevent many shootings caused by mentally ill or violent individuals.
A great political book is The Children, by David Halberstam, which describes the successful effort by young activists to desegregate Nashville. It shows that great, meaningful, positive changes can be achieved right now, with the means available.
An elected official must have the strength to promote his values and agenda in the face of strong opposition.

I have been a successful officeholder because I have been willing to be a strong leader who stands up for Democratic priorities even against strong opposition.

I also have been successful because I like people and enjoy working with diverse groups to elect Democrats and promote other important policies and goals.
The core responsibility for someone elected as a state representative is to push policies that benefit the residents of the district and the people as a whole. This involves not just opposing bad bills and passing good ones but more broadly taking actions that achieve meaningful change. For example, when I led the charge to expel Representative Jeremy Durham after he was found by the Attorney General to have harassed multiple women, I contributed to significant meaningful change in our work culture that hopefully will benefit many in my district and elsewhere.
I would like to leave Tennessee a place where all citizens have the opportunity to pursue their hopes and aspirations. Where discrimination is punished severely and therefore not a barrier to achievement. Where education is available so that no one is excluded from self-betterment. Where people who sufferer mental and physical illnesses can get treatment so as to continue their productive lives. Where the criminal justice system is not a dead end that takes people out of the workforce for decades. And where people are served by honest, efficient government that broadly supports their efforts to lead their best lives.
A very early memory is of the Apollo Moon Landing in 1969. While that was in many ways a difficult year for our nation, I look to the moon landing as representative of a different time in American politics. I grew up believing in an America that had an almost inexhaustible capacity for positive growth and change. Most Americans used to believe that government could effectively take on national challenges and create an environment in which all citizens had a chance to pursue their hopes and aspirations. In that era, leaders passed major legislation promoting civil rights for all citizens, cleaning up the environment, imposing workplace safety requirements, vastly expanding our state colleges and universities, improving child nutrition and promoting numerous other national priorities.

Today things are very different. After forty years of right wing propaganda, Americans no longer have much faith in their government institutions, and the institutions, particularly at the federal level, often live up (or down) to their low expectations. Today, our national government not only appears unable to come up with a coherent response to a worldwide pandemic, but actively disseminates false information about the COVID-19 virus. Today we have large numbers of public officials who are actually willing to deny the existence of global warming - a departure from science and reason that would have been unthinkable in prior decades. Our political system, which has historically been America's great gift to the world, is increasingly a burden, weighing down our country with nonsensical rhetoric, fake issues and bad decision-making.

America is still doing great things. Witness President Obama's courageous and highly risky decision to take on a major Ebola outbreak, which was a complete success and likely saved millions of lives. But we all need to pitch in at the ballot box and in exchanging ideas to demand a functional, honest government - 2020 is a big year.
My favorite book is the Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It details the horrors of a Stalin's Soviet Union - a cautionary tale for anyone involved in government.
Like many families, mine has dealt with many very serious health issues over the years. This has left me very sensitive, I think, to the need to universally provide good medical care to all people all the time. No family can really handle severe health problems alone. All need access to good medical care so that they can carry out their lives in as normal a fashion as possible while addressing those health challenges that inevitably arise.
The main difference is that the Tennessee House has more Democrats. This allows for coalition building which at times has led to the killing of major Republican legislation designed to defund public schools, legislation increasing testing, legislation putting more corporate money in politics and similar bills.
It can be helpful for sure.

I have experience in the House which leads me to be more effective when promoting change, particularly in the face of significant opposition.

For example, I have for months used a series of press events, letters, Caucus positions and other means to demand that Governor Lee take stonger action with respect to tracking and controlling the COVID-19 virus.

These efforts have shown significant success; the Administration has expanded testing and distribution of personal protective equipment.


