Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2024 (August 1 Republican primaries)
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| 2024 Tennessee House Elections | |
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| Primary | August 1, 2024 |
| General | November 5, 2024 |
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There were 19 Republican primaries for the Tennessee House of Representatives on August 1, 2024. An incumbent ran in 13 of those primaries. Two incumbents—Patsy Hazlewood (R) and John Ragan (R)—lost their primaries.
The 2024 elections took place in the context of a conflict among House Republicans over a proposal to expand Tennessee's school voucher program. In the 2024 legislative session, Gov. Bill Lee (R) supported a proposal allowing all Tennessee families with school-age children access to vouchers to be applied towards the cost of private school.
The bill did not advance to a final vote before the end of the session owing to differences between the House and Senate drafts in what Chalkbeat described as "one of the biggest defeats of [Lee's] administration, now in its second term."[1] According to the Tennessee Lookout, with the legislature out of session until 2025, the primaries "are the next frontier in the debate over whether state lawmakers should adopt a universal plan to provide parents with $7,200 in cash to subsidize private school tuition."[2]
Ballotpedia identified 13 of the 19 contested Republican primaries as battlegrounds. All 13 featured $10,000 or more in spending from the nine Tennessee groups Ballotpedia identified as having a recent record of advocacy on school voucher-related issues. Nine also had competitive fundraising among the candidates where no single candidate raised more than two-thirds of the total fundraising across the entire candidate field. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed eight candidates in contested primaries, including four candidates running in battleground primaries. Click here for more information on battleground primaries and here for more information on Lee's endorsements.
The 2024 legislative elections had 19 contested Republican primaries compared to 20 in 2022 and 19 in 2020. Thirteen of those primaries had an incumbent on the ballot compared to seven in 2022 and 14 in 2020. There were the same number of incumbents defeated (two) as in 2022. In the 2020 primaries, three incumbents were defeated.
Tennessee was, at the time of the election, one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature.
For more information on the November general elections for the Tennessee House, click here.
Party control
| Tennessee House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 24 | 24 | |
| Republican Party | 75 | 75 | |
| Total | 99 | 99 | |
Candidates
DemocraticVoting information
- See also: Voting in Tennessee
Incumbents retiring
Primary election competitiveness
The 2024 Republican primaries for Tennessee House were more competitive than the 2022 primaries, about as competitive as the 2020 primaries, and less competitive than the 2018, 2016, and 2014 primaries. Thirteen of the 70 incumbents (18.6%) running for re-election faced primary challengers. This number was more than the seven incumbents who faced primary challenges in 2022 and about the same as the 14 incumbents who faced primary challenges in 2020. The 18.6% rate at which incumbents faced primary challengers in 2024 is lower than the average of 23.0% across all election years between 2014 and 2022.
There were 19 contested Republican primaries in 2024, tied with 2020 for the lowest across all six election cycles. The average number of contested Republican primaries between 2014 and 2022 was 26.
| Tennessee House of Representatives Republican primaries, 2014-2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incumbent primary challenges | Incumbent primary defeats | Total Republican primaries | ||||
| Year | Raw number | % | Raw number | % | Raw number | % |
| 2024 | 13 | 18.6% | 2 | 15.4% | 19 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 7 | 11.1% | 2 | 28.6% | 21 | 21.2% |
| 2020 | 14 | 20.1% | 3 | 21.4% | 19 | 19.2% |
| 2018 | 16 | 28.1% | 2 | 12.5% | 33 | 33.3% |
| 2016 | 20 | 29.0% | 2 | 10.0% | 31 | 31.3% |
| 2014 | 17 | 26.6% | 4 | 23.5% | 27 | 27.3% |
Endorsements by Bill Lee (R)
Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed eight Republicans running in contested state House primaries. Four of Lee's endorsements went to incumbents and four went to candidates running in open seats. Five of Lee's endorsed candidates won their primaries.
| Endorsements by Gov. Bill Lee in contested Republican primaries for Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | District | Incumbent? | Battleground? | Primary outcome | Date | ||
| Jason Emert | District 20 |  |
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June 6, 2024 | ||
| Patsy Hazlewood | District 27 | |
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July 31, 2024 | ||
| John Ragan | District 33 | |
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May 30, 2024 | ||
| Chad Bobo | District 60 | |
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July 10, 2024 | ||
| Scott Cepicky | District 64 | |
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June 10, 2024 | ||
| Lee Reeves | District 65 | |
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June 6, 2024 | ||
| Aron Maberry | District 68 | |
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June 6, 2024 | ||
| John Gillespie | District 97 | |
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July 9, 2024 | ||
Overview of PAC involvement
Ballotpedia identified nine PACs with a record of advocacy on voucher issues that reported spending on Tennessee legislative campaigns in the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
The below table details the nine PACs' fundraising and spending activities in Tennessee during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. The fundraising totals include all funds raised starting in calendar year 2020 through calendar year 2024. The campaign spending totals cover all reported campaign contributions, in-kind contributions, and independent expenditures in support of a candidate between Election Day 2020 and Election Day 2024.
Spending is broken down by support for Democrats versus Republicans and by spending in House versus Senate races. Because the overall spending totals include spending on non-legislative candidates as well as spending on independent expenditures opposing candidates, these percentages may not add up to 100%. The smallest figure in each column is highlighted in italics while the largest is highlighted in bold.
