Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election (August 2, 2018 Republican primary)

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Tennessee's 6th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 5, 2018
Primary: August 2, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Diane Black (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: Varies by county
Voting in Tennessee
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid 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, 2018
See also
Tennessee's 6th Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th
Tennessee elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

Former state Agriculture Commissioner John Rose (R) defeated former judge Bob Corlew (R), state Rep. Judd Matheny (R), and two other candidates in the Republican primary for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) ran for governor, leaving the seat open.

This safe Republican district voted for Donald Trump by a margin of nearly 50 points in the 2016 presidential election, and Corlew, Matheny, and Rose all embraced the president’s policy agenda.

Rose highlighted his immigration policy and commitment to backing Trump. He called himself the only candidate who was not a career politician.[3]

Corlew emphasized his public service, including his military record in the U.S. Army and tenure as a judge.[4]

Rose and Corlew were the only candidates to have raised more than $1 million through mid-July, reporting $2.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively.[5]

Matheny, who represented Coffee County and part of Warren County in the state House, received an endorsement from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and aligned himself with the House Freedom Caucus.[6]

Christopher Monday and LaVern Vivio also ran in the primary.

For more on related elections, please see:

Candidates and election results

John Rose defeated Robert Ewing Corlew, Judd Matheny, LaVern Vivio, and Christopher Monday in the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 on August 2, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 6

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of John Rose
John Rose Candidate Connection
 
41.3
 
43,797
Image of Robert Ewing Corlew
Robert Ewing Corlew
 
31.2
 
33,091
Image of Judd Matheny
Judd Matheny
 
15.8
 
16,758
Image of LaVern Vivio
LaVern Vivio
 
8.9
 
9,462
Image of Christopher Monday
Christopher Monday Candidate Connection
 
2.9
 
3,026

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 106,134
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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Top candidates

Republican Party Bob Corlew

Bob Corlew.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Corlew served in the U.S. Army, the Tennessee National Guard, and the United States Army Reserve. He was elected general sessions judge in 1984 and chancery court judge in 1990. He served in that role until his retirement in 2014. Active in community organizations, Corlew was also elected president of the Lions Club International in 2016.[7]

"I'm running for because I've dedicated my life to public service, not political service, serving my community and my country," Corlew said when announcing his candidacy. "It used to be if you played by the rules and worked hard you would be able to get your slice of the American Dream, but sadly politicians from parties have weakened America."[4]

On his campaign website, Corlew identified anti-abortion and limited government policies and the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as some of his priorities.[8]

Republican Party Judd Matheny

Judd Matheny.png

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Matheny was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 47, in 2002. In addition to having served in the Tennessee Army National Guard, Matheny also worked in law enforcement. His professional experience includes running a solid waste transfer facility with 69 employees.[9]

He emphasized states' rights when announcing his candidacy. "I want to make sure that the states learn that they can be empowered to actually dictate what the federal government does,” Matheny said.[10]

Matheny listed cutting taxes, reducing the federal debt, and enforcement of immigration laws as some of his policy priorities.[11]

Republican Party John Rose

John Rose.png

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Rose served as the state agriculture commissioner from 2002 to 2003 and chaired the Tennessee Technological University Foundation, Tennessee FFA Foundation, and Tennessee State Fair Association. He also co-founded the IT certification company Transcender Corp.[12]

"I will have President Trump’s back and fight the Washington liberals and elites, while putting Tennesseans first every single day," Rose said of his campaign.[12]

On his campaign website, Rose identified building a wall along the southern border, replacing the Affordable Care Act with "market-based, patient-centered reforms," and defense of gun ownership as some of his policy priorities.[13]


Candidates

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey


Republican Party factional conflict

See also: Republican Party factional conflict in U.S. House primaries, 2018

Disputes between potential members of the House Freedom Caucus and other members of the Republican Party occurred in U.S. House primaries in 2018.

In 2015, conservative Republicans formed the Freedom Caucus and began opposing House Republican leaders on fiscal policy, chamber procedures, and caucus leadership, among other things.[14] Members of the Freedom Caucus broke away from the Republican Study Committee, which, along with the Republican Main Street Partnership, was more closely aligned with House Republican leaders.[15]

In this primary, Judd Matheny affiliated with the Freedom Caucus.[16][17]

The chart below shows a scorecard for how the Freedom Caucus performed in competitive Republican primaries that featured at least one Freedom Caucus candidate and one Republican opponent not affiliated with the group.

U.S. House Republican factions
Faction Primary victories in 2018 Seats held prior to primaries Performance
Affiliated with the House Freedom Caucus 8 6 +2
Not affiliated with the House Freedom Caucus[18] 10 12 -2

Endorsements

The table below summarizes the endorsements Ballotpedia identified for Republican candidates in the primary for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District.

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement Republican Party Corlew Republican Party Matheny Republican Party Rose
Federal officials
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.)[19] ✔
Organizations
House Freedom Caucus[20] ✔
National Rifle Association[20] ✔
Tennessee Right to Life PAC[21] ✔

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.


Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Dawn Barlow Democratic Party $44,570 $43,317 $67 As of December 31, 2018
Christopher Finley Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Peter Heffernan Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Merrilee Wineinger Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Robert Ewing Corlew Republican Party $1,520,975 $1,520,975 $0 As of September 12, 2018
Judd Matheny Republican Party $276,132 $276,132 $0 As of December 31, 2018
Christopher Monday Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
John Rose Republican Party $5,241,823 $5,212,190 $29,634 As of December 31, 2018
LaVern Vivio Republican Party $28,215 $28,240 $-14,117 As of September 30, 2018
Lloyd Dunn Independent $327 $0 $15 As of November 26, 2018
David Ross Independent $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. 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.


Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

These were the policy positions listed on the candidates' websites, if available.

Republican Party Bob Corlew

“

Politicians in both parties have weakened America at home and abroad by making our country less safe, less secure, and less American. We have seen our country’s strength, security, and prosperity challenged at home and around the world by those who don’t share our values and by those who don’t play by the rules.

To secure the future of America, we must remain committed to our founding principles. Those founding principles are found in the Constitution, the Constitution I swore to uphold as a member of the US Army, and the Constitution I protected as a former judge right here in Middle Tennessee.

Under President Trump things are turning around, but President Trump needs folks who will work with him, not against him.

Tennessee Conservative Values

As a Christian conservative, veteran, and judge, I am 100% pro-life and a firm supporter of our 2nd Amendment rights. We must restore the rule of law, fight for limited government, and ensure our conservative Tennessee values are represented in Washington, D.C. I will work with and support President Trump in achieving our shared agenda and standing up for our values.

Immigration

We are a nation of laws, and those laws must be upheld and respected first and foremost. That means no amnesty for illegal aliens, build the wall to protect our citizens and fix our broken borders, and put an end to chain migration.

Military and Veterans

As a veteran, I understand the challenges our service men, service women, and their families face. We must fix the broken VA system and hold bureaucrats accountable to ensure our veterans receive the care they earned, rebuild our military and support our troops and military families, and restore America’s reputation as a world leader. Read more about my plan to help veterans and military families by clicking here.

Healthcare

For too long, politicians and bureaucrats in D.C. have allowed Obamacare to linger and hurt working families. It’s time to fully repeal Obamacare once and for all! We must insist on work requirements for Medicaid benefits to cut out waste, fraud, and abuse. We must also protect Social Security and Medicare for current recipients while preserving it for future generations. Our seniors should receive the benefits and care through these programs they’ve paid into their entire lives.

Jobs, Economic Growth, and Tax Cuts

I fully support President Trump’s agenda to cut taxes, create good-paying jobs here at home, and make America more competitive. Small businesses and working families should be able to keep more of our hard-earned money. We must also continue to cut burdensome regulations and red tape which restrict job growth, while investing in career and technical education to build the workforce of tomorrow.[22]

”
—Bob Corlew for Congress[23]

Republican Party Judd Matheny

“

Issues That Matter to Tennessee.

