Political Musical Chairs - February 2018

The legislature is revving up this month as it works toward adjournment around early to mid-April. Also in early April is the filing deadline for candidates to be on the ballot in the fall elections. This means legislators on the fence about running for another term will have to make up their mind soon. Retirement announcements have slowed down somewhat, but they are likely to pick up soon. Let's update our monthly tally of the newest developments in Tennessee politics, setting up this year to be one of the most active election seasons in the state's history.

 

The field of candidates appears set. For the Republican nomination, the candidates are Congressman Diane Black, former Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, and businessman Bill Lee. State Sen. Mae Beavers was in the race, but she recently announced she is abandoning her bid. For the Democratic nomination, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh are the announced candidates. 

 

Sen. Bob Corker has announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2018, although there have been persistent rumors he make get back in the race. Republican Congressman Marsha Blackburn is favored to win the GOP nomination with former Congressman Stephen Fincher's announcement that he is dropping out of the race (while encouraging Sen. Corker to get back in the race). Former Governor Phil Bredesen has announced he is seeking the seat. Andy Ogles, recently the head of Americans for Prosperity in Tennessee, had already announced in September he would be seeking the Republican nomination, but he announced recently he will be dropping out of the race. Governor Bill Haslam thought about running for the position, but he has announced he will not be seeking the seat. Bredesen has no significant opposition to the Democratic nomination after James Mackler dropped out of the race. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, state Sen. Jef Yarbro, and Nashville businessman Bill Freeman have said they will not seek the position.

 

With Congressman Marsha Blackburn deciding to run for Sen. Bob Corker's Senate seat, Tennessee will see three new members of Congress out of nine congressional seats for the state. Congressman Diane Black is running for governor and Congressman Jimmy Duncan is retiring. Congressman Phil Roe has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, and recently he formally announced he is running for reelection. For Black’s seat, announced candidates are state Rep. Judd Matheny, along with businessman and former Commissioner of Agriculture John Rose. For Blackburn's seat, Republican state Sen. Mark Green is favored to win the GOP nomination with songwriter Lee Thomas Miller pulling out of the race, while Democrat Justin Kanew had already announced he would be seeking the seat before Blackburn's announcement. With the retirement of Congressman John Duncan, several have announced a run for the seat: current Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, businessman Brad Fullington, state GOP Executive Committee member Ken Gross, and Rep. Jimmy Matlock. Other Tennessee members of Congress have received opponents, but none of them are considered major. Congressman DesJarlais’s announced opponents include fellow Republican Jack Maddox and Democrats Mariah Phillips and Steven Reynolds.

 

With House Speaker Beth Harwell recently announcing her bid for Tennessee Governor, there will be a new speaker that will have to be elected in the 2019 legislative session. Rep. Gerald McCormick has already announced he will seek the post, touting his time as House Republican Leader. Current House Republican Leader, Glen Casada, says he will determine later if he will run for the post. Rep. David Hawk of Greeneville, House Speaker Pro Tem Curtis Johnson, Rep. Tim Wirgau and Rep. Barry Doss have been mentioned as well.

 

Sen. Mark Norris is the current state Senate Republican Leader, and should he be confirmed for the federal judgeship there will be a new leader in 2019. Confirmed to be running for the position include current Senate Commerce Chairman Jack Johnson and current Senate Government Operations Chairman Mike Bell. Rumored to be considering running for the position include Sen. Bo Watson and current Senate Finance Chairman Bill Ketron and current Senate Republican Caucus Chairman has announced he will be running for Rutherford County Mayor, and no senator has been publicly speculated to be considering the position.

Several legislators have already announced they are not running for re-election or would be giving up their seats to run for another office. Here’s a rundown of some of the announced retirements and some rumored to not be running for re-election:

• Rep. Raumesh Akbari - Announced she is running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Lee Harris.
• Rep. David Alexander – Announced he is running for Franklin County Mayor.
• Rep. Harry Brooks – Retiring from the legislature.
• Rep. Kevin Brooks - Announced he is running for Mayor of Cleveland.
• Rep. Shelia Butt - Announced she is not running for re-election
• Rep. Jimmy Eldridge – Rumored to be running for Mayor for the City of Jackson in 2019.
• Rep. Jo Anne Favors - Announced she is not running for re-election.
• Rep. Craig Fitzhugh – Announced he is running for Governor.
• Rep. John Forgety - Announced he is not seeking re-election.
• Rep. Brenda Gilmore – Announced to be running for Sen. Thelma Harper’s seat. 
• Rep. Tilman Goins - Announced he is not running for re-election.
• Rep. Marc Gravitt – Announced he is running for Hamilton County Register of Deeds.
• Speaker Beth Harwell – Announced she is running for Governor.
• Rep. Roger Kane – Running for Knox County Clerk.
• Rep. Sherry Jones - Announced she is running for Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk, but she still may be on the ballot for her state representative seat.
• Rep. Judd Matheny – Announced he is running for Cong. Diane Black’s congressional seat. 
• Rep. Jimmy Matlock – Announced he is running to succeed Congressman Jimmy Duncan who announced his retirement.
• Rep. Steve McDaniel - Tied for the representative with the longest tenure in the House and the chamber's current Deputy Speaker announced he is retiring and not seeking re-election.
• Rep. Joe Pitts – Announced he is not seeking re-election.
• Rep. Mark Pody – Elected to Sen. Mae Beavers' state Senate seat who resigned to run for Governor. Clark Boyd has been appointed to the seat.
• Rep. Charles Sargent - The current House Finance Committee Chairman announced his retirement due to health concerns.
• Rep. Courtney Rogers - Announced she is not seeking re-election.
• Rep. Art Swann – Has been appointed the seat of state Sen. Doug Overbey, who has been nominated to the position of U.S. Attorney in East Tennessee. Jerome Moon has been appointed to Swann's seat.
• Rep. Johnie Turner - Has announced she is not running for re-election
• Rep. Joe Towns -- may run for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Lee Harris.
• Rep. Dawn White – Running for Sen. Bill Ketron’s seat since he will be running for Rutherford County Mayor.

Some immediate changes are likely to come in the Senate, with two new senators when the legislature returned last month:

• Sen. Mae Beavers – Has resigned to concentrate on her race for Governor. Rep. Pody was elected to fill her term.
• Sen. Thelma Harper – Rumored to possibly not be running for re-election. 
• Sen. Bill Ketron – Running for Rutherford County Mayor.
• Sen. Lee Harris - Running for Shelby County Mayor.
• Sen. Mark Norris – Nominated for a federal judgeship. Still needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
• Sen. Doug Overbey – Confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the position of U.S. Attorney in East Tennessee. Rep. Art Swann has been appointed to the position.
• Sen. Jim Tracy - Resigned his seat after being appointed the state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office. A special election will take place in March to fill his seat.