This table lists a primary win rate for each organization. This is a measurement of how many House and Senate primaries taking place in 2024 the organization won. For the purposes of this analysis, an organization is considered to have won a primary if a candidate it spent to support won the primary or if it did not spend to support the winning candidate but did spend to oppose a candidate that lost. An organization is considered to have lost a primary if it spent money to oppose the candidate who won the primary or if it did not spend to oppose the winning candidate but did spend to support a losing candidate.
| Tennessee PAC legislative finance, 2020-2024 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall funds... | Percentage of funds spent to support... | Primary win rate... | |||||||
| Name | Number of candidates supported | ...raised | ...spent | ...Republicans | ...Democrats | ...House candidates | ...Senate candidates | ...by raw number | ...as a percentage |
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 16 | $577,193 | $562,666 | $524,852 | $0 | $378,302 | $146,550 | 9/12 | 75% |
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 61 | $210,000 | $116,500 | $114,500 | $2,000 | $66,000 | $50,500 | 16/19 | 84% |
| Great Public Schools PAC | 70 | $341,100 | $164,900 | $151,600 | $13,300 | $79,750 | $53,750 | 3/6 | 50% |
| Team Kid PAC | 57 | $1,477,832 | $1,125,497 | $1,055,517 | $69,980 | $671,247 | $358,190 | 13/16 | 81% |
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 101 | $1,066,096 | $393,286 | $270,871 | $122,415 | $264,486 | $118,800 | 5/9 | 56% |
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 93 | $518,194 | $279,609 | $253,109 | $26,500 | $186,852 | $92,756 | 9/12 | 75% |
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 69 | $791,200 | $480,075 | $369,310 | $56,185 | $283,301 | $137,195 | 10/13 | 77% |
| Tennessee Federation for Children PAC | 35 | $1,175,000 | $763,030 | $482,390 | $0 | $405,538 | $76,852 | 8/10 | 80% |
| School Freedom Fund | 5 | $2,939,908 | $2,939,908 | $1,664,193 | $0 | $1,179,122 | $485,071 | 4/5 | 80% |
All nine organizations spent more to support Republicans than Democrats and spent more funds on House races over Senate races. All PACs except the Tennessee Education Association Fund, Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, and Tennesseans for Putting Students First supported Republican candidates with more than 90% of their spending. The only group to support Democrats with more than 30% of their contributions was the Tennessee Education Association. The only groups to not spend in support of any Democrats were Americans for Prosperity Action, the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, and the School Freedom Fund.
Every PAC other than Great Public Schools PAC supported House candidates with a majority of their spending, with Americans for Prosperity Action, the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, and the School Freedom Fund each supporting House candidates with more than 70% of their spending.
Americans for Prosperity Action
- See also: Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP) supported the second-lowest number of candidates among the nine organizations Ballotpedia tracked, being the only group besides the School Freedom Fund to support fewer than 20 candidates. AFP spent the second-most on House candidates and the second-least on Senate candidates, being one of three organizations Ballotpedia tracked (alongside the Tennessee Federation for Children and School Freedom Fund) to spend more than 70% of its funds on House races and less than 30% on Senate races. AFP was also one of the three organizations Ballotpedia tracked, again alongside the Tennessee Federation for Children and the School Freedom Fund, to spend in support of Republican candidates only.
Overlap with other PACs
Of the eight other PACs Ballotpedia tracked, three backed fewer than half of the candidates AFP backed, three backed exactly half of the candidates AFP backed, and two backed more than half of the candidates AFP backed. The lowest rate of overlap was 12.5% with the Tennessee Education Association Fund and the highest was 62.5% with Excellence in Public Education PAC.
| Overlap in candidate support with Americans for Prosperity Action, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of AFP-backed candidates | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 10 | 62.5% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 7 | 43.8% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 8 | 50.0% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 2 | 12.5% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 8 | 50.0% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 9 | 56.3% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 8 | 50.0% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 3 | 18.8% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Americans for Prosperity Action reported receiving $577,193.20 (100% of its funding) from the national organization of the same name. Americans for Prosperity Action is an advocacy group describing its mission as "electing candidates who will drive policy change and facilitate the building of broad policy coalitions that remove barriers to opportunity and help people improve their lives."[3]
Top candidates by support
Five candidates received $40,000 or more in support from Americans for Prosperity Action. All five candidates were Republicans. Three were House candidates and two were Senate candidates.
| Top candidates supported by Americans for Prosperity Action, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Kent Morrell |  Republican |
Senate | $79,512.21 | Primary challenger to Richard Briggs (R) | |||
| Jon Lundberg | Republican |
Senate | $65,737.29 | Chairman, Senate Education Committee | |||
| Michelle Foreman | Republican |
House | $45,489.60 | -- | |||
| Lee Reeves | Republican |
House | $40,855.55 | -- | |||
| Chris Todd | Republican |
House | $40,671.15 | Member, Education Instruction Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
AFP spent in 11 of the 13 House primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds. The group's supported candidate won nine of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Americans for Prosperity Action, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | AFP win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $22,116.84 |
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| District 20 | Tom Stinnett | $45,974.42[6] |
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| District 33 | Richard Scarbrough | $29,802.68 |
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| District 34 | Tim Rudd | $20,412.25[7] |
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| District 43 | Paul Sherrell | $14,077.54 |
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| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | $29,142.80 |
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| District 65 | Lee Reeves | $49,060.10[8] |
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| District 68 | Aron Maberry | $44,694.08[9] |
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| District 73 | Chris Todd | $49,171.46[10] |
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| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $30,920.11[11] |
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| District 78 | Mary Littleton | $13,089.69[12] |
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Excellence in Public Education PAC
Excellence in Public Education PAC (EPE PAC) raised and spent the least out of the nine PACs Ballotpedia tracked, with $210,000 in fundraising and $116,500 in expenditures. EPE PAC spent the largest percentage of its funds on Senate races of any of the PACs Ballotpedia tracked, with 43% of its expenditures going towards Senate candidates. EPE PAC was one of six groups Ballotpedia tracked to spend at least 30% of its funds on Senate elections and the only group to spend more than 40%.
Overlap with other PACs
Each of the other PACs Ballotpedia tracked other than Americans for Prosperity Action, the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, and the School Freedom Fund supported a majority of the 61 candidates that EPE PAC supported. Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning supported 47 of the 61 candidates backed by EPE PAC (77.1%), while Great Public Schools PAC supported 46 of the 61 candidates backed by EPE PAC (75.4%). EPE PAC had more overlap with Great Public Schools PAC as an overall percentage of candidates supported than any other group did.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Excellence in Public Education PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of EPE-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 10 | 16.4% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 46 | 75.4% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 35 | 57.4% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 32 | 52.5% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 47 | 77.1% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 38 | 62.3% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 16 | 26.2% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 1 | 1.7% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Excellence for Public Education PAC reported receiving all of its funding from the Virginia-based Campaign for Great Public Schools. The group describes its mission as "to provide leadership, expertise, and assist cities in the U.S. to improve public education".[13]
Top candidates by support
Six candidates received $4,000 or more in support from EPE PAC. Three were House candidates and three were Senate candidates. All were Republicans.
