Political Musical Chairs - September 2017 Update

 

Anytime there is a statewide elected office up for grabs without an incumbent, there is a scramble of people declaring themselves candidates for the position. This also means there is a resulting musical chairs of candidates running for different positions in which incumbents are running for the statewide or other elected position. Governor Bill Haslam is finishing his second term next year, and with Tennessee governors limited to only serving two terms, there are a handful of candidates declared and rumored to be running to succeed him. Across the state, there is a domino effect of people not running for re-election and are instead running for newly vacant positions. Throw in appointments to a federal judgeship and US attorney, and there are certainly a lot of moving pieces to Tennessee’s election landscape. Let’s take a look at the announced candidates and changes, along with the rumor and speculation that has been reported in the media.

 

Governor

The field of candidates appears set. For the Republican nomination the candidates are state Sen. Mae Beavers, Congresswoman Diane Black, former Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, businessman Bill Lee.  For the Democratic nomination, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh are the announced candidates. 

 

US Senator

Sen. Bob Corker is up for re-election in 2018. Last week Andy Ogles, recently the head of Americans for Prosperity in Tennessee, announced he would be seeking the Republican nomination. Sen. Mark Green's name has popped up again in some media reports as a possible candidate, along with former state Rep. Joe Carr and state Rep. Andy Holt. It has also been reported that Sen. Corker still has not decided whether he will run for re-election to a third term. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett was rumored to be considering jumping in the race, but he is running for the congressional seat being vacated by the retiring Jimmy Duncan.   James Mackler has announced his candidacy for the seat as a Democrat.

 

US Congress

So far all of Tennessee’s congressional delegation are expected to run for re-election except for Congresswoman Diane Black who is running for governor and Congressman Jimmy Duncan who is retiring. Congressman Phil Roe has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, but he has not given any indication he will be bowing out. For Black’s seat, announced candidates are state Rep. Judd Matheny, along with businessman and former Commissioner of Agriculture John Rose. Rumored to be mulling a bid at the seat is Scottie Nell Hughes. Although rumored at one time to be considering a run, Sen. Mark Green, Sen. Kerry Roberts and Rep. Cameron Sexton have said they will not seek the position. With the retirement of Congressman John Duncan, several have announced a run for the seat: current Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, businessman Brad Fullington, state GOP Executive Committee member Ken Gross, and Rep. Jimmy Matlock. Other Tennessee members of Congress have gotten opponents, but none of them are considered major. Congressman DesJarlais’s announced opponents include fellow Republican Jack Maddox and Democrats Mariah Phillips and Steven Reynolds, and Congressman Marsha Blackburn has TN Democrat Justin Kanew as an opponent. 

 

Speaker of House

With House Speaker Beth Harwell recently announcing her bid for Tennessee Governor, there will be a new speaker that will have to be elected in the 2019 legislation session. Rep. Gerald McCormick has already announced he will seek the post, touting his time as House Republican Leader. Current House Republican Leader, Glen Casada, says he will determine later if he will run for the post.

 

Senate Majority Leader

Sen. Mark Norris is the current state Senate Republican Leader, and should he be confirmed for the federal judgeship there will be a new leader in 2019. Confirmed to be running for the position include current Senate Commerce Chairman Sen. Jack Johnson and current Senate Government Operations Chairman Sen. Mike Bell. Rumored to be considering running for the position include Sen. Bo Watson and current Senate Finance Chairman, along with Sen. Jim Tracy and current Speaker Pro Tempore. Sen. Bill Ketron and current Senate Republican Caucus Chairman has announced he will be running for Rutherford County Mayor, and no senator has been publicly speculated to be considering the position.

Tennessee House of Representatives

Several legislators have already announced they are not running for re-election or would have to give up their seats should they run for another office. Here’s a rundown of some of the announced retirements and some rumored to not be running for re-election:

• Rep. David Alexander – Announced he is running for Franklin County Mayor.
• Rep. Harry Brooks – Retiring from the legislature.
• Rep. Jimmy Eldridge – Rumored to be running for Mayor for the City of Jackson in 2019.
• Rep. Craig Fitzhugh – Announced he is running for Governor.
• Rep. Brenda Gilmore – Announced to be running for Sen. Thelma Harper’s seat. 
• Rep. Marc Gravitt – Announced he is running for Hamilton County Register of Deeds.
• Speaker Beth Harwell – Announced she is running for Governor.
• Rep. Andy Holt – Rumored as a possible candidate to run for US Senate against Sen. Bob Corker.
• Rep. Roger Kane – Running for Knox County Clerk.
• Rep. Judd Matheny – Announced he is running for Cong. Diane Black’s congressional seat. 
• Rep. Jimmy Matlock – Announced he is running to succeed Congressman Jimmy Duncan who announced his retirement.
• Rep. Joe Pitts – Announced he is not seeking re-election.
• Rep. Mark Pody – Announced he is running for Sen. Mae Beavers seat since she is running for Governor.
• Rep. Art Swann – Announced he is running for the seat of state Sen. Doug Overbey’s who has been nominated to the position of U.S. Attorney in East Tennessee.
• Rep. Dawn White – Running for Sen. Bill Ketron’s seat since he will be running for Rutherford County Mayor.

Tennessee Senate

Some immediate changes are likely to come in the Senate, with as many as three possible new senators when the legislature returns in January:

• Sen. Mae Beavers – Has resigned to concentrate on her race for Governor. 
• Sen. Thelma Harper – Rumored to possibly not be running for re-election. 
• Sen. Bill Ketron – Running for Rutherford County Mayor.
• Sen. Mark Norris – Nominated for a federal judgeship. Still needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. 
• Sen. Doug Overbey – Nominated to the position of U.S. Attorney in East Tennessee. Still needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.