Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Tennessee State Senate elections, 2012
 |
Tennessee's 2012 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • Candidate ballot access |
 |
Elections for the office of Tennessee State Senate were held in Tennessee on November 6, 2012. A total of 16 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was April 5, 2012. The primary election took place on August 2, 2012.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates and Tennessee Game Changers
Heading into the November 6 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Tennessee State Senate:
| Tennessee State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2012 | After the 2012 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 13 | 7 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | 26 | |
| Total | 33 | 33 | |
Game-changers
Tennessee State Senate: Heading into the election, Republicans held a 20-13 majority in the Senate. Out of a total of four retirements, three were Democrats and one was a Republican.
Tennessee House of Representatives: Of the 99 seats in the House, Republicans held 64, Democrats held 34, and one was vacant. Seven Democrats retired, as did four Republicans.
Primaries
Senate
- The crowded Republican primary in District 8 featured five candidates: Jeffrey D. Brantley, Cynthia Bundren Jackson, Frank Niceley, Hobart L. Rice, and Michael Williams. Niceley beat out his opponents, winning 45% of the vote.
- District 10 was open due to the retirement of Democrat Andy Berke. The primary contest featured three Democrats and two Republicans. Andrae McGary won the Democratic primary.
- District 16 was open, as incumbent Jim Tracy (R) ran in District 14. Six Democrats and four Republicans sought their parties' nomination. Janice Bowling won the Republican nomination.
- The only primary contest between two incumbents was in District 30. Veteran Democrat Jim Kyle, who assumed office in 1983, faced a challenge from Beverly Marrero. Kyle won.
House
- District 12: Incumbent Richard Montgomery (R) faced primary challenger Dale Carr. Carr moved into the district after the new redistricting map placed his home in another House district. In May, Gov. Bill Haslam stated his support for Montgomery.[1][2]Despite this endorsement, Carr emerged victorious.
- District 28: Incumbent Tommie F. Brown faced a challenge from current District 29 incumbent JoAnne Favors in the Democratic primary. Favors upset Brown, who had been in the House since 1993.
- District 58: Mary Pruitt, a member of the House since 1985, faced primary challengers Harold M. Love and Steven Turner in the Democratic primary. Love defeated both of his opponents, in another upset that sent an incumbent packing.
- District 84 incumbent Joe Towns, Jr. (D) faced one primary challenger, Hendrell Remus. He kept his seat, defeating Remus.
- The Democratic primary in District 90 features two incumbents and a challenger: Incumbents John J. Deberry, Jr. and Jeanne D. Richardson, and challenger Ian L. Randolph. Deberry, in office since 1995, defeated his less seasoned opponents.
- In District 93, incumbent Goffrey A. Hardaway (D) faced Mike Kernell, a veteran lawmaker who has been a member of the House since 1975. In perhaps the biggest shock of the primary, Kernell, in office for nearly 40 years, was defeated by Hardaway.
General election
Senate
- District 10 was an open seat due to the retirement of Andy Berke (D). Andrae McGary (D) was defeated by Todd Gardenhire (R).
House
- District 13: This seat saw a three way battle between Republican Gary Loe, Independent Nick H. Cazana, and Democrat Gloria Johnson. Johnson won.
- District 53 had potential to be a swing district, with incumbent Janis Baird Sontany (D) retiring. Republicans nominated Ben Claybaker to face Democrat Jason Powell. Powell won.
Incumbents retiring
A total of 5 incumbents did not run for re-election in 2012. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Berke |  Democratic |
House District 10 |
| Eric Stewart | Democratic |
House District 14 |
| Joe Haynes | Democratic |
House District 20 |
| Kerry Roberts |  Republican |
House District 18 |
| Roy Herron | Democratic |
House District 24 |
Campaign contributions
This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Tennessee in past years and the cumulative amount of dollars raised in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[3]
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44 | $4,275,730 |
| 2008 | 39 | $7,012,743 |
| 2006 | 45 | $5,088,077 |
| 2004 | 34 | $6,550,262 |
| 2002 | 48 | $3,260,212 |
In 2010, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $4,275,730 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[4]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Henry, Douglas | $314,500 |
| Tennessee Democratic Party | $120,434 |
| Herron, Governor Roy | $116,058 |
| Tennessee Medical Association | $98,600 |
| McDonald, George | $83,100 |
| Federal Express | $82,300 |
| Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association | $61,250 |
| Tennessee Bankers Association | $52,500 |
| Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee | $46,000 |
| Farris Mathews Branan Bobango & Hellen | $44,050 |
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must be:[5]
- A U.S. citizen
- 30 years old before the general election
- A three-year resident of Tennessee before the general election
- A district 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.
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Tennessee
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed new maps in January 2012. The House and Senate maps were signed by Gov. Bill Haslam (R) on January 26 and February 9, 2012 respectively. There were two districts drawn without an incumbent.[6][7] The Senate map was challenged in state court and upheld.[8]
List of candidates
District 2
August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
August 2 GOP primary:
- Scott Hughes: 7,260
- Doug Overbey: 11,334
- Incumbent Overbey first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Doug Overbey: 60,517
District 4
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Ron Ramsey - Incumbent Ramsey first assumed office in 1997.
- Ron Ramsey
November 6 General election candidates:
- Ron Ramsey: 55,913
District 6
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Becky Duncan Massey - Incumbent Massey first assumed office in 2011.
- Becky Duncan Massey
November 6 General election candidates:
- Evelyn Gill: 22,691
- Becky Duncan Massey: 49,744
District 8
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Jeffrey D. Brantley: 1,817
- Cynthia Bundren Jackson: 5,432
- Frank Niceley: 7,021
- Hobart L. Rice: 1,483
November 6 General election candidates:
- Frank Niceley: 43,687
District 10
Note: Incumbent Democrat Andy Berke did not seek re-election.
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- Quenston Coleman: 979
- Andrae McGary: 4,302
- David Testerman: 1,705
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Todd Gardenhire: 8,022
- Greg Vital: 7,982
- Todd Gardenhire: 8,022
November 6 General election candidates:
- Andrae McGary: 30,745
- Todd Gardenhire: 36,557
District 12
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Ken Yager - Incumbent Yager first assumed office in 2009.
- Ken Yager
November 6 General election candidates:
- Ken Yager: 51,076
District 14
Note: Incumbent Democrat Eric Stewart did not seek re-election.
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Matt Randolph: 1,707
- Jim Tracy: 11,174 - Incumbent Tracy first assumed office in 2005.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Jim Tracy: 50,235
District 16
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- Jeff Bottoms: 670
- Kevin Lawrence: 1,256
- Jim Lewis: 2,937
- Steve Roller: 2,902
- Justin C. Walling: 2,878
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Janice Bowling: 8,162
- Eric Chance: 2,277
- Rod McClellan: 866
- Ron Stoltzfus: 2,280
- Janice Bowling: 8,162
November 6 General election candidates:
- Jim Lewis: 23,636
- Janice Bowling: 40,139
District 18
Note: Incumbent Republican Kerry Roberts did not seek re-election.
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- August 2 GOP primary:
- J.H. Tony Allers: 1,370
- Jeff Coker: 7,527
- Brock Ewell: 367
- Ferrell Haile: 8,627
November 6 General election candidates:
- Maria A. Brewer: 21,970
- Ferrell Haile: 49,472
District 20
Note: Incumbent Democrat Joe Haynes did not seek re-election.
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- James A. Baxter: 1,784
- Phillip L. North: 5,148
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Steven Dickerson: 5,378
- David Hall: 3,325
- Rob Mortensen: 2,379
- Steven Dickerson: 5,378
November 6 General election candidates:
- Phillip L. North: 39,280
- Steven Dickerson: 46,254
District 22
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- Tim Barnes - Incumbent Barnes first assumed office in 2009.
- Tim Barnes
- August 2 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Tim Barnes: 28,257
- Mark Green: 31,963
District 24
Note: Incumbent Democrat Roy Herron did not seek re-election.
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Danny C. Jowers: 3,476
- John Stevens: 5,419
November 6 General election candidates:
- Brad Thompson: 29,807
- John Stevens: 38,667
District 26
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Dolores Gresham - Incumbent Gresham first assumed office in 2009.
- Dolores Gresham
November 6 General election candidates:
- Meryl Rice: 28,131
- Dolores Gresham: 42,990
District 28
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Dean Dickey: 3,847
- Joey Hensley: 12,589
November 6 General election candidates:
- Tyler Cobb: 30,375
- Joey Hensley: 37,361
District 30
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- Jim Kyle: 7,368 - Incumbent Kyle first assumed office in 1983.
- Beverly Marrero: 5,931 - Incumbent Marrero first assumed office in 2009.
- Jim Kyle: 7,368
- August 2 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Jim Kyle: 47,822
Note: Colonel G. Billingsley did not appear on the official list of candidates for the November ballot.[9]
District 32
- August 2 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 2 GOP primary:
- Woody Degan: 3,319
- Mark Norris: 26,592 - Incumbent Norris first assumed office in 2001.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Mark Norris: 69,818
External links
- Tennessee Secretary of State - Official primary results
- Official List of November 2012 Candidates
- Tennessee Secretary of State - Official general election results
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Mountain Press "Candidate debates scheduled Tuesday," accessed July 18, 2012
- ↑ Knoxnews.com "Haslam to support Rep. Montgomery," accessed July 18, 2012
- ↑ Follow the Money, Tennessee
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Tennessee Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions
- ↑ Qualifications for running for Tennessee Senate
- ↑ Knoxville News, "GOP state House, Senate redistricting plans unveiled ," January 4, 2012]
- ↑ Knoxville News, "TN House plan draws 5 black lawmakers into 3 seats," January 4, 2012
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Tennessee State Summary," accessed April 15, 2024
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2012 November Candidates," accessed September 21, 2012
