Sara Kyle
Sara Kyle (Democratic Party) is a member of the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 30. She assumed office on November 4, 2014. Her current term ends on November 7, 2028.
Kyle (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 30. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Kyle was born in Upper East Tennessee in 1952. After graduating from Austin Peay State University, she taught elementary school in Clarksville and attended graduate courses at Middle Tennessee State University. She earned her J.D. and served as a public defender before her election to the Memphis City Court bench in 1991. Kyle resigned from her position in March of 1994 to become a candidate for the Public Service Commission, the predecessor to Tennessee's Regulatory Authority.
The Public Service Commission was dissolved in 1996, replaced by the authority. Kyle was appointed on February 29, 1996, becoming one of the first three members, and served on the regulatory authority until March 2013.[1]
Tennessee Regulatory Authority (1996-2013)
Kyle was first nominated to the position by then-State House Speaker James Naifeh 1996. She was re-appointed to six-year terms in 2002 and 2008.[2] However, she chose to resign on March 13, 2013, citing the changes made to the body by legislation in 2012.
“There’s never a good time to leave public service but things have changed at the TRA and it’s become part time but consumers are full time — they need full-time service. I believe I can use my skills and talents for consumers elsewhere. I don’t know where that will be right now but I will be looking for opportunities,” she stated.[3]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Kyle was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Government Operations Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- State & Local Government Committee
- Government Operations Committee
2021-2022
Kyle was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Government Operations Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- State & Local Government Committee
2019-2020
Kyle was assigned to the following committees:
- Fiscal Review Committee
- Government Operations Committee
- Senate Government Operations Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Health and Welfare |
| • Judiciary |
| • Fiscal Review |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kyle served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Judiciary |
| • Transportation and Safety |
| • Fiscal Review |
Sponsored legislation
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
2024
See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Tennessee State Senate District 30
Incumbent Sara Kyle defeated Mitchell Morrison in the general election for Tennessee State Senate District 30 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sara Kyle (D) | 79.5 | 40,232 |
| Mitchell Morrison (Independent) | 20.5 | 10,370 | ||
| Total votes: 50,602 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 30
Incumbent Sara Kyle defeated Erika Stotts Pearson in the Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 30 on August 1, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sara Kyle | 68.2 | 6,765 |
 | Erika Stotts Pearson | 31.8 | 3,156 | |
| Total votes: 9,921 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kyle in this election.
2020
See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Tennessee State Senate District 30
Incumbent Sara Kyle won election in the general election for Tennessee State Senate District 30 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sara Kyle (D) | 100.0 | 43,895 |
| Total votes: 43,895 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 30
Incumbent Sara Kyle defeated M. LaTroy A-Williams in the Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 30 on August 6, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sara Kyle | 70.5 | 10,241 |
 | M. LaTroy A-Williams | 29.5 | 4,292 | |
| Total votes: 14,533 | |||
| = 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 State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Tennessee State Senate 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 Sara Kyle ran unopposed in the Tennessee State Senate District 30 general election.[4][5]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 30 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  Sara Kyle Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State | ||
Incumbent Sara Kyle defeated Beverly Marrero in the Tennessee State Senate District 30 Democratic primary.[6][7]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 30 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Sara Kyle Incumbent |
75.42% | 7,607 | |
| Democratic | Beverly Marrero | 24.58% | 2,479 | |
| Total Votes | 10,086 | |||
2014
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2014
A special election was called for November 4, 2014, following the resignation of Jim Kyle, who was elected as a Shelby County Chancery Court judge. Sara Kyle (D) defeated George Flinn Jr. (R) in the election. Kyle was elected to serve the remaining two years of Kyle's four-year term.[8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sara Kyle |
69.9% | 18,377 | |
| Republican | George Shea Flinn | 26.8% | 7,044 | |
| Independent | David W. Vinciarelli | 3.3% | 858 | |
| Total Votes | 26,279 | |||
2008
Kyle was re-appointed to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh in 2008.[9]
2002
Kyle was re-appointed to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh in 2002.[9]
1996
Kyle was appointed to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh on February 29, 1996.[9]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Sara Kyle did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Sara Kyle did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
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.
Scorecards
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 scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2025.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2024.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored based on their votes on the business community.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Right to Life — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2023.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored based on their votes on the business community.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- The Institute for Legislative Analysis — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2022.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored based on their votes on the business community.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Right to Life — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2021.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored based on their votes on the business community.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Right to Life — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2020.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on social issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2018.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on social issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry — Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2017.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry — Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2016.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on fiscal legislation.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce on "issues in the chamber’s four key policy baskets: Business-friendly environment, workforce development, quality of life and regional efforts to encourage economic prosperity."
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2015.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on fiscal legislation.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce on "issues in the chamber’s four key policy baskets: Business-friendly environment, workforce development, quality of life and regional efforts to encourage economic prosperity."
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Tennessee State Senate District 30 |
Officeholder Tennessee State Senate District 30 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Tn.gov/tra, "Director Sara Kyle," accessed September 16, 2011
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Commercial Appeal, "Memphian Sara Kyle resigns from Tennessee Regulatory Authority," March 13, 2013
- ↑ The New York Times, "Election 2016," accessed November 11, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2016 general election results - Tennessee State Senate," accessed January 19, 2017
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 8, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 11, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 4, 2016 Unofficial Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
- ↑ Memphis Daily News, "Sara Kyle Claims Democratic Senate Nomination," September 10, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tennessee Blue Book, " Section IV - Tennessee Regulatory Authority," accessed March 7, 2013
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Tennessee State Senate District 30 2014-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Tennessee Public Utility Commission 1996-2013 |
Succeeded by Robin Morrison |
| Preceded by - |
Memphis Municipal Court 1991-1994 |
Succeeded by - |
