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Tennessee State Senate elections, 2014
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Tennessee's 2014 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • State Senate • State House • State ballot measures • School boards • Judicial • Candidate ballot access |
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Elections for 18 seats in the Tennessee State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 7, 2014. A general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 3, 2014.
Following the general election, there was no change to the majority control of the Tennessee State Senate. The Republican Party's majority control of the chamber increased from 26 to 27 seats. The Democratic Party sustained no losses and maintained a total of six seats in the chamber. The vacant seat in the chamber was filled during the election.
Incumbents retiring
A total of four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2014. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Burks | Senate District 15 | |
| Douglas Henry | Senate District 21 | |
| Lowe Finney | Senate District 27 | |
| Jim Kyle ** | Senate District 30 |
**Note: Kyle resigned from the Senate on August 29, 2014, and an election was called to fill his seat.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Tennessee State Senate:
| Tennessee State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2014 | After November 4, 2014 | |
| Democratic Party | 6 | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 26 | 27 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 33 | |
Competitiveness
Candidates unopposed by a major party
In 10 (55%) of the 18 districts up for election in 2014, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of 9 Republicans and 1 Democrat were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.
Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 8 (44.4%) of the 18 districts up for election.
Mildly competitive
In 2012, when 16 districts were up for election, a total of four districts were considered mildly competitive.
District 10: Todd Gardenhire (R) won the general election by a margin of victory of 9 percent in 2012.
District 20: Steven Dickerson (R) won the general election by a margin of victory of 8 percent in 2012.
District 22: Mark Green (R) defeated incumbent Tim Barnes (D) in the 2012 general election. Green won the election by a margin of victory of 6 percent.
District 28: Joey Hensley won the general election by a margin of victory of 10 percent in 2012.
None of these districts were up for election in 2014.
Primary challenges
A total of 5 incumbents faced primary competition on August 7. Four incumbents did not seek re-election in 2014 and another 9 incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition. The state senators that faced primary competition were:
- District 7: Richard Briggs defeated incumbent Stacey Campfield and Mike Alford in the Republican primary.
- District 17: Incumbent Mae Beavers defeated Clark Boyd in the Republican primary.
- District 19: Incumbent Thelma Harper defeated Brandon Puttbrese in the Democratic primary.
- District 25: Kerry Roberts defeated incumbent Jim Summerville, Joshua Evans and Wayne White in the Republican primary.
- District 29: Lee Harris defeated incumbent Ophelia Ford, Ricky Dixon and Herman Sawyer in the Democratic primary.
Retiring incumbents
Four incumbent senators did not run for re-election, while 14 (77.7%) of the current 18 incumbents ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, four Democrats, can be found above.
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must be:[1]
- 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.
List of candidates
District 1
August 7 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
August 7 Republican primary:
- Steve Southerland
- Incumbent Southerland was first elected to the chamber in 2002.
- Steve Southerland
November 4 General election candidates:
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District 3
- No candidates filed.
- Rusty Crowe
- Rusty Crowe
November 4 General election candidates:
District 5
- No candidates filed.
- Randy McNally
- Randy McNally
November 4 General election candidates:
District 7
- Mike Alford: 1,204
- Richard Briggs: 14,056
- Stacey Campfield: 4,864 - Incumbent Campfield was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
November 4 General election candidates:
District 9
- No candidates filed.
- Mike Bell (Tennessee)
- Mike Bell (Tennessee)
November 4 General election candidates:
District 11
- No candidates filed.
- Bo Watson
- Bo Watson
November 4 General election candidates:
District 13
- No candidates filed.
- Bill Ketron
- Bill Ketron
November 4 General election candidates:
District 15
Note: Incumbent Charlotte Burks (D) did not run for re-election.
- Paul Bailey: 13,141
- Gary Steakley: 1,453
- Matt Swallows: 12,577
- Paul Bailey: 13,141
Independent candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
District 17
- No candidates filed.
- Mae Beavers: 16,177
- Clark Boyd: 11,104
- Mae Beavers: 16,177
November 4 General election candidates:
District 19
- Thelma M. Harper: 10,502
- Brandon J. Puttbrese: 1,685
- Thelma M. Harper: 10,502
November 4 General election candidates:
District 21
Note: Incumbent Douglas Henry (D) did not run for re-election.
- Mary Mancini: 5,217
- Jeff Yarbro: 6,830
- Mwafaq Aljabbary: 346
- Diana Cuellar: 2,960
- Quincy McKnight: 1,523
November 4 General election candidates:
District 23
- No candidates filed.
- Jack Johnson
- Jack Johnson
Green Party candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
District 25
- Joshua G. Evans: 8,819
- Kerry Roberts: 9,832
- Jim Summerville: 3,701 - Incumbent Summerville was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Wayne White: 968
November 4 General election candidates:
District 27
Note: Incumbent Lowe Finney (D) did not run for re-election.
- Brandon Dodds: 7,736
- Ed Jackson: 11,136
Constitution candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
District 29
- Ricky W. Dixon: 6,882
- Ophelia E. Ford: 6,756 - Incumbent Ford was first elected to the chamber in 2005.
- Lee Harris: 10,517
- Herman Sawyer: 611
- James R. "Jim" Finney: 3,111
- Anthony D. Herron, Jr.: 682
- James R. "Jim" Finney: 3,111
November 4 General election candidates:
District 30
Note: Incumbent Jim Kyle (D) resigned in August 2014; this election was called to fill his seat.
November 4 General election candidates:
District 31
- No candidates filed.
- Brian Kelsey
- Brian Kelsey
Note: Jim Tomasik was removed from the candidate list before the primary.
November 4 General election candidates:
District 33
- Reginald Tate
- Reginald Tate
Note: E. Jefferson Jones was removed from the candidate list before the primary.
- No candidates filed.
November 4 General election candidates:
See also
External links
- Tennessee Secretary of State: Petitions filed
- Tennessee Secretary of State: August 7, 2014 Election Results
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Unofficial 2014 Election Results
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Official 2014 Election Results
Footnotes