He is a strong advocate of federalism and the sovereign authority of states as defined in our Constitution. So he will continue working to restore power to 'We, the People' and shift the balance of powers between not only the federal and state governments but also their respective, individual branches.

Lower Taxes.

Fighting to reduce taxes and simplify the burdensome tax system so middle class families and small business owners can keep more of their hard-earned money.

Less Regulations.

As a small business owner, Judd knows first-hand the strangle hold that federal regulations impose on job opportunity and will work tirelessly roll back regulation.

Slash Spending.

We face a fiscal crisis and cannot saddle our children with more irresponsible debt. It’s not enough to just slow the rate of spending but actually make aggressive spending cuts.

Economic Growth.

When government gets out of the way, business owners can create more jobs and higher paying jobs. It’s time to cut taxes and end regulation.

Rule of Law.

We are a nation of immigrants but also a nation of laws. We must work to keep our communities safe and secure, and uphold respect for one of America’s most bedrock principles.

Second Amendment.

Judd believes we must fight to protect gun rights from constant threats by the left trying to strip away our cherished right to keep and bear arms.

Life and Traditional Marriage.

It is among our highest priorities to defend the defenseless, the unborn, and stand for the true definition of marriage between one man and one woman.

National Security.

One of the primary roles of the federal government is national defense. We must defend the homeland and aggressively fight to defeat radical Islamic terrorists.[22]

”
—Matheny for Congress[24]

Republican Party John Rose

“

IMMIGRATION

Securing our nation begins by protecting our borders and the sanctity of U.S. citizenship. The immigration system just does not work. Those who made it across the border illegally are protected in sanctuary cities and unfairly given advantages over those trying to enter the country legally.

My belief about effective immigration policy is three parts:

  • Build a wall.
    • Building a wall along our southern border will aide in enforcement of the law, and will send a message that America is serious about the immigration problem.
  • Enforce the law.
    • Our country has laws in place that govern immigration. Immigrants who are in the United States illegally are not “undocumented”; they are illegal and should face the consequences of breaking the law—deportation.
  • Design a system that works.
    • We have to do better when it comes to temporary visa and guest worker programs. We need a system that allows those who wish to enter this great country legally and pursue The American Dream a chance to do so without watching illegal immigrants be rewarded for breaking the law while hopeful, law-abiding immigrants wait their turn in line.

HEALTHCARE

I support repealing Obamacare. Obamacare was passed without bipartisan support, it is damaging businesses across the country, and it is unsustainable. As a small business owner, I experience firsthand the consequences of Obamacare. In fact, the costs in my business alone are set to increase by more than 40% thanks to Obamacare. I will vote to repeal Obamacare and replace it with market-based, patient-centered reforms.

2ND AMENDMENT

The right to keep and bear arms is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. It is fundamental to America. In Washington, I will be a reliable voice and vote for protection of 2nd amendment rights. I am a life member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and will stand firm in securing our American freedoms.

JOBS AND THE WELFARE SYSTEM

I know about creating jobs. I’ve done it. As a small business owner, nothing is more personal to me than the livelihood and quality of life for each of my employees. The 6th district needs jobs that will allow every citizen to achieve a way of life that will provide for the families, elderly and young adults in the region.

The welfare system is a trap that keeps too many Tennesseans in a state of dependency. Our social safety nets were intended to be a safeguard for the most vulnerable in our society. Instead, many able bodied workers sit on the sidelines and receive a check rather than earning a wage. That becomes a cycle learned by their children, friends and neighbors. I support welfare reform that provides support to those who need it most and won’t send our country further into debt.

EDUCATION

Educating our children is some of the most important work we will do in our lives. Who better understands the needs of our children than the parents, teachers and government leaders who live and work in the communities where our children grow up? Keeping education as local an issue as possible makes sense.

I believe the federal government has a role to play in education, but the Department of Education should not exist to pass down standards that are one size fits all. Instead, the federal government should be a resource for states as they craft policy that works for them. Here in Tennessee, we have rejected common core and I will fight to be sure such policies are kept out of our state.