| Top candidates supported by Excellence in Public Education PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Jon Lundberg | Republican |
Senate | $8,000 | Chairman, Senate Education Committee | |||
| John Stevens | Republican |
Senate | $7,000 | Vice chairman, Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee | |||
| Patsy Hazlewood | Republican |
House | $7,000 | Chairwoman, House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee | |||
| John Gillespie | Republican |
House | $4,000 | Member, House Education Administration Committee | |||
| Scott Cepicky | Republican |
House | $4,000 | Member, House Education Administration Committee and House Education Instruction Committee | |||
| Todd Gardenhire | Republican |
Senate | $4,000 | Member, Senate Education Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
EPE PAC spent in nine of the 13 districts Ballotpedia identified as having Republican battleground primaries. The EPE PAC-backed candidate won seven of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Excellence in Public Education PAC, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | EPE PAC win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $3,000.00 |
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| District 27 | Michele Reneau | $7,000.00 |
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| District 33 | Richard Scarbrough | $3,000.00 |
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| District 43 | Paul Sherrell | $500.00 |
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| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | $4,000.00 |
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| District 73 | Chris Todd | $2,000.00 |
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| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $1,000.00 |
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| District 78 | Mary Littleton | $1,000.00 |
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| District 97 | John Gillespie | $4,000.00 |
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Great Public Schools PAC
Great Public Schools PAC (GPS PAC) spent a lower percentage of its funds (48.4%) on House races than any other group Ballotpedia tracked. GPS PAC was one of three groups to spend less than 60% of its funds on House races and the only one to spend less than 50%. GPS PAC's $341,100 in fundraising and $164,900 in spending were the second-lowest among the groups Ballotpedia tracked, surpassing only EPE PAC. GPS PAC's supported candidates won in 50.0% of races, the lowest rate among any group Ballotpedia tracked.
Overlap with other PACs
Each of the other eight PACs that Ballotpedia tracked other than Americans for Prosperity Action, the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, and the School Freedom Fund supported a majority of the 70 candidates GPS PAC supported. Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning supported 54 of the 70 candidates (77.1%) that GPS PAC supported, the highest rate among any other PACs.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Great Public Schools PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of GPS-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 7 | 10.0% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 46 | 65.7% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 38 | 54.3% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 36 | 51.4% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 54 | 77.1% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 44 | 62.9% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 18 | 25.7% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 0 | 0.0% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Great Public Schools PAC reported receiving all of its funding from two sources. It reported receiving $250,000 (73.3% of its total) from Public School Allies and $91,100 (26.7% of its total) from the Campaign for Great Public Schools DBA[14] City Fund.
The Campaign for Great Public Schools, which was the sole funder of Excellence in Public Education PAC, is a Virginia-based group describing its mission as "to provide leadership, expertise, and assist cities in the U.S. to improve public education".[13]
Public School Allies, which reported the same Virginia-based mailing address as the Campaign for Great Public Schools, is another organization associated with The City Fund, according to Chalkbeat.[15]
Top candidates by support
Four candidates each received more than $8,000 in support from Great Public Schools PAC, more than any others. Three were Republicans and one was a Democrat. The four included two members of the House, Gov. Bill Lee (R), and a school board candidate.
| Top candidates supported by Great Public Schools PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Bill Lee | Republican |
Governor | $23,100 | -- | |||
| Cameron Sexton | Republican |
House | $10,000 | Speaker of the House | |||
| Mark White | Republican |
House | $9,000 | Chairman, House Education Administration Committee | |||
| John Little |  Democratic |
Nashville School Board | $8,300 | -- | |||
Battleground primary involvement
GPS PAC spent in three of the 13 districts Ballotpedia identified as Republican primary battlegrounds. The GPS PAC-backed candidate won in one of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Great Public Schools PAC, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | GPS PAC win?[5] | ||||
| District 27 | Michele Reneau | $2,000.00 |
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| District 33 | Richard Scarbrough | $1,000.00 |
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| District 73 | Chris Todd | $1,000.00 |
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Team Kid PAC
Team Kid PAC (TK PAC) had the second-highest fundraising and spending totals among the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked, with nearly $1.48 million in fundraising and nearly $1.13 million in spending. The only group to raise and spend more was the School Freedom Fund. TK PAC also had the second-highest win rate of any group Ballotpedia tracked. Of the 16 contested legislative primaries taking place in 2024 where TK PAC spent, the TK-backed candidate won 13 (81.3%). Only Excellence in Public Education PAC had a higher win rate in the 2024 primaries.
Overlap with other PACs
Of the eight other groups Ballotpedia tracked, four supported a majority of the candidates backed by TK PAC and four supported less than half of the TK PAC-backed candidates. Tennesseans for Putting Students First had the most overlap, backing 44 of the 57 TK PAC-backed candidates (77.2%). The School Freedom Fund had the least overlap, backing only three TK PAC-backed candidates (5.3%).
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Team Kid PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of TK PAC-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 8 | 14.0% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 35 | 61.4% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 38 | 66.7% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 22 | 38.6% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 35 | 61.4% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 44 | 77.2% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 25 | 43.9% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 3 | 5.3% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Team Kid PAC reported receiving $1,475,386.91 (99.8% of its overall fundraising) from Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS). TSS describes itself as "a statewide network of parents, guardians, teachers and community leaders that champions economic freedom and mobility for all Tennesseans by supporting high-quality educational opportunities and working to ensure every Tennessee student has access to a great public education."[16]
Top candidates by support
Each of the top five candidates Team Kid PAC supported were Republicans. Two were members of the House and two were members of the Senate.
