Political Musical Chairs - March 2018

Political Musical Chairs - March 2018
By Jeremy Elrod 

With the the legislature wanting to finish its work in early April, we continue our summary of who is in and who is out in this year's elections across the state. Next month who is and isn't a candidate will be locked in as the filing deadline for candidates to be on the ballot in the fall elections in also in early April. Let's update our monthly tally of the newest developments in Tennessee politics, setting up this year to be one of the most active election seasons in the state's history.
 
Governor
The field of candidates appears set. For the Republican nomination, the candidates are Congressman Diane Black, former Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, and businessman Bill Lee. State Sen. Mae Beavers was in the race, but she recently announced she is abandoning her bid. For the Democratic nomination, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh are the announced candidates. 
 
US Senate
Sen. Bob Corker has announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2018, although there have been persistent rumors he make get back in the race. Republican Congressman Marsha Blackburn is favored to win the GOP nomination with former Congressman Stephen Fincher's announcement that he is dropping out of the race (while encouraging Sen. Corker to get back in the race). Former Governor Phil Bredesen has announced he is seeking the seat. Andy Ogles, recently the head of Americans for Prosperity in Tennessee, had already announced in September he would be seeking the Republican nomination, but he announced recently he will be dropping out of the race. Governor Bill Haslam thought about running for the position, but he has announced he will not be seeking the seat. Bredesen has no significant opposition to the Democratic nomination after James Mackler dropped out of the race. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, state Sen. Jef Yarbro, and Nashville businessman Bill Freeman have said they will not seek the position.
 
US Congress
With Congressman Marsha Blackburn deciding to run for Sen. Bob Corker's Senate seat, Tennessee will see three new members of Congress out of nine congressional seats for the state. Congressman Diane Black is running for governor and Congressman Jimmy Duncan is retiring. Congressman Phil Roe has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, and recently he formally announced he is running for reelection. For Black’s seat, announced candidates are state Rep. Judd Matheny, along with businessman and former Commissioner of Agriculture John Rose. For Blackburn's seat, Republican state Sen. Mark Green is favored to win the GOP nomination with songwriter Lee Thomas Miller pulling out of the race, while Democrat Justin Kanew had already announced he would be seeking the seat before Blackburn's announcement. 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 received 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.
 
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 legislative 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. Rep. David Hawk of Greeneville, House Speaker Pro Tem Curtis Johnson, Rep. Tim Wirgau and Rep. Barry Doss have been mentioned as well.
 
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 Jack Johnson and current Senate Government Operations Chairman Mike Bell. Rumored to be considering running for the position include Sen. Bo Watson and current Senate Finance Chairman 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 be giving up their seats to run for another office. Here’s a rundown of some of the announced retirements and some rumored to not be running for re-election:

Tennessee Senate
Some immediate changes are likely to come in the Senate, with two new senators when the legislature returned last month: