United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2012

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and elected the nine U.S. Representatives from the state of Tennessee, apportioned according to the 2010 United States Census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election to the U.S. Senate. Primary elections were held on August 2, 2012.[1]

District 1

The redrawn 1st district will represent Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties, and parts of Jefferson County. The most populous city in the district is Johnson City, and the district will continue to be anchored by the Tri-Cities area.[2] Republican Phil Roe, who has represented the 1st district since 2009, will run for re-election.[3]

Alan Woodruff, an attorney, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Roe.[3]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Phil Roe (Incumbent) 182,252 76
Democratic Alan Woodruff 47,663 19.9
Green Robert N. Smith 2,872 1.2
Independent Karen Brackett 4,837 2
Independent Michael Salyer 2,048 0.9
Total votes 239,672 100
Republican hold
External links

District 2

The redrawn 2nd district will represent Blount, Claiborne, Grainger, Knox, and Loudon counties, and parts of Campbell and Jefferson counties. The most populous city in the district is Knoxville; as before, the district is largely coextensive with that city's metropolitan area.[2] Republican Jimmy Duncan has represented the 2nd district since 1988.

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John J. Duncan, Jr. (Incumbent) 196,894 74.4
Democratic Troy Goodale 54,522 20.6
Green Norris Dryer 5,733 2.2
Libertarian Greg Samples 4,382 1.7
Independent Brandon Stewart 2,974 1.1
Total votes 264,505 100
Republican hold

District 3

The redrawn 3rd district will represent Anderson, Hamilton, McMinn, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Roane, Scott, and Union counties, and parts of Bradley and Campbell counties. The most populous city in the district is Chattanooga.[2] Republican Chuck Fleischmann, who has represented the 3rd district since January 2011, will run for re-election.[4]

Ron Bhalla, a businessman;[5] Jean Howard-Hill, a former professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and unsuccessful Republican primary candidate for the seat in 2008 and 2010;[6] Scottie Mayfield, the president of Mayfield Dairy;[7] and Weston Wamp, the founder of a public relations firm and son of former U.S. Representative Zach Wamp,[4] will challenge Fleischmann in the Republican primary. Tres Wittum, a policy and research analyst for state senator Bo Watson, may also seek the Republican nomination.[8] Savas Kyriakidis, a businessman and Command Judge in the U.S. Army who ran as an independent in 2010, may run again as an independent or a Republican.[9] J.B. Bennett, an attorney,[5] and Robin Smith, a health care consultant and former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party who also unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2010,[10] will not run.

Mary Headrick, an emergency room and acute care physician,[11] and Bill Taylor, a businessman,[12] will seek the Democratic nomination. Brenda Freeman Short, an unsuccessful Democratic primary candidate for the seat in 2010, may run again.[12] Matthew Deniston, an Army Veteran and former Ranger, is running as an independent. Topher Kersting, a Web designer, will run as an Independent.[13]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles J. Fleischmann (Incumbent) 157,830 61.5
Democratic Mary Headrick 91,094 35.4
Independent Matthew Deniston 7,905 3.1
Total votes 256,829 100
Republican hold
External links

District 4

The redrawn 4th district will represent Bedford, Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Meigs, Moore, Rhea, Rutherford, Sequatchie, and Warren counties, and parts of Bradley, Maury, and Van Buren counties. The most populous city in the district is Murfreesboro, which had previously anchored the 6th District.[2] Republican Scott DesJarlais has represented the 4th district since January 2011.

Potential candidates and primaries

State senator Bill Ketron, a Murfreesboro resident, had been rumored to be considering a run for the 4th; he was chairman of the redistricting committee and reportedly drew Murfreesboro into the district to facilitate a run. However, on January 22, 2012 he announced he would not run.[14] State Senator Jim Tracy had also been rumored to be considering a bid, but decided against it earlier in January.[15]

State senator Eric Stewart announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge DesJarlais in late 2011.[16] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee made his candidacy their top priority in the South in early 2012.[17] Phil Bredesen, a former Governor of Tennessee, endorsed Stewart.[18]

DesJarlais won the Republican Party primary on August 2, 2012,[19] with about 76% of the vote, besting his opponent, Shannon Kelley, by 35,057 votes to 10,779 in a preliminary count.[20] Stewart won the Democratic party endorsement.[21]

General election campaign

The general election has been characterized by controversies involving the incumbent. Stewart agreed to three debates, but DesJarlais confirmed to the media that he would not participate.[21][22] The incumbent was "open to revisiting the question later in the campaign", accusing Stewart of "lack of clarity on the issues" as a reason to avoid debating him.[21][23] Stewart responded that DesJarlais was avoiding the voters.[21][23] The local media were critical of the congressman's stance on the debate issue: the Chattanoogan asked, "Why Won't Desjarlais Debate?"[24] and the Times Free Press called it "No good reason to avoid debates".[25]