| Top candidates supported by Team Kid PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Ray Jeter | Republican |
House | $98,524.27 | Primary challenger to Scott Cepicky | |||
| J. Adam Lowe | Republican |
Senate | $98,312.54 | -- | |||
| Bill Lee | Republican |
Governor | $96,059.76 | -- | |||
| Jon Lundberg | Republican |
Senate | $87,603.92 | Member, Senate Education Committee | |||
| William Slater | Republican |
House | $77,304.69 | Vice chairman, House Education Administration Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
TK PAC spent in 10 of the 13 Republican House primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds for 2024. The TK PAC-backed candidate won in eight of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Team Kid PAC, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | TK PAC win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $4,000.00 |
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| District 27 | Michele Reneau | $7,500 |
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| District 33 | Richard Scarbrough | $55,262.27 |
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| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | $98,524.27 |
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| District 65 | Lee Reeves | $32,589.73 |
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| District 68 | Aron Maberry | $33,997.69 |
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| District 73 | Chris Todd | $7,649.34 |
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| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $5,081.57 |
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| District 78 | Mary Littleton | $5,669.32 |
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| District 97 | John Gillespie | $4,928.06 |
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Tennessee Education Association Fund
The Tennessee Education Association Fund (TEA Fund) spent in support of 101 candidates, more than any other PAC Ballotpedia tracked. The TEA Fund's 31.7% rate of spending in support of Democrats was the highest among any of the PACs Ballotpedia tracked. The TEA Fund was one of four groups Ballotpedia tracked that spent more than 7.5% of its funds to support Democrats and the only one to spend more than 15% on Democrats. TEA Fund-backed candidates won in 55.6% of primaries, the second-lowest win rate across all PACs Ballotpedia tracked.
Overlap with other PACs
The only PAC Ballotpedia tracked that supported a majority of candidates the TEA Fund supported was Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning. Six of the groups Ballotpedia tracked supported fewer than one-third of candidates the TEA Fund supported, and three of those groups supported fewer than 10% of TEA Fund-backed candidates. The School Freedom Fund had the lowest rate of overlap, supporting one of the TEA Fund's 101 supported candidates.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Tennessee Education Association Fund, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of TEA Fund-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 2 | 2.0% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 32 | 31.7% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 36 | 35.6% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 22 | 21.8% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 56 | 55.5% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 32 | 31.7% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 10 | 9.9% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 1 | 1.0% | |||||
Fundraising sources
The Tennessee Education Association Fund reported receiving all but $397.90 of its $1,006,096.07 fundraising total from unitemized contributions. Tennessee law allows contributions to be reported in unitemized form as long as the amount received from a single donor over the reporting period does not exceed $100.[17]
Top candidates by support
The five candidates who received the most support from the TEA Fund included one Senate Republican, three primary challengers to House Republicans, and one House Democrat.
| Top candidates supported by Tennessee Education Association Fund, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Frank Niceley | Republican |
Senate | $30,800.00 | -- | |||
| Tucker Marcum | Republican |
House | $14,400.00 | Primary challenger to Tim Rudd (R) | |||
| Gabriel Fancher | Republican |
House | $14,140.00 | Primary challenger to Robert Stevens (R) | |||
| Jason Gilliam | Republican |
House | $13,460.00 | Primary challenger to Scott Cepicky (R) | |||
| Ronnie Glynn | Democratic |
House | $13,000.00 | Member, House Education Instruction Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
The TEA Fund spent in four of the 13 House Republican primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds in 2024. A TEA Fund-backed candidate won one of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by the Tennessee Education Association Fund, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | TEA Fund win?[5] | ||||
| District 34 | Tim Rudd | $14,400.00 |
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| District 43 | Paul Sherrell | $5,000.00 |
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| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $3,000.00 |
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| District 97 | John Gillespie | $1,000.00 |
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Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning
Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning (TAEL) spent in support of 93 candidates, more than any PAC Ballotpedia tracked other than the Tennessee Education Association Fund. Its 33.2% rate of spending in Senate races was the second-highest among the groups Ballotpedia tracked.
Overlap with other PACs
The only PACs Ballotpedia tracked that supported a majority of the TAEL-backed candidates were the Tennessee Education Association Fund, Excellence in Public Education PAC, and Great Public Schools PAC. The Tennessee Education Association Fund's 60.2% rate of overlap was the highest among any group Ballotpedia tracked, while the School Freedom Fund's 1.1% overlap rate was the lowest.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of TAEL-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 8 | 8.6% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 47 | 50.5% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 54 | 58.1% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 35 | 37.6% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 56 | 60.2% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 46 | 49.5% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children PAC | 20 | 21.5% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 1 | 1.1% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning reported receiving $513,000 (99.0% of its overall fundraising) from Tennesseans for Quality Early Education. According to its website, the group is "a nonpartisan coalition of Tennesseans fighting to ensure our children get the quality early education they need to power our state’s future."[18]
Top candidates by support
All five of the top candidates TAEL supported were Republicans. Three were members of the House and two were members of the Senate.
| Top candidates supported by Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Jack Johnson |  |
Senate | $31,256.33 | Senate Majority Leader | |||
| Deanne DeWitt | |
House | $29,233.95 | -- | |||
| Brock Martin | |
House | $29,797.68 | -- | |||
| Troy Weathers | |
House | $27,820.84 | -- | |||
| Becky Duncan Massey | |
Senate | $8,000.00 | -- | |||
Battleground primary involvement
TAEL spent in four of the 13 House Republican primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds in 2024. The TAEL-backed candidate won in two of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | TAEL win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $1,000.00 |
| ||||
| District 27 | Michele Reneau | $3,500.00 |
| ||||
| District 33 | Richard Scarbrough | $500.00 |
| ||||
| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | $2,000.00 |
| ||||
Tennesseans for Putting Students First
Tennesseans for Putting Students First (TPSF) allocated 13.2% of its donations to Democrats, a higher percentage than any group Ballotpedia tracked other than the Tennessee Education Association Fund.
Overlap with other PACs
Of the eight other groups Ballotpedia tracked, four backed fewer than half of the candidates TPSF supported. The lowest rate of overlap was 4.4% with the School Freedom Fund. Three groups backed more than 60% of TPSF-supported candidates, with the highest rate of overlap being 66.7% with Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Tennesseans for Putting Students First, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of TPSF-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 9 | 13.0% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 38 | 55.1% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 44 | 63.8% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 44 | 63.8% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 32 | 46.4% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 46 | 66.7% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children | 27 | 39.1% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 3 | 4.4% | |||||
Fundraising sources
Tennesseans for Putting Students First reported receiving all of its funding from three sources.