Our greatest challenge will be creating an economy that provides all citizens the ability to lead productive, financially successful lives. That will require expanding education and making it relevant and inexpensive. It will also require fully funding our universities and related research institutions. It will also require addressing mental and physical health issues that keep many out of the workforce. And it will require changing our criminal justice system, so that we avoid taking non-violent citizens out of the workforce.
The Governor should lead the administrative agencies, respond to emergencies and certainly propose statewide priorities such as expanding technical training and fighting the opioid crisis. The legislature should represent the citizens in providing oversight to key institutions like schools and prisons. The Legislature should also ensure that Tennessee's tax dollars are spent in ways that accord with the people's priorities.
Yes. Democracy works, and forces us all to address the needs and priorities of all the citizens, not just those we represent. It is therefore vital to have good relations with other legislators who represent people with very different priorities. I have deep respect for the democratic process and for those who represent people in it. I would like to think that allows me to work well with legislators who hold very different views, even as I provide a strong voice for priorities important to Democrats.
We should use a non-partisan commission of the sort they use in Arizona.
The honest answer is that I am on my current committees largely because the Republican leadership has removed me from other committees, like those that govern the courts, after I have been a strong and vocal critic of Republican priorities. I do not cut deals to get particular committees for myself, and have made it clear that I will be a strong voice for Democrats regardless of my committee assignments.

Thankfully, the House Rules require that I be on the Government Operations and Calendar and Rules Committees, where most significant legislation must at some point pass. On those committees in particular, I am in a position to significantly impact the flow of legislation.
I am the Democratic Caucus Chairman. As such, I am responsible for pushing back against the Republican's Trump-inspired agenda.
Both Lois DeBerry and Bill Purcell were highly effective lawmakers. I certainly look to their examples.
I have heard many powerful stories over the years.

One individual told me the story about how her family escaped from a farm where they sharecropped. It was basically run like a prison, and she tore her leg climbing over a barb wire fence to get to a relative's waiting car in the middle of the night. This is not ancient history - it was a childhood experience of someone voting today.

A funny story was told by another resident. When she started dating her future husband, her principal called her in to warn her that he was one of the worst boys around. He was very forceful, outlining all the trouble the boy had gotten into. She ignored the principal, and had been marred to the bad boy over30 years when passing on this story.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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.


Mike Stewart campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2020Tennessee House of Representatives District 52Won general$254,413 N/A**
2018Tennessee House of Representatives District 52Won general$141,631 N/A**
2016Tennessee House of Representatives, District 52Won $57,664 N/A**
2014Tennessee State House, District 52Won $40,116 N/A**
2012Tennessee State House, District 52Won $44,266 N/A**
2010Tennessee State House, District 52Won $54,025 N/A**
2008Tennessee State House, District 52Won $120,813 N/A**
1996Tennessee State House, District 52Lost $16,225 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Tennessee

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Tennessee scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.




2022

In 2022, the Tennessee State Legislature was in session from January 11 to April 28.

Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy.
Legislators are scored based on their votes on the business community.
Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012


2011

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 27, 2020.
  2. TNReport, "Republicans Broaden Anti-Terrorism Bill," April 27, 2011
  3. The New York Times, "Election 2016," accessed November 11, 2016
  4. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2016 general election results - Tennessee House of Representatives," accessed January 19, 2017
  5. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 8, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 11, 2016
  6. Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 4, 2016 Unofficial Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
  7. Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 7, 2014 Election Results," accessed September 11, 2014
  8. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Petitions Filed for State Senate and State House of Representatives," accessed April 5, 2014
  9. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2012 List of Candidates," accessed April 18, 2014
  10. Tennessee Department of State, "Election Results," accessed April 18, 2014
  11. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2010 Primary Election Official Results," accessed April 18, 2014
  12. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2010 Tennessee General election results," accessed April 18, 2014
  13. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2008 Tennessee General election results," accessed April 18, 2014
  14. Follow the Money, "General Election Results," accessed April 18, 2014
  15. Tennessee Bar Association, "Nashville Chamber Releases 2015 Legislative Scorecard," accessed November 10, 2015
  16. Tennessee Bar Association, "Nashville Chamber Releases 2015 Legislative Scorecard," accessed November 10, 2015

Political offices
Preceded by
-
Tennessee House of Representatives District 52
2008-2022
Succeeded by
Justin Jones (D)


Current members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
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