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Tennessee's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (August 6 Republican primary)

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Tennessee's 1st Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 2, 2020
Primary: August 6, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Phil Roe (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, 2020
See also
Tennessee's 1st Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th
Tennessee elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Diana Harshbarger defeated 15 other candidates in Tennessee's 1st Congressional District's Republican primary on August 6, 2020. On January 3, 2020, incumbent Rep. Phil Roe (R), first elected in 2008, announced that he would not seek re-election, leaving the seat open.[1] Harshbarger received 19.2% of the vote. The other candidates receiving more than 10% of the vote were Timothy Hill (16.7%), Rusty Crowe (16.1%), Josh Gapp (14.2%), and Steve Darden (12.4%).[2]

Five candidates—John Clark, Crowe, Gapp, Harshbarger, and Hill—led in fundraising and satellite spending activity.

According to July 17 pre-primary campaign finance reports, Harshbarger led in receipts with $1.5 million raised followed by Gapp with $853,000 and Clark with $652,000. For each candidate, a majority of the receipts were self-financed:[3]

  • Harshbarger: $1.3 million of her $1.5 million raised (89% of her total receipts)
  • Gapp: $852,000 of his $853,000 raised (~100% of his total receipts)
  • Clark: $493,000 of his $652,000 raised (76% of his total receipts)

Crowe and Hill raised $376,000 and $230,000, respectively, a majority of which came from individual donations.

Roughly $963,000 worth of satellite spending was spent during the primary primarily from two groups: Club for Growth Action and House Freedom Fund, both of which supported Hill.[4][5] The two groups spent $520,000 opposing Harshbarger, Crowe, and Gapp, and $441,000 supporting Hill.[6]

Clark, Crowe, and Hill previously held elected positions. Clark was the Mayor of Kingsport from 2015 to 2019. Crowe represented District 3 in the Tennessee State Senate. He was first elected in 1990. Hill had represented District 3 in the Tennessee House of Representatives since 2012.

Jay Adkins, Phil Arlinghaus, Richard Baker, Chance Cansler, Robert Franklin, David Hawk, Chuck Miller, Carter Quillen, and Nichole Williams also ran in the primary. Chad Fleenor unofficially withdrew and endorsed Adkins, but his name remained on the ballot.

Three race-tracking outlets rated the general election as Safe/Solid Republican. During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) received 77% of the vote to Hillary Clinton's (D) 20%.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:


Clark
Crowe
Gapp
Harshbarger
Hill


This page focuses on Tennessee's 1st Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Tennessee made no changes to its primary election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.


Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 1

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diana Harshbarger
Diana Harshbarger
 
19.2
 
18,074
Image of Timothy Hill
Timothy Hill
 
16.7
 
15,731
Image of Rusty Crowe
Rusty Crowe
 
16.1
 
15,179
Image of Josh Gapp
Josh Gapp Candidate Connection
 
14.2
 
13,379
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Steve Darden
 
12.4
 
11,647
Image of John Clark
John Clark Candidate Connection
 
9.4
 
8,826
Image of David Hawk
David Hawk
 
5.0
 
4,717
Image of Nichole Williams
Nichole Williams Candidate Connection
 
3.0
 
2,803
Image of Jay Adkins
Jay Adkins Candidate Connection
 
1.7
 
1,635
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Carter Quillen Candidate Connection
 
0.9
 
853
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Richard Baker
 
0.3
 
298
Image of Chad Fleenor
Chad Fleenor (Unofficially withdrew)
 
0.3
 
282
Image of Phil Arlinghaus
Phil Arlinghaus Candidate Connection
 
0.3
 
274
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Robert Franklin
 
0.2
 
229
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Chuck Miller
 
0.2
 
189
Image of Chance Cansler
Chance Cansler
 
0.2
 
147

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

Total votes: 94,263
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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[7] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Jay Adkins

Image of Jay Adkins

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Jay Adkins. I am a Christian Constitutional Conservative

