The Tennessee General Assembly’s Davidson County seats are mostly unchanging. This year, state House District 59, which contains the Belle Meade and Bellevue areas, will see a changing of the guard following Democratic Rep. Caleb Hemmer’s decision not to run for reelection.
After a crowded Democratic primary, Mark Proctor will go on to face a Republican in the general election for the traditionally Democrat-held seat. Proctor beat out Rick Ewing, Beth West and Angie Lawless — who came within fewer than 100 votes of Proctor on election night — for the nomination.
Republican Bill Hancock, who ran unopposed in the primary, will also take a swing at the open District 59 seat in the general election.
Five first-time candidates vie for District 59, Davidson County’s only open state House race
A few Republicans are running for the solidly Democratic city’s state House seats, but all ran unopposed in the primary. Republican Michele Vetter will challenge Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones for his District 52 seat. Republican Jayla Thomas will take on House Minority Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons in the District 55 general, and Republican Eva Romero will challenge Democratic Rep. Shaundelle Brooks in District 60.
House Districts 50, 51, 53, 54, 56 and 58 will see no change to the representatives holding their seats after Democratic Reps. Bo Mitchell, Aftyn Behn, Jason Powell, Vincent Dixie, Bob Freeman and Harold Love Jr. all ran unopposed in the primary, with no Republican challenger on the ballot to contest them in the general.
Democratic state Sens. Charlane Oliver and Jeff Yarbro ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for their District 19 and 21 seats, and no Republican will challenge them in the general election.
The only contested Republican primary in the state Senate in Davidson County took place in incumbent Mark Pody’s District 17. Pody fended off a challenge from Theodore “Butch” Baker. The Democratic primary for the seat was won by Lindsey Patrick-Wright, who defeated Joni Cochran.
In Williamson County, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson ran unopposed for his Senate District 27 seat. He will face Democratic challenger David Hardy in the general.
Republican state Reps. Gino Bulso and Jake McCalmon ran unopposed in Districts 61 and 63, respectively. Bulso will face Democrat Becca Ripley, and McCalmon will face Democrat Laura Andreson.
Democrats Julian Pierre-Griffin and Teri Mai ran unopposed in the primaries for Districts 65 and 92, respectively. They are set to face incumbent Reps. Lee Reeves (R-Franklin) and Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), who each beat their primary challengers, Michelle Foreman and Vincent Cuevas.