TPSF received $484,500 (61.2% of its total) from the 50CAN Action Fund. 50CAN is a group describing itself as "an education advocacy organization focused on building the future of American education."[19]
TPSF received $225,000 (28.4% of its total) from Jim Walton. Walton is a businessman with a record of advocacy on school vouchers.[20][21][22]
TPSF's remaining $81,700 (10.3% of its total) was contributed by the Campaign for Great Public Schools, the Virginia-based organization that also funded Excellence in Public Education PAC and Great Public Schools PAC.
Top candidates by support
The five candidates receiving the most support from TPSF included four House candidates and one Senate candidate. All five were Republicans.
| Top candidates supported by Tennesseeans for Putting Students First, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Tommy Vallejos | Republican |
House | $31,020.97 | -- | |||
| Lee Reeves | Republican |
House | $30,406.00 | -- | |||
| Aron Maberry | Republican |
House | $28,940.74 | -- | |||
| J. Adam Lowe | Republican |
Senate | $29,495.96 | -- | |||
| John Gillespie | Republican |
House | $20,517.16 | Member, House Education Administration Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
TPSF spent in eight of the 13 House Republican primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds in 2024. The TPSF-backed candidate won in six of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by Tennesseans for Putting Students First, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | TPSF win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $2,500.00 |
| ||||
| District 20 | Tom Stinnett | $500.00 |
| ||||
| District 27 | Michele Reneau | $2,000.00 |
| ||||
| District 65 | Lee Reeves | $30,460.00 |
| ||||
| District 73 | Chris Todd | $1,000.00 |
| ||||
| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $500.00 |
| ||||
| District 78 | Mary Littleton | $500.00 |
| ||||
| District 97 | John Gillespie | $3,500.00 |
| ||||
Tennessee Federation for Children PAC
The Tennessee Federation for Children PAC (TFC PAC) had the third-highest fundraising and spending totals of any group Ballotpedia tracked with $1,175,000.00 in fundraising and $763,029.89 in spending. TFC PAC spent 84.1% of its donations on House races, making it one of three groups to spend at least 70% of its funds on House races and the only one to spend more than 80%. TFC PAC was one of three groups Ballotpedia tracked to not spend any money supporting Democrats, alongside Americans for Prosperity Action and the School Freedom Fund.
Overlap with other PACs
Of the eight other groups Ballotpedia tracked, four supported fewer than half of TFC PAC-backed candidates. The lowest rate of overlap was 8.6% with the School Freedom Fund. Two groups supported more than 70% of TFC PAC-backed candidates, with the highest rate of overlap being 77.1% with Tennesseans for Putting Students First.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of TFC PAC-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 8 | 22.9% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 16 | 45.7% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 18 | 51.4% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 25 | 71.4% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 10 | 28.6% | |||||
| Tennesseee Advocates for Early Learning | 20 | 57.1% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 27 | 77.1% | |||||
| School Freedom Fund | 3 | 8.6% | |||||
Fundraising sources
The Tennessee Federation for Children PAC reported receiving all of its contributions from three sources. The group reported receiving $375,000 (31.9% of its total) from the American Federation for Children Action Fund. The American Federation for Children describes itself as "the on-the-ground leader for education freedom. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas and actively working across the United States, AFC elects education reformers, passes high-quality education reforms, and advocates for families by telling their stories."[23]
The group reported receiving $500,000 (42.6% of its total) from the AFC Victory Fund. The AFC Victory Fund is super PAC affiliated with the American Federation for Children that describes its goal as "to support candidates who prioritize education freedom, enabling families to choose the best education for their children."[24]
The group reported receiving its remaining $300,000 in contributions (25.5% of its total) from Jim Walton, a businessman who also supported Tennesseans for Putting Students First.
Top candidates by support
Each of the top five candidates by TFC PAC support were Republicans. All but one were House candidates.
| Top candidates supported by Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Jon Lundberg | Republican |
Senate | $64,851.90 | Member, Senate Education Committee | |||
| Jason Rich | Republican |
House | $41,310.22 | -- | |||
| Tommy Vallejos | Republican |
House | $37,689.74 | -- | |||
| William Slater | Republican |
House | $37,575.38 | Vice-chairman, House Education Administration Committee | |||
| Gino Bulso | Republican |
House | $34,351.84 | Member, House Education Administration Committee | |||
Battleground primary involvement
TFC PAC spent in seven of the 13 House primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds. The TFC PAC-backed candidate won in six of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | TFC PAC win?[5] | ||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | $7,950.00 |
| ||||
| District 20 | Tom Stinnett | $42,468.48[25] |
| ||||
| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | $16,036.98 |
| ||||
| District 65 | Lee Reeves | $42,281.72[26] |
| ||||
| District 68 | Aron Maberry | $15,120.72 |
| ||||
| District 73 | Chris Todd | $8,550.00 |
| ||||
| District 77 | Rusty Grills | $8,000.00[27] |
| ||||
School Freedom Fund
The School Freedom Fund (SFF) raised and spent more than any other group Ballotpedia tracked, being one of four groups to raise at least $1 million and the only tracked group to raise more than $2 million. The School Freedom Fund supported the fewest candidates of any tracked group as one of two groups to support fewer than 20 candidates and the only one supporting fewer than 10. The School Freedom Fund was one of three groups to not spend any money in support of Democrats, alongside Americans for Prosperity Action and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC.
Overlap with other PACs
Of the eight other groups Ballotpedia tracked, four supported a majority of SFF-backed candidates, with each of the four supporting three of the five SFF-backed candidates. Three other groups supported a single SFF-backed candidate. Great Public Schools PAC did not support any SFF-backed candidates. Great Public Schools PAC and the School Freedom Fund were the only two groups among the nine Ballotpedia analyzed to not have any overlap in candidate support.
Click [show] on the table below for a detailed breakdown of candidate support.
| Overlap in candidate support with the School Freedom Fund, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates supported by both PACs | |||||||
| PAC name | Overall number | As a percentage of SFF-backed candidates | |||||
| Americans for Prosperity Action | 3 | 60.0% | |||||
| Excellence in Public Education PAC | 1 | 20.0% | |||||
| Great Public Schools PAC | 0 | 0.0% | |||||
| Team Kid PAC | 3 | 60.0% | |||||
| Tennessee Education Association Fund | 1 | 20.0% | |||||
| Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning | 1 | 20.0% | |||||
| Tennesseans for Putting Students First | 3 | 60.0% | |||||
| Tennessee Federation for Children PAC | 3 | 60.0% | |||||
Fundraising sources
The School Freedom Fund reported receiving all of its funds from the national organization of the same name. Associated with the Club for Growth, the national School Freedom Fund describes its mission as supporting "candidates who believe that parents should be in charge of their children’s education, not unelected education bureaucrats."[28] The group said its goal in the Tennessee primaries was "to replicate our results in the Texas primary where we defeated 10 anti-school freedom incumbents."[29] Click here for more information on the Republican legislative primaries in Texas.