  • Pro-Life, Pro-Gun, Pro-Liberty
  • Iraq War Veteran
  • Foster Dad
  • Decade of experience in manufacturing
  • Committed to solving problems within the framework of the Constitution
I am an advocate for Liberty and the Constitution. As vice-president of the ETSU Marksmanship Club, I made national news by standing up to the Administration’s infringement on free speech, forcing them to allow an “empty holster” protest supporting concealed carry on campus. I stand against abortion at “40 Days for Life” events in Bristol, TN. Most recently, I traveled to Richmond, VA with tens of thousands of other patriots to stand with Virginians in opposition to the tyrannical proposals of Democrat lawmakers.
I don’t stop at the 1st and 2nd amendments. I believe all the individual Rights enshrined by the Constitution are essential to a free people. I oppose the surveillance state and civil asset forfeiture. I am also a strong supporter of the 10th Amendment’s guarantee of State’s Rights. I am not a career politician, and have no intention of becoming one. If you want to Drain the Swamp, you have to use fresh water to flush it out. Not dirty water from another Swamp. I believe in term limits and promise to not seek more than 4 terms in the House of Representatives. Representing the people should be a service, not a career. "

Key Messages

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

The time to challenge the Establishment Status Quo in now!

Freedom is the Birthright of every human.

I believe in Term Limits for Congress, and will not seek more than 4 terms in the House.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Phil Arlinghaus

Image of Phil Arlinghaus

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am 28 years old. I am married and have one child. I am the young Conservative voice that is emerging for the 2020 U.S. House of Representatives, Tennessee District 1 race. I am a diehard conservative that is a true ally for President Trump. I am a graduate of Seymour High School and Johnson University. I have attend ETSU and Johnson (Bible College) University. I have worked in the nonprofit field for many years. I have a background in ministry, media, and cybersecurity."

Key Messages

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

Pro-Life

Protect Our Rights in the Bill of Rights

Pro-Israel

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

John Clark

Image of John Clark

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Mayor of Kingsport (2015-2019)
  • Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen (2013-2015)

Submitted Biography:  "I'm All-In For the First District! We can do more and we can do better for the residents and businesses of the First District. I'm a conservative Republican, man of faith, dedicated family man, businessman and public servant from a family of educators, law enforcement, military personnel, and farmers. I'm running for the First Congressional seat because I have a passion for public service and I want to make a positive difference for you by improving your quality of life and ensuring a prosperous future for our region! I have experience, passion, and energy to bring more high-paying jobs to our citizens and ensure our freedoms are protected. I want to be your congressman and I'm ready to start working for citizens right now! "

Key Messages

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

I'm All-In for the First District!

We can do more and we can do better for our residents and businesses

Improving the quality of life for all residents of the First District with special opportunities for veterans and farmers!

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Rusty Crowe

Image of Rusty Crowe

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Crowe received a bachelor's degree from East Tennessee State University in 1974 and a J.D. from Atlanta Law School in 1978. He served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Corrections in the late 1980s. At the time of the primary, Crowe was a vice president of development at Shared Health Services, a BlueCross BlueShield subsidiary.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

A Crowe campaign ad said, "As state Senator, Rusty Crowe balanced our budget, lowered taxes, protected our 2nd Amendment rights, and supported Tennessee law enforcement." He added, "We need a proven conservative leader who will work with President Trump to get our economy back on track and stand up to the lawless, liberal mob."

"As a veteran, I know when you're taking fire it means you're over the target, and the Washington, D.C., swamp is firing on me. They're attacking my proven conservative record because they know I'll stand with President Trump to drain the swamp they infest."