In October 2012, DesJarlais silenced two Democratic representatives on the floor of Congress.[26] DesJarlais was Speaker of the House pro tempore, in a pro forma session to prevent "President Barack Obama from making recess appointments without congressional consent".[27] Stewart accused DesJarlais of neglecting the district's farmers by not passing the Farm Bill.[27]

The media reported in mid-October 2012 on DesJarlais divorce of his first wife, Susan, from 2001.[28] During their divorce proceedings, Susan DesJarlais alleged that her ex-husband engaged in "violent and threatening behavior".[29] Court filings revealed that he had an affair with a female patient, and pressured her to have an abortion after she became pregnant.[30][31][32] In response to the news, Stewart called him a "pro-life hypocrite", contending that "DesJarlais can't be trusted".[31][33] The DesJarlais campaign did not challenge the truth of the allegations, but replied that "This is old news...."[31][33] Stewart parried in a news conference that:

Congressman DesJarlais has ... continued to hold himself out to the public as someone who is pro-life and pro-family, and today doesn’t deny that as a medical doctor he had an affair with a patient, got that patient pregnant and then begged and pleaded with her to terminate the pregnancy.
— Eric Stewart [33]

After all that, DesJarlais "lashed out at Stewart",[34] stating "there was no pregnancy, and no abortion", blaming his opponents and ex-wife for "dredging up details from his past".[35][36][37][38]

Analyses

After the primary elections, the race had been rated "Likely GOP" by RealClearPolitics.[39] By July 13 FEC filings, DesJarlais had raised twice as much as Stewart, and had "$591,976 in the bank to Stewart's $152,712".[40] Stewart's aim was to "blanket" the local airways with ads attacking his opponent's vote in favor of Paul Ryan's budget, while the incumbent would tie him to President Barack Obama, who is unpopular in the district.[40] As of October 7, The Tennessean noted that comparing "money and recent history, DesJarlais has the advantage", due to incumbency, raising twice the funds as Stewart,[40] and the GOP tilt of the district; however, "DesJarlais’ edge is not as large as the ones held by his Republican peers in Tennessee, ... DesJarlais entered the election with low name recognition, and he cannot count on the wave of conservative voters that swept Republican candidates into Congress two years ago."[41] Both candidates were running as "outsiders".[41]

As of October 12, the Romney/Ryan campaign had removed DesJarlais's endorsement from their website as reported by the Associated Press.[34][36] Local political analyst Pat Nolan said that, as of October 10, this probably would be in the news for only a few days, "but it may take longer than that for it to really sink in and for people to understand it". When it breaks and how much money they have to get their messages across are "key" for them.[42] By October 14, it had become the "State's most contentious U.S. House battle [that] has everyone talking".[43] As of October 13, analysts stated that Stewart still had an uphill battle finding enough voters to back him.[44]

On the eve of the election, November 5, the Associated Press called for Tennessee's 11 electoral votes to go to "Romney with ease." It also predicted an easy re-election for Senator Bob Corker. However, it noted "Tougher times for GOP Rep. Scott DesJarlais after revelations he once discussed abortion with mistress."[45]

Results

DesJarlais won the election 126,751 to Stewart's 99,823, with 95% of the precincts in.[46]

DailyKos noted that the race was one of the "few outliers" in 2012: "No Democratic challenger did quite so well in quite so red a district." Using regression analysis, Stewart's 44.24% tally was the second best of all Democratic candidates, compared to the 30.92% predicted share he would have gotten, all things being equal.[47]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott DesJarlais (Incumbent) 128,568 55.8
Democratic Eric Stewart 102,022 44.2
Total votes 230,590 100
Republican hold

External links

District 5

The redrawn 5th district will represent Davidson and Dickson counties, and most of Cheatham County. It is based around Nashville, all of which was restored to the district. Previously, a sliver of southwestern Nashville had been in the 7th District.[2] Democrat Jim Cooper has represented the 5th district since 2003, and previously represented the 4th district from 1983 until 1995.

Beth Harwell, the speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, may seek the Republican nomination to challenge Cooper.[48]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brad Staats 86,240 32.8
Democratic Jim Cooper (Incumbent) 171,621 65.2
Green John Miglietta 5,222 2
Total votes 263,083 100
Democratic hold

District 6

The redrawn 6th district will represent Cannon, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, White, and Wilson counties, and small northern parts of Cheatham and Van Buren counties. The most populous city in the district is Cookeville.[2] Republican Diane Black has represented the 6th district since January 2011.

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Diane Black (Incumbent) 184,383 76.4
Green Pat Riley 22,092 9.2
Independent Scott Beasley 34,766 14.4
Total votes 241,241 100
Republican hold

District 7

The redrawn 7th district will represent Chester, Decatur, Giles, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, McNairy, Montgomery, Perry, Stewart, Wayne, and Williamson counties, and parts of Benton and Maury counties. The most populous city in the district is Clarksville.[2] It is significantly more compact than its predecessor, which stretched for 200 miles from east to west but was only two miles wide in some areas of the eastern portion. Republican Marsha Blackburn has represented the 7th district since 2003.

Credo Amouzouvik, the founder and CEO of the Homeffa Foundation, a humanitarian organization for Togo, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Blackburn.[49]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marsha Blackburn (Incumbent) 182,730 71
Democratic Credo Amouzouvik 61,679 24
Green Howard Switzer 4,640 1.8
Independent William Akin 2,740 1.1
Independent Jack Arnold 4,256 1.7
Independent Lenny Ladner 1,261 0.5
Total votes 257,306 100
Republican hold
External links

District 8

The redrawn 8th district will represent Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Haywood, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, Obion, Tipton, and Weakley counties, and parts of Benton and Shelby counties. The most populous city in the district is Jackson.[2] The new district is significantly more Republican than its predecessor; the legislature pushed it further into the heavily Republican Memphis suburbs.

Republican Stephen Fincher, who has represented the 8th district since January 2011, will seek re-election.[50]

State Senator Roy Herron, who unsuccessfully challenged Fincher as the Democratic nominee in 2010, will not run.[51]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephen Lee Fincher (Incumbent) 190,923 68.3
Democratic Timothy Dixon 79,490 28.4
Independent James Hart 6,139 2.2
Independent Mark Rawles 2,870 1.1
Total votes 279,422 100
Republican hold
External links

District 9

The redrawn 9th district will represent most of Shelby County, and is based around Memphis.[2] Democrat Steve Cohen, who has represented the 9th district since 2007, is expected to seek re-election.[52]

Tomeka Hart, a Memphis City Schools board member;[52][53] and Thomas Long, the Memphis City Court Clerk,[53] will challenge Cohen in the Democratic primary.

Charlotte Bergmann, who unsuccessfully challenged Cohen as the Republican nominee in 2010, and George Flinn, a radiologist and radio magnate who ran in the Republican primary in the 8th district in 2010, will seek the Republican nomination.[54]

General Election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Flinn Jr. 59,742 23.8
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 188,422 75.1
Independent Gregory Joiner 1,372 0.5
Independent Brian Saulsberry 1,448 0.6
Total votes 250,984 100
Democratic hold
External links