FAMILY VALUES

I am Pro-Life. I support the life of the unborn and always have. Life begins at conception and should be protected. My wife and I just had our first child, Guy, and the blessing of knowing that his life was created by God is unmatched.

Planned Parenthood has proven to be a broken organization that goes beyond providing needed services for women. I will vote to defund Planned Parenthood. Instead, I will support the work of our local women’s service providers as they help women without performing or encouraging abortions.

I hope to represent this district as a Christian man who will protect Tennessee values.

NATIONAL SECURITY

I support our troops. I believe we must equip them for success in their mission by adequately funding the military. Young men and women risk their lives to protect America. America needs to be sure our troops have the manpower and resources to accomplish their task. I will vote to fund the military at a level that will allow for the protection this country needs.

Defending our nation against terrorism and foreign nuclear threats is paramount. It is time we recognize that radical Islamic terrorism is real. These terrorists hate America and want to bring harm to our country when possible. We must be aware of the threat of terrorists entering our country with intent to build support for their anti-American cause. I support the President in his temporary travel ban on the countries that present the greatest threat to our security.

In every discussion about national defense, we also owe it to our veterans to keep them top of mind as the men and women who sacrificed for the sake of our country. I will advocate for these heroes, their families and their needs.

ISRAEL

The relationship between the United States and Israel is critical. They are partners in the mission to defeat terrorism. We must stand ready to protect our ally so that nuclear capabilities are reduced in the region and peace may be achieved.

TAX REFORM

Thanks to decades of new laws and regulations our tax code is too complicated. When tax time comes many average Americans cannot file on their own. That is unacceptable. I support and will vote for a fair, simple tax code that promotes economic growth and makes filing taxes easier on all Americans.

SUPPORTING OUR PRESIDENT

President Trump was elected in historic fashion to shake up Washington and improve the lives of Americans. I will contribute to Making America Great Again by supporting the President’s policies and carrying the concerns of my fellow 6th District Tennesseans to Washington.[22]

”
—Rose for Congress[25]

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Bob Corlew

"Bob Who?" Corlew campaign ad, released July 10, 2018
"Never Stop Fighting," Corlew campaign ad, released June 4, 2018

John Rose

"Build the Wall," Rose campaign ad, released July 3, 2018
"Our Job," Rose campaign ad, released May 8, 2018


Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2018
Race tracker Race ratings
October 30, 2018 October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political Report Solid Republican Solid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Solid Republican Solid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Safe Republican Safe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Election history

2016

See also: Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Diane Black (R) defeated David Kent (D) and David Ross (I) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Black defeated Joe Carr, Tommy Hay, and Donald Strong in the Republican primary, while Kent defeated Flo Matheson to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on August 4, 2016.[26][27][28]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Black Incumbent 71.1% 202,234
     Democratic David Kent 21.8% 61,995
     Independent David Ross 7.1% 20,261
Total Votes 284,490
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State


U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Kent 67% 7,551
Flo Matheson 33% 3,714
Total Votes 11,265
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State


U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Black Incumbent 63.7% 33,215
Joe Carr 31.9% 16,665
Donald Strong 2.6% 1,354
Tommy Hay 1.8% 945
Total Votes 52,179
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State

2014

See also: Tennessee's 6th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 6th Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Diane Black (R) defeated Amos Powers (D) and Mike Winton (I) in the general election.

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Black Incumbent 71.1% 115,190
     Democratic Amos Powers 23% 37,215
     Independent Mike Winton 5.9% 9,630
Total Votes 162,035
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State Vote totals above are unofficial and will be updated once official totals are made available.