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Proven Conservative," July 10, 2020, Facebook, "Conservative Rusty Crowe for Congress," July 23, 2020; LinkedIn, "Rusty Crowe," accessed August 4, 2020, Ballotpedia, "Rusty Crowe," accessed August 4, 2020, Crowe's 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed August 4, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Josh Gapp

Image of Josh Gapp

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Dr. Josh Gapp is an East TN pathologist with medical practices in Johnson City and Knoxville. Dr. Gapp comes from humble beginnings, living in a trailer park, but he was rich with the belief in the American Dream. Josh Gapp has pursued that dream his entire life as an entrepreneur, business owner, employer and doctor. As a pathologist, trained to spot cancer, Josh Gapp knows that political correctness has become a cancer on our system, that threatens our God-given rights, the fabric of American society and the very idea that the American Dream will be there for future generations. Political correctness threatens our: - Border Security - 2nd Amendment rights - The lives of our unborn - Religious liberty - Our proud history as a nation - Our very way of life Josh Gapp is running for Congress to take a stand with President Trump and fight back against the cancer of political correctness. Like President Trump, Josh Gapp can't be bought. He is the only major candidate in this race who hasn't taken a dime from special interest groups, PACs, politicians or lobbyists. So you'll know that, as your next Congressman, Josh Gapp is beholden only to God and you, the East Tennessee voter."

Key Messages

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

Political correctness has become a cancer that threatens our God-given rights.

Radical, liberal activists are using political correctness to silence free speech, threaten our gun rights, and so much more.

As the only major candidate who hasn't taken one penny - not one penny - from special interest groups or politicians, Josh Gapp is only beholden to God and the voters.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Diana Harshbarger

Image of Diana Harshbarger

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Harshbarger received a bachelor's degree from East Tennessee State University and a pharmacy doctorate from Mercer University College. She was a director of American Inhalation Specialists, a pharmaceutical company, and served as its president from at least 2000 to 2013. At the time of the primary, Harshbarger was working as a licensed pharmacist.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Harshbarger's campaign website said that she "is an unapologetic conservative Trump Republican ... The president needs someone that is not beholden to political games or special interests ... Career politicians — from both parties — have failed the American people and East Tennessee for years."

"The Wuhan crisis started as a cover up. China's government lied ... President Trump is right: let's put America first by holding China accountable, controlling our borders, and bringing medical manufacturing back to America."

Show sources

Sources: Facebook, "Cover Up," July 8, 2020; Harshbarger's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed August 4, 2020, WJHL, "Records show Diana Harshbarger was officer, shareholder for company she claimed to have 'no role or involvement in,'" July 21, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Timothy Hill

Image of Timothy Hill

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Hill received an associates in public relations from Northeast State Community College in 2002 and a bachelor's in the same field from East Tennessee State University in 2003. He worked in the district's congressional office as a director of communications from 2007 to 2008. At the time of the primary, he operated Right Way Marketing, which he founded in 2008.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

"I have served Sullivan, Carter, and Johnson Counties for eight years fighting for our conservative values — The right to life, our Second Amendment rights, balanced budgets, and smaller government ... If you are looking for the proven conservative and 100% ally of President Trump, I need your vote!"

A Hill campaign ad said that "Liberals kneel at the altar of political correctness," and that Hill "will restore Christian conservative values, the sanctity of life, religious liberty, our God-given rights."

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Hill For Congress TV Ad 3," July 8, 2020, Hill's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Timothy," accessed August 4, 2020; Vote Smart, "Timothy Hill's Biography," accessed August 4, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.

Carter Quillen

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

WebsiteFacebook

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "First and foremost, I am a follower of Jesus Christ! I believe deeply in His teachings and apply them as the guiding principles for all my decisions in life. I also believe in the separation of church and state as outlined in the First Amendment.. I'm a Volunteer, a father, a grandfather, a husband, a brother, and a cousin. I'm a teacher, a problem solver, a neighbor, and a friend. I'm a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician and a master of the Art and Science of Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning. I'm a small businessman, a Registered Professional Engineer, (P.E.) and a USCG Merchant Captain. I'm a "Vietnam Era" veteran who gets his healthcare at the James H. Quillen Medical Center in Johnson City and now I'm a candidate for U.S. Congress in the 1st District of Tennessee."