Top candidates by support
Each of the five candidates School Freedom Fund supported were Republicans. Three were House candidates and two were Senate candidates.
| Top candidates supported by the School Freedom Fund, 2020-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Partisan affiliation | Chamber | Amount of support | Notes | |||
| Lee Reeves | Republican |
House | $482,589.11 | -- | |||
| Aron Maberry | Republican |
House | $400,075.57 | -- | |||
| Jason Emert | Republican |
House | $296,457.36 | -- | |||
| Jessie Seal | Republican |
Senate | $265,716.88 | -- | |||
| Tom Hatcher | Republican |
Senate | $219,354.28 | -- | |||
Battleground primary involvement
SFF spent in three of the 13 House Republican primaries Ballotpedia identified as battlegrounds. The SFF-backed candidate won three of those primaries.
| Battleground primary spending by the School Freedom Fund, Tennessee House of Representatives, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Amount spent[4] | SFF win?[5] | ||||
| District 20 | Tom Stinnett | $529,558.72[30] |
| ||||
| District 65 | Lee Reeves | $760,650.99[31] |
| ||||
| District 68 | Aron Maberry | $656,637.96[32] |
| ||||
Battleground primaries
Ballotpedia identified 13 of the 19 contested Republican primaries as battleground primaries, 10 of which had an incumbent on the ballot. All 13 had $10,000 or more in cumulative spending from the nine groups Ballotpedia identified as having a recent record of advocacy on school vouchers. Nine also had competitive fundraising where no one candidate had raised more than two-thirds of the funds in the district. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed candidates in six of the 13 battleground districts.
| 2024 Tennessee House Republican battleground primaries | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Winner | Incumbent running? | PAC involvement? | Competitive fundraising? | Lee endorsement? | ||||||
| District 13 | Robert Stevens | Robert Stevens | |
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| District 20 | Bryan Richey | Tom Stinnett | |
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| District 27 | Patsy Hazlewood | Michele Reneau | |
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| District 33 | John Ragan | Richard Scarbrough | |
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| District 34 | Tim Rudd | Tim Rudd | |
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| District 43 | Paul Sherrell | Paul Sherrell | |
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| District 64 | Scott Cepicky | Scott Cepicky | |
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| District 65 | Sam Whitson | Lee Reeves | |
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| District 68 | Curtis Johnson | Aron Maberry | |
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| District 73 | Chris Todd | Chris Todd | |
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| District 77 | Rusty Grills | Rusty Grills | |
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| District 78 | Mary Littleton | Mary Littleton | |
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| District 97 | John Gillespie | John Gillespie | |
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District 13
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Robert Stevens (R) defeated Jami Averwater (R). Six of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $40,566.84 in support of Stevens: Americans for Prosperity Action, Excellence in Public Education PAC, Team Kid PAC, Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, Tennesseans for Putting Students First, and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Averwater had outraised Stevens with $125,850.91 in fundraising to the incumbent's $118,857.47. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 13
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Stevens | 68.7 | 2,249 |
| Jami Averwater | 31.3 | 1,027 | ||
| Total votes: 3,276 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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District 20
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Tom Stinnett (R) defeated Nick Bright (R) and Jason Emert (R). Four of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $618,501.62 in the district. This was the third-largest spending total across all House Republican primaries. Americans for Prosperity Action and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC spent in support of Emert and against both Bright and Stinnett. The School Freedom Fund spent in support of Emert and against Stinnett. Tennesseans for Putting Students First spent in support of Emert. This primary had competitive fundraising; Stinnett was the top fundraiser with $112,129.00 raised, accounting for 49.4% of the total raised across all three candidates. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Emert on June 6, 2024.[33] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tom Stinnett | 35.1 | 2,352 |
 | Nick Bright | 33.1 | 2,214 | |
 | Jason Emert | 31.8 | 2,130 | |
| Total votes: 6,696 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
District 27
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Michele Reneau (R) defeated incumbent Patsy Hazlewood (R). Five of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $22,000.00 in support of Hazlewood: Excellence in Public Education PAC, Great Public Schools PAC, Team Kid PAC, Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, and Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 27
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michele Reneau | 50.9 | 4,082 |
 | Patsy Hazlewood | 49.1 | 3,944 | |
| Total votes: 8,026 | |||
| = 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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District 33
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Richard Scarbrough (R) defeated incumbent John Ragan (R). Five of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $89,564.95 in the district. Team Kid PAC spent in support of Scarbrough. Americans for Prosperity Action, Excellence in Public Education PAC, Great Public Schools PAC, and Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning spent in support of Ragan. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Scarbrough had outraised Ragan with $86,453.80 to the incumbent's $48,355.00. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Ragan on May 30, 2024.[34] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 33
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Scarbrough | 52.3 | 2,963 |
 | John Ragan | 47.7 | 2,705 | |
| Total votes: 5,668 | |||
| = 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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District 34
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Tim Rudd (R) defeated Tucker Marcum (R). Two of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $34,812.25 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action spent in support of Rudd and against Marcum. The Tennessee Education Association Fund spent in support of Marcum. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Rudd led in fundraising with $115,9000.00, accounting for 63.9% of the overall funds raised in the district. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 34
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tim Rudd | 64.0 | 2,196 |
| Tucker Marcum | 36.0 | 1,233 | ||
| Total votes: 3,429 | |||
| = 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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District 43
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Paul Sherrell (R) defeated challengers Tim Lewis (R) and Robert McCormick (R). Three of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $19,577.54 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action and Excellence in Public Education PAC spent in support of Sherrell. The Tennessee Education Association Fund spent in support of McCormick. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Sherrell led in fundraising with $47,950.00, accounting for 53.3% of the overall funds raised in the district. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 43
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Paul Sherrell | 49.6 | 3,061 |
| Robert McCormick | 43.0 | 2,655 | ||
 | Tim Lewis | 7.4 | 456 | |
| Total votes: 6,172 | |||
| = 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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District 64
