2018 Tennessee Senate election
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The 2018 Tennessee State Senate election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect 18 of the 33 seats for the Tennessee's State Senate. The elections coincided with the Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and State House elections. The primary elections were held on August 2, 2018.[1]
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November 6, 2018
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18 of the 33 seats in the Tennessee State Senate 17 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Republican hold Democratic hold No Election  50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Following the 2018 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving Tennessee's State Senate delegation at a 28–5 Republican supermajority.
Background
Following Republican Doug Overbey's appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2017, fellow Republican Art Swann was appointed to replace him. Per Tennessee state law, Swann had to run in an off-cycle election in 2018 to retain the seat for the remainder of Overbey's term.
Retirements
Three incumbents (2 Democrats and 1 Republican) did not run for re-election in 2018. Those incumbents are:
Democrats
- District 19: Thelma Harper retired.
- District 29: Lee Harris retired to run for mayor of Shelby County.
Republicans
- District 13: Bill Ketron retired to run for mayor of Rutherford County.
Incumbents defeated
In the primary election
Democrats
- District 33: Reginald Tate lost renomination to Katrina Robinson.
Predictions
Results summary
| Party | Candidates | Votes | Seats | ||||||
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| No. | % | Before | Up | Won | After | +/– | |||
| Republican | 16 | 671,278 | 58.86 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 28 |  | |
| Democratic | 15 | 459,033 | 40.25 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | | |
| Independent | 2 | 9,756 | 0.86 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Write-in | 2 | 421 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Total | 1,140,488 | 100 | 33 | 18 | 18 | 33 | | ||
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Closest race
This race was decided by a margin of under 10%:
| District | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| District 31 | Republican | 1.78% |
District 1
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November 6, 2018
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steve Southerland (incumbent) | 22,806 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 22,806 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steve Southerland (incumbent) | 43,262 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 43,262 | 100 | ||
District 2 (special)
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November 6, 2018
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Art Swann (incumbent) | 13,824 | 56.54 | |
| Republican | Scott P. Williams | 6,836 | 27.96 | |
| Republican | Wesley P. Maples | 3,792 | 15.51 | |
| Total votes | 24,452 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | J. Nathan Higdon (write-in) | 314 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 314 | 100 | ||
Special election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Art Swann (incumbent) | 55,595 | 99.28 | |
| Write-in | J. Nathan Higdon | 402 | 0.72 | |
| Total votes | 55,997 | 100 | ||
District 3
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Rusty Crowe (incumbent) | 22,481 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 22,481 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rusty Crowe (incumbent) | 50,236 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 50,236 | 100 | ||
District 5
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Randy McNally (incumbent) | 23,525 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 23,525 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Stuart Starr | 6,303 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 6,303 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Randy McNally (incumbent) | 48,336 | 71.84 | |
| Democratic | Stuart Starr | 18,948 | 28.16 | |
| Total votes | 67,284 | 100 | ||
District 7
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Briggs (incumbent) | 19,166 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 19,166 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jamie Ballinger | 9,319 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 9,319 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Briggs (incumbent) | 38,558 | 55.57 | |
| Democratic | Jamie Ballinger | 30,826 | 44.43 | |
| Total votes | 69,384 | 100 | ||
District 9
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Mike Bell (incumbent) | 24,548 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 24,548 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Carl Lansden | 4,775 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 4,775 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Bell (incumbent) | 45,006 | 77.74 | |
| Democratic | Carl Lansden | 12,887 | 22.26 | |
| Total votes | 57,893 | 100 | ||
District 11
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Bo Watson (incumbent) | 20,257 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 20,257 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Randall "Randy" Price | 8,152 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 8,152 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bo Watson (incumbent) | 51,082 | 65.14 | |
| Democratic | Randall "Randy" Price | 27,332 | 34.86 | |
| Total votes | 78,414 | 100 | ||
District 13
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dawn White (incumbent) | 10,639 | 58.22 | |
| Republican | Ernest G. Burgess | 7,635 | 41.78 | |
| Total votes | 18,274 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Kelly Northcutt | 8,217 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 8,217 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Dawn White (incumbent) | 36,594 | 57.07 | |
| Democratic | Kelly Northcutt | 25,974 | 40.50 | |
| Independent | Ginger Smith | 1,559 | 2.43 | |
| Total votes | 64,127 | 100 | ||
District 15
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Paul Bailey (incumbent) | 25,808 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 25,808 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Angela Hedgecough | 7,636 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 7,636 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Paul Bailey (incumbent) | 48,919 | 73.64 | |
| Democratic | Angela Hedgecough | 17,512 | 26.36 | |