Key Messages

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

Focus on the things we have in common as Americans to solve the unique challenges of the 21st Century.

Voluntarily change our language to avoid labels that demean those we disagree with.

Employ fact and data driven analysis for analytical based decision making. The world is becoming more technologically complicated every day and we need technically competent leadership.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 in 2020.


Noteworthy primary endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement Adkins Crowe Darden Harshbarger Hill
Newspapers and editorials
Johnson City Press[8] ✔
The Kingsport Times-News[9] ✔
Elected officials
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.)[10] ✔
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)[11] ✔
Individuals
Former Republican primary candidate Chad Fleenor[12] ✔
Organizations
Club for Growth PAC[5] ✔
House Freedom Fund[4] ✔
VIEWPAC[13] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Jay Adkins

"It's not about hunting." - Adkins campaign ad, released June 24, 2020
"Pro-Life, not just Pro-Birth" - Adkins campaign ad, released June 24, 2020


John Clark

"Culture Warrior" - Clark campaign ad, released July 21, 2020[21]
"Take it to the Bank" - Clark campaign ad, released July 11, 2020
"#TnGirlDad" - Clark campaign ad, released July 3, 2020
"Always Fight" - Clark campaign ad, released June 19, 2020


Rusty Crowe

"Proven Conservative" - Crowe campaign ad, released July 10, 2020[23]


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.[17]


Steve Darden

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.[14]


Josh Gapp

Supporting Gapp

"Great" - Gapp campaign ad, released July 22, 2020[19]
"Brother" - Gapp campaign ad, released July 11, 2020
"COVID" - Gapp campaign ad, released July 11, 2020
"Never" - Gapp campaign ad, released July 11, 2020


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Opposing multiple candidates

"Rx Drugs" - Gapp campaign ad, released July 22, 2020[26]

Diana Harshbarger

Supporting Harshbarger

"Snakes" - Harshbarger campaign ad, released July 9, 2020
"Fighter" - Harshbarger campaign ad, released June 12, 2020
"Madness Reboot" - Harshbarger campaign ad, released May 18, 2020


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Opposing multiple candidates

"Swamp Creatures" - Harshbarger campaign ad, released July 23, 2020[18]

Timothy Hill

"Hill For Congress" - Hill campaign ad, released July 8, 2020
"Ally" - Hill campaign ad, released June 24, 2020


Satellite groups ads

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[27] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[28] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Jay Adkins Republican Party $13,682 $12,574 $1,108 As of June 30, 2020
Phil Arlinghaus Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Richard Baker Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Chance Cansler Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
John Clark Republican Party $949,545 $949,545 $0 As of September 30, 2020
Rusty Crowe Republican Party $485,491 $485,491 $0 As of December 31, 2020
Steve Darden Republican Party $394,735 $394,759 $-25 As of December 31, 2020
Chad Fleenor Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Robert Franklin Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Josh Gapp Republican Party $1,123,644 $1,118,481 $5,163 As of December 31, 2020
Diana Harshbarger Republican Party $2,128,672 $1,870,826 $257,846 As of December 31, 2020
David Hawk Republican Party $55,350 $55,350 $0 As of September 30, 2020
Timothy Hill Republican Party $338,960 $338,960 $0 As of September 30, 2020
Chuck Miller Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Carter Quillen Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Nichole Williams Republican Party $10,173 $7,487 $2,686 As of June 30, 2020

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. 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.


Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[29][30][31]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • Bless Your Heart Coalition spent $15,000 opposing Harshbarger.[6]
  • Club for Growth Action spent $550,000 on digital and TV advertisements primarily supporting Hill on July 8, 2020.[25] The group spent a total of $945,296 with $520,348 opposing Harshbarger ($366,169), Crowe ($132,015), and Gapp ($22,164) and the remainder ($424,948) supporting Hill.[6]

Debates and forums

July 30 debate

On July 30, 2020, eleven candidates—Adkins, Baker, Cansler, Clark, Crowe, Darden Gapp, Hawk, Miller, Quillen, and Williams—participated in a debate supported by SafeSpace at the Ridge Outdoor Resort Conference Center in Sevierville.[15]

July 23 debate

On July 23, 2020, six candidates—Adkins, Clark, Darden, Gapp, Hawk, and Hill—participated in a debate hosted by WCYB News 5 at Northeast State Community College.[16]



Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

Primaries in Tennessee

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.[32]

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

What's at stake in the general election?

