Marquita Bradshaw faced a lot of institutional disadvantages as she sought the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander. Perhaps most importantly, she barely had any money. And one of her opponents in the primary race, Nashville attorney James Mackler, had the political and financial backing of many establishment Democrats, including those in Washington. But outspent many times over, Bradshaw nevertheless turned a boatload of votes in her hometown of Memphis into an upset primary victory that made her the first Tennessee woman of color on a statewide ticket for a major party. It will take an even bigger upset than her August victory to take down the Republican nominee in the November election, former Ambassador Bill Hagerty. STEPHEN ELLIOTT
Best Upset
Marquita Bradshaw
Matt Masters