2012

See also: Tennessee's 6th Congressional District elections, 2012

The 6th Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Diane Black won re-election in the district.[29]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Black Incumbent 76.4% 184,383
     Green Pat Riley 9% 21,633
     Independent Scott Beasley 14.4% 34,766
     Write-In N/A 0.2% 459
Total Votes 241,241
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010

On November 2, 2010, Diane Black won election to the United States House. She defeated Brett Carter (R) in the general election.[30]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Black 69.6% 128,517
     Democratic Brett Carter 30.4% 56,145
Total Votes 184,662

2008

On November 4, 2008, Bart Gordon won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Chris Baker (I) in the general election.[31]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2008
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBart Gordon incumbent 74.4% 194,264
     Independent Chris Baker 25.6% 66,764
Total Votes 261,028

2006

On November 7, 2006, Bart Gordon won re-election to the United States House. He defeated David R. Davis (R), Robert L. Garrison (I) and Norman R. Saliba (I) in the general election.[32]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2006
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBart Gordon incumbent 67.1% 129,069
     Republican David R. Davis 31.4% 60,392
     Independent Robert L. Garrison 1.1% 2,035
     Independent Norman R. Saliba 0.5% 884
Total Votes 192,380

2004

On November 2, 2004, Bart Gordon won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Nick Demas (R), J. Patrick Lyons (I) and Norman R. Saliba (I) in the general election.[33]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2004
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBart Gordon incumbent 64.2% 167,448
     Republican Nick Demas 33.6% 87,523
     Independent J. Patrick Lyons 1.5% 3,869
     Independent Norman R. Saliba 0.7% 1,802
Total Votes 260,642

2002

On November 5, 2002, Bart Gordon won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Robert L. Garrison (R) and J. Patrick Lyons (I) in the general election.[34]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2002
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBart Gordon incumbent 65.9% 117,119
     Republican Robert L. Garrison 32.3% 57,397
     Independent J. Patrick Lyons 1.7% 3,065
     N/A Write-in 0% 47
Total Votes 177,628

2000

On November 7, 2000, Bart Gordon won re-election to the United States House. He defeated David Charles (R) and Jim Coffer (L) in the general election.[35]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 6 General Election, 2000
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBart Gordon incumbent 62.1% 168,861
     Republican David Charles 35.7% 97,169
     Libertarian Jim Coffer 1.7% 4,685
     N/A Write-in 0.4% 1,184
Total Votes 271,899

District analysis

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

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+24, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 24 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Tennessee's 6th Congressional District the 20th most Republican nationally.[36]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.98. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.98 points toward that party.[37]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 95 Tennessee counties—1 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Hardeman County, Tennessee 7.92% 5.91% 6.18%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Tennessee with 60.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 34.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Tennessee cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Tennessee supported Democratic candidates for president and Republican candidates equally. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Tennessee. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[38][39]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 20 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 50.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 22 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 79 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 77 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 43.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Tennessee heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly. They had a 25-69 majority in the state House and a 4-26 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

See also: State government trifectas

2018 elections

See also: Tennessee elections, 2018

Tennessee held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Tennessee
 TennesseeU.S.
Total population:6,595,056316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):41,2353,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:77.8%73.6%
Black/African American:16.8%12.6%
Asian:1.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:4.9%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.5%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$45,219$53,889
Persons below poverty level:21.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Tennessee.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Tennessee's three largest cities were Nashville-Davidson (pop. est. 667,885), Memphis (pop. est. 652,236), and Knoxville (pop. est. 187,347).[40]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Tennessee from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Tennessee Secretary of State.[41]

Historical elections

Presidential elections

Election results (President of the United States), Tennessee 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 60.7% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 34.7% 26.0%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 59.5% Democratic PartyBarack Obama 39.1% 20.4%
2008 Republican Party John McCain 56.9% Democratic Party Barack Obama 41.8% 15.1%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.8% Democratic Party John Kerry 42.5% 14.3%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 51.2% Democratic Party Al Gore 47.3% 3.9%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2014

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Tennessee from 2000 to 2014. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Tennessee 2000-2014
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 61.9% Democratic Party Gordon Ball 31.9% 30.0%
2012 Republican Party Bob Corker 64.9% Democratic Party Mark Clayton 30.4% 34.5%
2008 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 65.1% Democratic Party Bob Tuke 31.6% 33.5%
2006 Republican Party Bob Corker 50.7% Democratic Party Harold Ford, Jr. 48.0% 2.7%
2002 Republican Party Lamar Alexander 54.3% Democratic Party Bob Clement 44.3% 10.0%
2000 Republican Party Bill Frist 65.1% Democratic Party Jeff Clark 32.2% 32.9%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Tennessee.

