Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Democratic primary)

2026 → ← 2022
Tennessee's 6th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 4, 2024
Primary: August 1, 2024 General: November 5, 2024
How to vote
Poll times: Varies by county Voting in Tennessee
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Safe Republican Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
See also
Tennessee's 6th Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th Tennessee elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

A Democratic Party primary took place on August 1, 2024, in Tennessee's 6th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate would run in the district's general election on November 5, 2024.

Lore Bergman advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 6.

All 435 seats were up for election. At the time of the election, Republicans had a 220 to 212 majority with three vacancies. As of June 2024, 45 members of the U.S. House had announced they were not running for re-election. To read more about the U.S. House elections taking place this year, click here.

In the 2022 election in this district, the Republican candidate won 66.3%-33.7%. Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Donald Trump (R) would have defeated Joe Biden (D) 63.6%-34.5%.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
April 4, 2024	August 1, 2024	November 5, 2024

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Tennessee utilizes a closed primary process; a voter must either be registered with a political party or must declare his or affiliation with the party at the polls on primary election day in order to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Tennessee's 6th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Republican primary)
• Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 6

Lore Bergman defeated Clay Faircloth and Cyril Focht in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 on August 1, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lore Bergman	42.2	8,684
		Clay Faircloth	36.3	7,474
		Cyril Focht	21.5	4,422

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,580
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Kennedy (D)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Lore Bergman

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I have been an organizer, an advocate and an activist. I am a woman with disabilities, that is so tired of hearing rich congressmen like John Rose, vote against all programs for the disadvantaged and also propose stupid and cruel legislation on how to fix Social Security, healthcare and other programs, when he has never been sick, poor, hungry or homeless, and probably never will be. I have been all of those things and I have many ideas on how we can make things better for the people suffering in the 6th Congressional District here in TN and across the United States. There are many things congress can do to make things better, and I cannot wait to get on the floor of Congress and give my ideas for new legislation. I have advocated for the disabled and have suffered at times for it, but no matter what happens to me, I will still continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. As a woman, I am also so tired of old white Republican men like John Rose, telling us women what to do about our reproductive issues. John Rose has voted against every bill that could help improve a woman's life, including the right to contraception and the Women Against Violence Act. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, it angers me greatly to think that a man like John Rose represents and speaks for me in Congress. We have gone backwards 50 years in less than 2 years, and all women's freedoms are in jeopardy. I will always fight to preserve democracy and human rights for all."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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When someone is in need, and gets help, it is not an "entitlement". To be hungry and get fed, to be sick and get medical care, to be homeless and get housing, is not an entitlement, it is a human right. The only ones who are entitled are the rich in congress who think they know what's best for people who are poor and/or disabled and elderly. The disabled are very much underrepresented in Congress and average Americans hardly ever get elected, because they do not have the money or time to be able to run for office. If we had average working Americans in Congress, we would get so much done for the people of America. Congress would actually work for the American people and not for huge corporations and industries.

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Women are more than baby making machines. At least we used to be. And now, only women who can conceive naturally are basically considered important. It sickens me to think that women that are younger than me, now have less rights than I had at their age. We are going backwards in our fight for freedom. Women should not have to live in fear, if they are of reproductive age. Since Roe vs. Wade was reversed, women's health care is a chaotic mess. Old white men should not decide what a woman can or cannot do about her own health decisions. No matter what you believe about abortion or IVF, it is your decision, not someone else's decision for you. When a woman cannot make decisions about her own body, she is not a free citizen.

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Leviticus 19:18 says ".... love thy neighbor, as thy self....". Just think what kind of America it would be if the people in this country and the rest of the world would remember that verse. We would love the children more than we love our guns, and we would ban assault weapons and not books or black history and have common sense gun legislation reform. We would always want equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community and all minorities. We would be kind and empathetic to immigrants, and we would have common sense immigration reform, that is cruelty and pain free for those who are just trying to have a safe and better life. We would never make people live in fear, because they believe differently. And we would protect the Earth.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 in 2024.

Clay Faircloth

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "My life’s journey has prepared me to serve as your congressman. As a counselor, pastor, and community engagement influencer my qualifications unite these life experiences creating a more complete reflection of our people. We need a representative who will be able to bring people together, someone who will create a space for cooperation and progress. Someone who will help us move forward as a people and as a nation defending our values, our freedoms and our futures."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I’m a free-market realist who understands there must be interventions at some levels during tumultuous times however the norm is to allow our capitalist market to thrive, ever increasing and growing our economy even stronger. I want the government to stay out of my private life. I want a government that spends wisely and focuses on providing safety, supporting our ambitions, and fulfilling the promises of America – not lining the pockets of the rich.

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Abortion is healthcare. 50 + years of freedoms and rights vanished for over half the people in our nation. We are going backwards as a nation, taking away women’s rights and putting politicians in between the doctor and patient. We can trust women with their doctors to make the right decision without government interference.

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Other issues: Economy: Focus on building up the middle class; Education: We are better people when we are educated; Healthcare: We must ensure that all Americans have access to quality healthcare. Environment: Climate change is a growing crisis we can no longer deny. Diversity/Human rights: We must push to continue to expand equal rights for all Americans. Immigration: Border control must be reformed and compassionate at the same time. Second Amendment: Guns simply cannot have more freedoms than people; Agriculture: Legalize marijuana at the federal level. Divided Government: Compromise without compromising your principles.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 in 2024.