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Scott Cepicky (R) defeated Ray Jeter (R). Five of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $149,704.05 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action, Excellence in Public Education PAC, Tennessee Advocates for Early Learning, and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC each spent in support of Cepicky. Team Kid PAC spent in support of Jeter. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Cepicky led in fundraising with $78,048.00, accounting for 63.3% of the total raised in the district. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Cepicky on June 10, 2024.[35] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 64
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Scott Cepicky | 54.5 | 3,951 | |
| Ray Jeter | 45.5 | 3,295 | ||
| Total votes: 7,246 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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District 65
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Lee Reeves (R) defeated Brian Beathard (R) and Michelle Foreman (R). Five of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $915,042.54, more than in any other Tennessee Republican legislative primary in 2024. Americans for Prosperity Action, the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC, and the School Freedom Fund each spent in support of Reeves and against Beathard. Team Kid PAC and Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC both spent in support of Reeves. Beathard led in fundraising with $258,535.00, accounting for 53.1% of the overall funds raised in the district. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Reeves on June 6, 2024.[36] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 65
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lee Reeves | 37.6 | 3,143 |
| Brian Beathard | 36.4 | 3,046 | ||
| Michelle Foreman | 26.0 | 2,178 | ||
| Total votes: 8,367 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- James K. Turner (R)
District 68
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| No |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Aron Maberry (R) defeated Carol Duffin (R), Greg Gilman (R), and Joe Smith (R). Four of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $750,450.45 in the district, the second-highest total for any Tennessee House Republican primary in 2024. Americans for Prosperity Action and the School Freedom Fund spent in support of Maberry and against Smith. Team Kid PAC and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC spent in support of Maberry. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Smith led in fundraising with $140,185.00, accounting for 64.9% of the overall funds raised in the district. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Maberry on June 6, 2024.[37] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 68
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Aron Maberry | 43.3 | 2,568 |
 | Joe Smith | 37.3 | 2,210 | |
| Carol Duffin | 12.3 | 727 | ||
| Greg Gilman | 7.1 | 422 | ||
| Total votes: 5,927 | |||
| = 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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District 73
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Chris Todd (R) defeated Jimmy Harris (R). Six of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $69,370.80 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action spent in support of Todd and against Harris. Excellence in Public Education PAC, Great Public Schools PAC, Team Kid PAC, Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC, and the Tennessee Federation for Children PAC each spent in support of Todd. As of the Pre-Primary 2024 campaign finance reports, Todd led in fundraising with $229,410.17, accounting for 55.6% of the overall fundraising in the district. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 73
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Chris Todd | 67.6 | 5,130 |
| Jimmy Harris | 32.4 | 2,461 | ||
| Total votes: 7,591 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
District 77
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Rusty Grills (R) defeated James Cobb (R). Six of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $48,501.68 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action spent in support of Grills and against Cobb. Excellence in Public Education PAC, Team Kid PAC, and Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC spent in support of Grills. The Tennessee Federation for Children PAC spent against Cobb. The Tennessee Education Association Fund spent in support of Cobb. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 77
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Rusty Grills | 71.5 | 4,169 | |
| James Cobb | 28.5 | 1,660 | ||
| Total votes: 5,829 | |||
| = 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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District 78
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent Mary Littleton (R) defeated Justin Spurlock (R). Four of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $20,259.01 in the district. Americans for Prosperity Action spent in support of Littleton and against Spurlock. Excellence in Public Education PAC, Team Kid PAC, and Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC each spent in support of Littleton. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 78
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mary Littleton | 75.4 | 3,154 |
| Justin Spurlock | 24.6 | 1,029 | ||
| Total votes: 4,183 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
District 97
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground primary?
| Incumbent John Gillespie (R) defeated Christina Oppenhuizen (R). Four of the nine groups Ballotpedia tracked spent a combined $13,428.06 in support of Gillespie: Excellence in Public Education PAC, Team Kid PAC, the Tennessee Education Association Fund, and Tennesseans for Putting Students First PAC. Gov. Bill Lee (R) endorsed Gillespie on July 9, 2024.[38] |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 97
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John Gillespie | 95.4 | 4,914 |
| Christina Oppenhuizen | 4.6 | 236 | ||
| Total votes: 5,150 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Chapter 2-5 and Chapter 2-7 of the Tennessee Code
State legislative candidates
A candidate running for the state legislature, whether partisan or independent, must adhere to the same ballot access requirements, which are detailed below.
- The candidate must obtain a nominating petition from a county election commission office or the office of the state coordinator of elections.[39][40]
- The nominating petition must be signed by the candidate and at least 25 voters who are registered in the candidate's district.[39][40]
- The signer of a petition must include the address shown on his or her voter registration card in order for his or her signature to be counted.[40]
- The candidate must file the original nominating petition in the office of the county election commission by the first Thursday of April in his or her county of residence. The candidate must also file a certified duplicate in the county election commission office in each county wholly or partially within the candidate's district. This requirement applies to both political party candidates running in the primary and independent candidates running in the general election.[39][40]
- There are no filing fees.
Federal and statewide office
A partisan or independent candidate for governor, United States Representative, or United States Senator must obtain a nominating petition from a county election commission office or the office of the state coordinator of elections.[41][42]
- The nominating petition must be signed by at least 25 voters who are registered anywhere in Tennessee.[41][43]
- The signer of a petition must include the address shown on his or her voter registration card in order for the signature to be counted.[40]
- The candidate must file the nominating petition no later than noon on the first Thursday of April.[41][43]
- The candidate must file the original nominating petition in the office of the Tennessee State Election Commission. The candidate must also file a certified duplicate in the office of the state coordinator of elections. Both of these must be received by the qualifying deadline.[41][43]
- There are no filing fees.
For write-in candidates
In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate must file a certificate of write-in candidacy no later than noon on the 50th day before the general election in each county that makes up the district of the listed office. For the offices of governor, United States Senator, and United States Representative, this form must be filed with the Tennessee Coordinator of Elections.[44][45]
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[46]
- A U.S. citizen
- 21 years old before the general election
- A three-year resident of Tennessee before the general election
- A county resident for 1 year prior to the general election
- A qualified voter
- The following situations would eliminate a candidate from qualifying for office:
- Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;
- Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;
- Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election, and the election of any such person shall be void;
- Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and
- Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[47] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $28,405.96/year | $326.47/day. Legislators living within 50 miles of the Capitol receive a reduced amount of $47 per day. |
When sworn in
Tennessee legislators assume office on the day they are elected in the general election.[48]
Tennessee political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
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 |
Presidential politics in Tennessee
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in Tennessee, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
||
| ✔ |
 
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
60.7
|
1,852,475 | 11 |
 
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
37.5
|
1,143,711 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (Independent) |
1.0
|
29,877 | 0 | |
 
| Ye/Michelle Tidball (Independent) |
0.3
|
10,279 | 0 | |
 
| Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Independent) |
0.2
|
5,365 | 0 | |
 
| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (Independent) |
0.1
|
4,545 | 0 | |
 
| Alyson Kennedy/Malcolm Jarrett (Independent) |
0.1
|
2,576 | 0 | |
 
| Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Independent) |
0.1
|
2,301 | 0 | |
 
| Roque De La Fuente/Darcy Richardson (Independent) |
0.1
|
1,860 | 0 | |
| Other write-in votes |
0.0
|
862 | 0 | ||
 |
Total votes: 3,053,851 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, Tennessee, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 34.7% | 870,695 | 0 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
60.7% | 1,522,925 | 11 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 2.8% | 70,397 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 0.6% | 15,993 | 0 | |
| Independent | Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | 0.2% | 4,075 | 0 | |
| Independent | Alyson Kennedy/Osborne Hart | 0.1% | 2,877 | 0 | |
| Independent | Mike Smith/Daniel White | 0.3% | 7,276 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 0.5% | 13,789 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 2,508,027 | 11 | |||
| Election results via: Tennessee Secretary of State | |||||
Tennessee presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 15 Democratic wins
- 17 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 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | R |
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Iowa's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024
- Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
- Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District election, 2024
See also
| Tennessee | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Chalkbeat, "Tennessee’s universal school voucher plan is dead for now, governor acknowledges," April 22, 2024
- ↑ Tennessee Lookout, "Tennessee’s school voucher debate turns to competitive Republican state House and Senate primaries," May 2, 2024
- ↑ AFP Action, "About Us," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Includes direct contributions to a candidate's campaign as well as in-kind contributions and independent expenditures.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 This analysis considers an organization to have won a primary if the organization spent in support of the winning candidate or if the organization spent to oppose a losing candidate without spending money in support of or opposition to the winning candidate.
- ↑ Includes $39,806.07 spent to support Jason Emert, $3,084.19 spent to oppose Stinnett, and $3,084.16 spent to oppose Nick Bright.
- ↑ Includes $18,797.18 spent to support Rudd and $1,615.07 spent to oppose Tucker Marcum.
- ↑ Includes $40,855.55 spent to support Reeves and $8,204.55 spent to oppose Brian Beathard.
- ↑ Includes $37,711.86 spent to support Maberry and $6,982.22 spent to oppose Joe Smith.
- ↑ Includes $40,671.15 spent to support Todd and $8,500.31 spent to oppose Jimmy Harris.
- ↑ Includes $26,074.20 spent to support Grills and $4,845.91 spent to oppose James Cobb.
- ↑ Includes $11,592.09 spent to support Littleton and $1,497.60 spent to oppose Spurlock.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 ProPublica, "Campaign For Great Public Schools - Full text of "Full Filing" for fiscal year ending June 2019," accessed May 30, 2024
- ↑ Stands for doing business as
- ↑ Chalkbeat, "The City Fund’s next steps: These 7 cities are the focus of the biggest new education player," December 9, 2018
- ↑ Tennesseans for Student Success, "Home page," accessed May 30, 2024
- ↑ Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, "PAC FAQs," accessed May 31, 2024
- ↑ Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, "About TQEE," accessed May 31, 2024
- ↑ 50CAN, "About 50CAN," accessed May 31, 2024
- ↑ Crain's Chicago Business, "Walmart heirs pour money into pro-charter school groups backing Paul Vallas," April 3, 2023
- ↑ EducationWeek, "Walton Family Puts Stamp on Education Landscape," November 4, 2008
- ↑ Arkansas Times, "Jim Walton gives $500K to defend Arkansas school vouchers from ballot measure," May 16, 2024
- ↑ American Federation for Children, "Home page," accessed May 31, 2024
- ↑ American Federation for Children, "AFC Announces Launch of Affiliated “AFC Victory Fund” Super PAC," May 28, 2024
- ↑ Includes $17,754.25 spent to oppose Stinnett, $15,804.23 spent to oppose Nick Bright, and $8,910.00 spent to support Jason Emert.
- ↑ Includes $29,134.79 spent to oppose Brian Beathard as well as $13,146.93 spent to support Reeves.
- ↑ Spent to oppose James Cobb.
- ↑ The Club for Growth, "School Freedom Fund," accessed August 19, 2024
- ↑ The Club for Growth, "BREAKING: School Freedom Fund Announces Multi-Million Dollar Investment in TN State Level Races," July 15, 2024
- ↑ Including $296,457.36 spent to support Jason Emert as well as $233,101.36 spent to oppose Stinnett.
- ↑ Including $482,589.11 spent to support Reeves as well as $278,061.88 spent to oppose Brian Beathard.
- ↑ Including $400,075.57 spent to support Maberry as well as $256,562.39 spent to oppose Joe Smith.
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on June 6, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on May 30, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on June 10, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on June 6, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on June 6, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ Facebook, "Bill Lee on July 9, 2024," accessed August 21, 2024
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Tennessee Department of Elections, "Qualifying Procedures for Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 Tennessee Code, "Chapter 2-5-101," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 Tennessee Department of Elections, "Qualifying Procedures for Candidates for Governor," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Code, "Chapter 2-5-103," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Qualifying Procedures for United States Senate Tennessee Candidates for United States Senate," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Department of Elections, "Write-In Candidacy Form," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Code, "Chapter 2-7-133," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Qualifications for elected offices in Tennessee," accessed December 18, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Tennessee Constitution, "Article II, Section 3," accessed November 1, 2021
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