Election results (Governor), Tennessee 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Bill Haslam 70.3% Democratic Party Charles Brown 22.8% 47.5%
2010 Republican Party Bill Haslam 65.0% Democratic Party Mike McWherter 33.1% 31.9%
2006 Democratic Party Phil Bredesen 68.6% Republican Party Jim Bryson 29.7% 38.9%
2002 Democratic Party Phil Bredesen 50.7% Republican Party Van Hilleary 47.6% 3.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Tennessee in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Tennessee 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2014 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2012 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2010 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2008 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2006 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2004 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2002 Republican Party 5 55.6% Democratic Party 4 44.4% R+1
2000 Republican Party 5 55.6% Democratic Party 4 44.4% R+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

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 25
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 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 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 R


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  2. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  3. ↑ YouTube, "Building the Wall," July 3, 2018
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tennessean, "Former judge announces campaign for U.S. Rep. Diane Black's congressional seat," January 24, 2018
  5. ↑ FEC, "Tennessee - House District 06," accessed July 25, 2018
  6. ↑ Tennessee Star, "Congressional Candidate Judd Matheny Earns Another Big Endorsement – This Time, From the NRA," July 14, 2018
  7. ↑ Bob Corlew, "Meet Bob," accessed July 17, 2018
  8. ↑ Bob Corlew, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  9. ↑ Judd for Congress, "Intro," accessed July 17, 2018
  10. ↑ Tullahoma News, "Matheny announces run for U.S. House seat," July 1, 2017
  11. ↑ Judd for Congress, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Tennessean, "John Rose, former Tennessee agriculture commissioner, seeks seat held by Diane Black," August 10, 2017
  13. ↑ John Rose, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2018
  14. ↑ Pew Research Center, "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who’s in it?" October 20, 2015
  15. ↑ Politico, "Conservatives split off from Republican Study Committee," January 13, 2015
  16. ↑ House Freedom Fund, "Endorsements," accessed May 15, 2018
  17. ↑ Some candidates were not formally endorsed by the caucus but said they would join if elected. See a list of all Freedom Caucus-affiliated candidates here.
  18. ↑ This includes all seats not held by members of the Freedom Caucus prior to the 2018 elections, including those held by Democrats.
  19. ↑ Tennessee Star, "Rep. Dana Rohrbacher Endorses Judd Matheny in 6th Congressional District GOP Primary," June 26, 2018
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Tennessee Star, "Congressional Candidate Judd Matheny Earns Another Big Endorsement – This Time, From the NRA," July 14, 2018
  21. ↑ Tennessee Journal, "Bob Corlew endorsed by TN Right to Life in 6th Congressional District GOP primary," June 29, 2018
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  23. ↑ Bob Corlew for Congress, "Bob on the Issues," accessed July 16, 2018
  24. ↑ Judd for Congress, "Issues," accessed July 16, 2018
  25. ↑ Rose for Congress, "The Issues," accessed July 16, 2018
  26. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 7, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 8, 2016
  27. ↑ Politico, "Tennessee House Primaries Results," August 4, 2016
  28. ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
  29. ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Tennessee"
  30. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  31. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  32. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  33. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  34. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  35. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
  36. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  37. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  38. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  39. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  40. ↑ Tennessee Demographics, "Tennessee Cities by Population" accessed September 7, 2018
  41. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed September 7, 2018


Tennessee's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Marsha Blackburn (R)
Bill Hagerty (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
John Rose (R)
District 7
Vacant
District 8
District 9
Republican Party (9)
Democratic Party (1)
Vacancies (1)


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