U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.

In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.


General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[33]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[34][35][36]

Race ratings: Tennessee's 1st Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

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+28, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 28 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Tennessee's 1st Congressional District the sixth most Republican nationally.[37]

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 0.95. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.95 points toward that party.[38]

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.[39][40]

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.


2018

See also: Tennessee's 1st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 1

Incumbent Phil Roe defeated Marty Olsen and Michael Salyer in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Phil Roe
Phil Roe (R)
 
77.1
 
172,835
Image of Marty Olsen
Marty Olsen (D)
 
21.0
 
47,138
Image of Michael Salyer
Michael Salyer (Independent)
 
1.9
 
4,309

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 224,282
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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 1

Marty Olsen advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 on August 2, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marty Olsen
Marty Olsen
 
100.0
 
13,313

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

Total votes: 13,313
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 1

Incumbent Phil Roe defeated Todd McKinley, James Brooks, and Mickie Lou Banyas in the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 1 on August 2, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Phil Roe
Phil Roe
 
73.7
 
71,556
Image of Todd McKinley
Todd McKinley
 
16.7
 
16,175
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
James Brooks
 
5.2
 
5,058
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Mickie Lou Banyas
 
4.4
 
4,253

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 97,042
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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2016

See also: Tennessee's 1st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Phil Roe (R) defeated Alan Bohms (D) and Robert Franklin (Independent) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Roe defeated Clint Tribble in the Republican primary on August 4, 2016.[41][42][43]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe Incumbent 78.4% 198,293
     Democratic Alan Bohms 15.4% 39,024
     Independent Robert Franklin 6.2% 15,702
     N/A Write-in 0% 6
Total Votes 253,025
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State


U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe Incumbent 82.2% 35,350
Clint Tribble 17.8% 7,673
Total Votes 43,023
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State

2014

See also: Tennessee's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

The 1st Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Phil Roe (R) defeated Michael Salyer (L), Robert Smith (G) and Robert Franklin (I) in the general election.

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe Incumbent 82.8% 115,495
     Libertarian Michael Salyer 3% 4,145
     Independent Robert Franklin 7.1% 9,905
     Green Robert Smith 7.1% 9,869
Total Votes 139,414
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 1st Congressional District elections, 2012

The 1st Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Phil Roe won re-election in the district.[44]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Alan Woodruff 19.9% 47,663
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe Incumbent 76% 182,252
     Green Robert N Smith 1.2% 2,872
     Independent Karen Brackett 2% 4,837
     Independent Michael Salyer 0.9% 2,048
Total Votes 239,672
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010
On November 2, 2010, Phil Roe won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Michael Edward Clark (D) and Kermit E. Steck (I) in the general election.[45]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe incumbent 80.8% 123,006
     Democratic Michael Edward Clark 17.1% 26,045
     Independent Kermit E. Steck 2% 3,110
Total Votes 152,161


2008
On November 4, 2008, Phil Roe won election to the United States House. He defeated Rob Russell (D), Joel Goodman (I), James W. Reeves (I) and Thomas "T.K." Owens (I) in the general election.[46]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2008
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPhil Roe 71.8% 168,343
     Democratic Rob Russell 24.5% 57,525
     Independent Joel Goodman 1.7% 3,988
     Independent James W. Reeves 1.1% 2,544
     Independent Thomas "T.K." Owens 0.8% 1,981
Total Votes 234,381


2006
On November 7, 2006, David Davis won election to the United States House. He defeated Rick Trent (D), Robert N. Smith (I), James W. Reeves (I), Michael Peavler (I) and Mahmood (Michael) Sabri (I) in the general election.[47]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2006
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Davis 61.1% 108,336
     Democratic Rick Trent 37% 65,538
     Independent Robert N. Smith 0.6% 1,024
     Independent James W. Reeves 0.6% 1,003
     Independent Michael Peavler 0.5% 966
     Independent Mahmood (Michael) Sabri 0.2% 411
Total Votes 177,278


2004
On November 2, 2004, William L. Jenkins won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Graham Leonard (D), Ralph J. Ball (I) and Michael Peavler (I) in the general election.[48]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2004
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam L. Jenkins incumbent 73.9% 172,543
     Democratic Graham Leonard 24.1% 56,361
     Independent Ralph J. Ball 1.3% 3,061
     Independent Michael Peavler 0.7% 1,595
Total Votes 233,560


2002
On November 5, 2002, William L. Jenkins won re-election to the United States House. He ran unopposed in the general election.[49]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2002
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam L. Jenkins incumbent 98.8% 127,300
     N/A Write-in 1.2% 1,586
Total Votes 128,886


2000
On November 7, 2000, William L. Jenkins won re-election to the United States House. He ran unopposed in the general election.[50]

U.S. House, Tennessee District 1 General Election, 2000
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam L. Jenkins incumbent 100% 157,828
     N/A Write-in 0% 20
Total Votes 157,848


State profile

See also: Tennessee and Tennessee elections, 2020
USA Tennessee location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of July 27, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

  • Tennessee voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • Republicans held five of Tennessee's 18 state executive offices. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
  • Tennessee's governor was Republican Bill Lee.

State legislature

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

Tennessee quick stats
More Tennessee coverage on Ballotpedia:


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.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ CNN, "Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe says he'll retire at end of year," January 3, 2020
  2. ↑ The Tennesseean, "Tennessee House Republican Primary Results," August 6, 2020
  3. ↑ Open Secrets, "Tennessee District 01 2020 Race Candidates," accessed August 4, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Tennessee Star, "House Freedom Fund Endorses State Rep. Timothy Hill for U.S. House First District," April 23, 2020
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Club for Growth website, "Club for Growth PAC Endorses Timothy Hill (TN-01)," July 7, 2020
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Open Secrets, "Tennessee District 01 Race Outside Spending," accessed August 4, 2020
  7. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Facebook, "Steve Darden for Congress," August 2, 2020
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Facebook, "Steve Darden for Congress," August 5, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Facebook, "Rusty Crowe for Congress," July 31, 2020
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Facebook, "Timothy Hill," July 21, 2020
  12. ↑ Facebook, "Chad Fleenor for Congress," June 21, 2020
  13. ↑ Twitter, "Diana Harshbarger," May 4, 2020
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Facebook, "Steve Darden for Congress," August 4, 2020
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Facebook, "Tennessee's 1st Congressional District Bipartisan Debate," July 30, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Facebook, "WCYB," July 23, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Facebook, "Rusty Crowe for Congress," July 23, 2020
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 YouTube, "Swamp Creatures," July 23, 2020
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 YouTube, "Great," July 22, 2020
  20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rxdrugad
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 YouTube, "Culture Warrior," July 21, 2020
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 YouTube, "Counterfeit," July 15, 2020
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 YouTube, "Proven Conservative," July 10, 2020
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 YouTube, "Believer," July 9, 2020
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Politico, "How the Census Bureau is adapting to the pandemic," July 9 ,2020
  26. ↑ YouTubee, "Rx Drugs," July 22, 2020
  27. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  28. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  29. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  30. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  31. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  32. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed July 16, 2025
  33. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  34. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  35. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  36. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  37. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  38. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  39. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  40. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  41. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 7, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 8, 2016
  42. ↑ Politico, "Tennessee House Primaries Results," August 4, 2016
  43. ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
  44. ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Tennessee"
  45. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  46. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  47. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  48. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  49. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  50. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013


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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