References

  1. ↑ "All Key Dates". Tennessee Department of State. 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Congressional Redistricting Maps in Detail: Congressional Statewide Map". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Buckles, Kristen (February 7, 2012). "GOP Hears Candidates, Roe Staffer Bill Darden". The Greeneville Sun. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Carroll, Chris (October 1, 2011). "Wamp's son to challenge Fleischmann". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Harrison, James (December 13, 2011). "Two new candidates in 3rd District race, Bennett bows out". Nooga.com. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  6. ↑ Harrison, James (September 7, 2011). "Howard-Hill plans to challenge Fleischmann in GOP primary". Nooga.com. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  7. ↑ Harrison, James (February 3, 2012). "Mayfield enters 3rd District race". Nooga.com. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  8. ↑ Carroll, Chris (November 26, 2011). "Tres Wittum could join Republican race for 3rd District seat". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  9. ↑ Harrison, James (October 8, 2011). "Savas Kyriakidis "strongly considering" 2nd run for congress". Nooga.com. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  10. ↑ Harrison, James (December 2, 2011). "Robin Smith announces she will not run for Fleischmann's seat in 2012". Nooga.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  11. ↑ Harrison, James (January 23, 2012). "Headrick latest Democrat to join 3rd District race". Nooga.com. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  12. 1 2 Harrison, James (December 15, 2011). "Taylor first Democrat to announce bid to unseat Fleischmann". Nooga.com. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  13. ↑ Harrison, James (February 7, 2012). "First Independent files papers for 3rd District race". Nooga.com. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  14. ↑ Stockard, Sam (January 23, 2012). "Ketron won't run for Congress". The Daily News Journal. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Tennessee Sen. Jim Tracy says he won't run in 4th District congressional race". Chattanooga Times Free Press. January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  16. ↑ Sher, Andy (November 17, 2011). "State Sen. Eric Stewart announces run for Congress". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Eric Stewart Named One of Nation's Top Congressional Candidates: Gaining Momentum, DCCC Names Tenn. Fourth Congressional 'Emerging Race'". Tennessee Democratic Party. January 20, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  18. ↑ Sher, Andy (September 28, 2012). "Phil Bredesen backs Eric Stewart in 4th District". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  19. ↑ Project Vote Smart
  20. ↑ Staff report (August 2, 2012). "U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais shown winning GOP primary". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Humphrey, Tom (August 16, 2012). "Political Notebook". m.knoxnews.com. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  22. ↑ Quimby, Kelly (September 27, 2012). "Stewart planning to participate in three debates, sans opponent". Columbia Daily Herald. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  23. 1 2 Carroll, Chris (August 14, 2012). "Rep. Scott DeJarlais rejects three debates with challenger". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  24. ↑ Durham, Steve (September 29, 2012). "Opinion: Why Won't Desjarlais Debate?". Chattanoogan. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  25. ↑ Editorial Board (August 10, 2012). "Opinion: No good reason to avoid debates". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  26. ↑ Harrison, James (October 8, 2012). "Rep. Scott DesJarlais stifles opponents during pro forma session". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  27. 1 2 Sher, Andy (October 6, 2012). "Stewart: DesJarlais neglects district's farmers". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Old Divorce File Riles Tennessee". Roll Call. 2010-09-16. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  29. ↑ Woods, Jeff (September 16, 2010). "Papers from DesJarlais' Bitter Divorce Pop Up in Media". National Scene.
  30. ↑ McAuliff, Michael (October 10, 2012). "Scott DesJarlais, Pro-Life Republican Congressman And Doctor, Pressured Mistress Patient To Get Abortion". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  31. 1 2 3 Shelzig, Erik (October 10, 2012). "Transcript: Rep. DesJarlais urged abortion". Associated Press, via Yahoo News. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  32. ↑ Woods, Jeff (October 10, 2012). "Transcript: DesJarlais Pressured Patient/Mistress to Get Abortion". Nashville Scene. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  33. 1 2 3 Broden, Scott (October 10, 2012). "Updated: Stewart contends DesJarlais can't be trusted". djn.com. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  34. 1 2 Flessner, Dave (October 12, 2012). "Scott DesJarlais lashes out at Eric Stewart". Times Free Press. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  35. ↑ Press services (October 12, 2012). "Tennessee Rep. Scott DesJarlais: Mistress wasn't pregnant, no abortion". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  36. 1 2 Schelzig, Erik (October 12, 2012). "DesJarlais endorsement vanishes from Romney site". KnoxNews.com website. Associated Press. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  37. ↑ Hale, Steven (October 13, 2012). "DesJarlais Plays the Victim in Radio Appearance, Claims 'No Pregnancy and No Abortion'". Nashville Scene. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  38. ↑ Hale, Steven (October 12, 2012). "TFP: DesJarlais Says He Knew Woman Wasn't Pregnant". Nashville Scene. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Tennessee 4th District - DesJarlais vs. Stewart". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  40. 1 2 3 Carroll, Chris (September 11, 2012). "Scott DesJarlais donations outpace Eric Stewart's". Orlando Sentinel website. Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  41. 1 2 Sisk, Chaz (October 7, 2012). "Rep. Scott DesJarlais, Sen. Eric Stewart both run as outsiders in 4th District contest: Anti-Washington strategies are key". The Tennessean. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  42. ↑ TV News staff (October 10, 2012). "Political Analysts Weigh In On DesJarlais Scandal". News Channel 5. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  43. ↑ "RACE FOR THE 4TH: State's most contentious U.S. House battle has everyone talking". Shreveport Times. October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  44. ↑ Broden, Scott (October 13, 2012). "Backers believe Stewart can mend fences: But in GOP county, finding enough believers is challenge". dnj.com. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  45. ↑ "A state-by-state look at Tuesday's election". Yahoo News. Associated Press. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  46. ↑ Schelzig, Erik (November 7, 2012). "DesJarlais re-elected despite abortion revelations". WSMV-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  47. ↑ Xenocrypt (November 12, 2012). "A Surprisingly Predictable and Nationalized House Election? A preliminary look at 2012 candidates.". DailyKos. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  48. ↑ Sher, Andy (November 10, 2011). "Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell will consider bid for Congress". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  49. ↑ Erwin, Lee (March 20, 2012). "Amouzouvik Announces Candidacy for U.S. Congress". ClarksvilleNow.com. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  50. ↑ Sullivan, Bartholomew (November 22, 2012). "Rep.-elect Stephen Fincher already files for re-election in 2012". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  51. ↑ Cass, Michael (January 27, 2012). "State Sen. Roy Herron won't run for office this year". The Tennesseean. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  52. 1 2 McMillin, Zack (May 31, 2011). "Memphis school board member Tomeka Hart to run for Congress in 2012". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  53. 1 2 Sanford, Otis L. (November 13, 2011). "Otis L. Sanford: Challenging Cohen is task with long odds". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  54. ↑ Baker, Jackson (February 24, 2012). "George Flinn Mulling Over 9th District Race (that's right, 9th!)". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved February 29, 2012.

External links

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