| Total votes | 66,431 | 100 | ||
District 17
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Background
In September 2017, Tennessee state senator Mae Beavers resigned her seat to run for governor. This resignation required a special election to fill the seat for the remaining year of her term. Republican Mark Pody ran unopposed in the Republican primary, and he defeated Democrat Mary Alice Carfi in the special election, 5,995 to 5,688.[6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Mark Pody | 5,995 | 51.3 | |
| Democratic | Mary Alice Carfi | 5,688 | 48.7 | |
| Total votes | 11,683 | 100 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Pody (incumbent) | 31,437 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 31,437 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Alice Carfi | 10,460 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 10,460 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Pody (incumbent) | 53,364 | 70.39 | |
| Democratic | Mary Alice Carfi | 22,452 | 29.61 | |
| Total votes | 75,816 | 100 | ||
District 19
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Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Brenda Gilmore | 13,885 | 64.70 | |
| Democratic | Howard Jones | 5,262 | 24.52 | |
| Democratic | Sandra Moore | 1,181 | 5.50 | |
| Democratic | George Thomas | 1,132 | 5.28 | |
| Total votes | 21,460 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brenda Gilmore | 49,586 | 85.79 | |
| Independent | Christina "Chris" Callaway | 6,271 | 10.85 | |
| Independent | Rueben "Dock" Dockery | 1,926 | 3.33 | |
| Total votes | 57,783 | 100 | ||
District 21
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Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Jeff Yarbro (incumbent) | 19,402 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 19,402 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Jeff Yarbro (incumbent) | 55,905 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 55,905 | 100 | ||
District 23
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Jack Johnson (incumbent) | 26,893 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 26,893 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Kristen Grimm | 9,673 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 9,673 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Jack Johnson (incumbent) | 68,118 | 66.90 | |
| Democratic | Kristen Grimm | 33,710 | 33.11 | |
| Total votes | 101,828 | 100 | ||
District 25
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 County results Roberts: 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Kerry Roberts (incumbent) | 23,909 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 23,909 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Wade Munday | 9,078 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 9,078 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Kerry Roberts (incumbent) | 47,188 | 71.52 | |
| Democratic | Wade Munday | 18,795 | 28.49 | |
| Total votes | 65,983 | 100 | ||
District 27
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Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Ed Jackson (incumbent) | 14,404 | 70.76 | |
| Republican | Brandon Dodds | 5,951 | 29.24 | |
| Total votes | 20,355 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Savannah Williamson | 3,692 | 42.99 | |
| Democratic | Jackie Williams | 3,637 | 42.35 | |
| Democratic | John H. York Jr. | 1,259 | 14.66 | |
| Total votes | 8,588 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Ed Jackson (incumbent) | 35,837 | 65.14 | |
| Democratic | Savannah Williamson | 19,177 | 34.86 | |
| Total votes | 55,014 | 100 | ||
District 29
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Incumbent Lee Harris retired to successfully run for Shelby County Mayor.
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Raumesh Akbari | 14,861 | 58.42 | |
| Democratic | Justin Ford | 10,577 | 41.58 | |
| Total votes | 25,438 | 100 | ||
Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Tom Stephens | 3,873 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 3,873 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Raumesh Akbari | 43,851 | 83.48 | |
| Republican | Tom Stephens | 8,679 | 16.52 | |
| Total votes | 52,530 | 100 | ||
District 31
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 Precinct results Kelsey: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Salinas: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 31th senate district was based in Shelby County, and encompassed parts of East Memphis and some of Memphis's suburbs, including Cordova and Germantown. The district had been represented by Republican Brian Kelsey, who won re-election in 2014 unopposed. The district had been labeled competitive, and Kelsey was considered the most vulnerable incumbent heading into 2018, as the district had been trending leftwards due to changing demographics.[8]
Incumbent Brian Kelsey narrowly won re-election by 1.8%, defeating his Democratic opponent Gabby Salinas.[9]
In the concurrent gubernatorial and senate elections, the district voted for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee by 3.5% and Democratic senate nominee Phil Bredesen by 7.5%.[10]
Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Kelsey (incumbent) | 22,767 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 22,767 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gabby Salinas | 7,737 | 47.98% | |
| Democratic | David Weatherspoon | 6,890 | 42.73% | |
| Democratic | M. Rodanial Ray Ransom | 1,499 | 9.30% | |
| Total votes | 16,126 | 100.00% | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Brian Kelsey (incumbent) | 40,504 | 50.89% | |
| Democratic | Gabby Salinas | 39,086 | 49.11% | |
| Total votes | 79,590 | 100.00% | ||
District 33
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On January 29, 2018, Robinson announced that she would run in the Democratic primary. She defeated incumbent Senator Reginald Tate in the Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election. Tate had been censured by the Shelby County Democratic Party and Robinson was endorsed by United States Representative Steve Cohen and Senate Minority Leader Sara Kyle.
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Katrina Robinson | 14,164 | 68.66 | |
| Democratic | Reginald Tate (incumbent) | 6,464 | 31.34 | |
| Total votes | 20,628 | 100 | ||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Katrina Robinson | 42,992 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 42,992 | 100 | ||
See also
- 2018 Tennessee elections
- 2018 Tennessee House of Representatives election