Cyril Focht

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I've lived in Cookeville almost all of my life; I grew up here, went to college at Tennessee Tech, and after moving away for a few years pursuing a master's degree I came back to teach at Tennessee Tech. My professional background is in computer science and software ethics—which is why my platform has such an emphasis on legislating digital technology, but I've always been a man of many interests, especially when it comes to areas that affect the public good. Growing up in scouts, I've always been active in serving my community, and it's that background that lead me to realize that serving in a position of elected leadership is one of the highest expressions of civic duty that a citizen can carry out. That's why I decided to run, because I want to make life better for everyone who lives here."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Digital technology affects every aspect of modern society, and for all its benefits, causes just as much harm. We need elected leaders who understand technology to be able to address those harms.

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For our government to serve the people, it has to be a government of the people. We have far too many elected officials who are in it to serve their own interests, so we need better measures in place to keep our representatives accountable to serving their constituents.

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As a professional educator, I care deeply about improving the quality of education in our country and making sure educational opportunities are accessible to everyone.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Tennessee

Election information in Tennessee: Aug. 1, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: July 2, 2024
• By mail: Received by July 2, 2024
• Online: July 2, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: July 25, 2024
• By mail: Received by July 25, 2024
• Online: July 25, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: N/A
• By mail: Received by Aug. 1, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

N/A

What were the early voting start and end dates?

July 12, 2024 to July 27, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

N/A

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Lore Bergman	Democratic Party	$9,792	$9,792	$0	As of November 25, 2024
Clay Faircloth	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Cyril Focht	Democratic Party	$65,101	$65,101	$0	As of September 27, 2024
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2024 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below was the map in use at the time of the election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in Tennessee.

Tennessee U.S. House competitiveness, 2014-2024
Office	Districts/ offices	Seats	Open seats	Candidates	Possible primaries	Contested Democratic primaries	Contested Republican primaries	% of contested primaries	Incumbents in contested primaries	% of incumbents in contested primaries
2024	9	9	0	31	18	4	2	33.3%	3	33.3%
2022	9	9	1	36	18	4	4	44.4%	3	37.5%
2020	9	9	2	45	18	6	2	44.4%	3	42.9%
2018	9	9	2	49	18	6	7	72.2%	5	71.4%
2016	9	9	2	48	18	4	6	55.6%	5	71.4%
2014	9	9	0	39	18	3	8	61.1%	8	88.9%

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Tennessee in 2024. Information below was calculated on May 2, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Thirty-one candidates ran for Tennessee’s nine U.S. House districts, including 19 Democrats and 12 Republicans. That’s 3.4 candidates per district, less than in the previous three election cycles. There were 4.0 candidates per district in 2022, 5.0 candidates per district in 2020, and 5.4 in 2018.

The number of candidates who ran for the U.S. House in Tennessee in 2024 is also lower than any other year this decade.

No seats were open in 2024, meaning all incumbents ran for re-election. The last time all incumbents ran for re-election in Tennessee was in 2014.

Six candidates—five Democrats and one Republican—ran for the 8th Congressional District, the most candidates who ran for a seat in Tennessee in 2024.

Six primaries—four Democratic and two Republican—were contested in 2024, the fewest this decade. There were eight contested primaries in 2022, eight in 2020, 13 in 2018, 10 in 2016, and 11 in 2014.

Three incumbents—one Democrat and two Republicans—were in contested primaries in 2024. That’s the same as the previous two election cycles.

Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all eight districts, meaning no seats were guaranteed to either party.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+17. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 17 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Tennessee's 6th the 63rd most Republican district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2020 presidential election would have been in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

2020 presidential results in Tennessee's 6th based on 2024 district lines
Joe Biden	Donald Trump
34.5%	63.6%

Inside Elections Baselines

See also: Inside Elections

Inside Elections' Baseline is a figure that analyzes all federal and statewide election results from the district over the past four election cycles. The results are combined in an index estimating the strength of a typical Democratic or Republican candidate in the congressional district. The table below displays the Baseline data for this district.

Inside Elections Baseline for 2024
Democratic Baseline	Republican Baseline	Difference
34.9	62.8	R+27.9

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Tennessee, 2020

Tennessee presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 15 Democratic wins
• 16 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R

See also: Party control of Tennessee state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Tennessee's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Tennessee
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	1	1
Republican	2	7	9
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	1	1
Total	2	9	11

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Tennessee's top three state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in Tennessee, May 2024
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Bill Lee
Secretary of State	Tre Hargett
Attorney General	Jonathan Skrmetti

State legislature

Tennessee State Senate

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	6
	Republican Party	27
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		33

Tennessee House of Representatives

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	24
	Republican Party	75
	Independent	0
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		99

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Governor	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Tennessee in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	U.S. House	All candidates	25	N/A	4/4/2024	Source

See also

• Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Republican primary)
• Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2024
• United States House elections in Tennessee, 2024 (August 1 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in Tennessee, 2024 (August 1 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2024
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2024

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Tennessee's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Marsha Blackburn (R)

Bill Hagerty (R)

Representatives

District 1

Diana Harshbarger (R)

District 2

Tim Burchett (R)

District 3

Charles Fleischmann (R)

District 4

Scott DesJarlais (R)

District 5

Andy Ogles (R)

District 6

John Rose (R)

District 7

Vacant

District 8

David Kustoff (R)

District 9

Steve Cohen (D)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (1)

Vacancies (1)

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