Tennessee
Tennessee state House sees no major party shifts after 2024 election
Tennessee Republicans continued to hold a grip on legislative politics in Tennessee with a wave of House victories across the state Tuesday night, though it was an election night more defined by the status quo as both parties maintained their numbers in the House.
Democrats sought to capitalize on a turbulent two years in House politics and claw back a few seats from the GOP’s 75-member a supermajority in the 99-seat House. Democrats eyed bids to flip some of the five competitive seats in Knox, Montgomery, Shelby and Rutherford counties.
Republicans, meanwhile, eyed potential gains in Montgomery and Davidson counties.
In the end, none of those results materialized, for either party. Instead, each party managed to hold on to a handful of open seats.
In House District 67, incumbent Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, clung to his seat by less than 130 votes, narrowly holding off Republican challenger Jamie Pelz.
Another close race in the Montgomery County area was the House District 75 race, where first-time candidate Allie Phillips challenged incumbent Rep. Jeff Burkhart, R-Clarksville.
Phillips, who was inspired to run for office after a personal experience with abortion access and pregnancy loss, ran a heavy ground game and garnered substantial donations in one of the more vulnerable districts in the state.
But Burkhart was able to hold on, leading Phillips by about 700 votes as of 9:30 p.m., maintaing the seat for Republicans.
In Nashville’s House District 60, gun safety advocate Shaundelle Brooks narrowly defeated former Republican legislative aide Chad Bobo, who received financial backing from more than a dozen sitting GOP lawmakers in an effort to flip the open Davidson County seat.
Brooks led with about 55% of the vote to Bobo’s 45%.
Here’s a look at other contested legislative races, according to unofficial results as of early Wednesday morning.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 3
Incumbent Rep. Timothy Aaron Hill, R-Blountville, won reelection against Democrat Lori Love.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 5
Incumbent Rep. David Hawk, R-Greenville, won reelection against independent candidate Rebecca Anderson.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 6
Incumbent Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray, won reelection against Democrat Brad Batt.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, won reelection against Democrat Sylvain Bruni.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 8
Incumbent Rep. Jerome Moon, R-Maryville, won reelection against Democrat Sue Dubois.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 11
Incumbent Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, won reelection against Democrat Justin Gross.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 12
Republican Fred Atchley beat out Democrat Leslie Braddock to win the open seat vacated by Rep. Dale Carr, R-Sevierville.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 13
Incumbent Rep. Robert Stevens, R-Smyrna, handily defeated Democrat Jonathan Yancey in the District 13 race. Stevens, who previously served on the Rutherford County Commission, won a second term in the state legislature.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 14
Incumbent Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, beat Democrat Amanda Collins.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 15
Incumbent Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, beat Republican Justin Hirst.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 16
Incumbent Rep. Michele Carringer, R-Knoxville, won reelection against Democrat Lauren Carver.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 18
Incumbent Rep. Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, won reelection against Democrat Bryan Goldberg.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Republican Tom Stinnett won election against Democrat Karen Gertz in the open seat, which was vacated by Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, when he launched a failed state Senate bid.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 21
Incumbent Rep. Lowell Russell, R-Vonore, defeated Democrat Kenneth Moore.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 22
Incumbent Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, won reelection against Democrat Anna Grabowski.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 23
Incumbent Rep. Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, won reelection against Democrat David Thomforde.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 24
Incumbent Rep. Kevin Raper, R-Cleveland, won reelection against Democrat Andrea Chase.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 25
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, won reelection against Democrat Wesley Adkins.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 26
Incumbent Rep. Greg Martin won reelection against Democrat Allison Gorman.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 27
Michele Reneau, a Republican who toppled the seat’s incumbent in the primary, beat out Kathy Lennon.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 28
Incumbent Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, won reelection against independent candidate Thomas Brooks.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 29
Incumbent Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, defeated Democrat Ryan Scofield to win reelection.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 30
Incumbent Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, won reelection against Democrat Heather McClendon.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Rep. Ron Travis, R-Dayton, defeated Democrat Brittany Lynn Warfel and independent William Jenkins to win reelection.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 33
Republican Rick Scarbrough beat Democrat Anne Backus for the seat, previously held by Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 34
Incumbent Rep. Time Rudd, R-Mrufreesboro, beat Democrat Amelia Pant in the House District 34 race. Rudd has served in the legislature since 2017.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 35
Incumbent Rep. William Slater, R-Gallatin, won reelection Tuesday against Democrat Lexi Melton. Slater, a dean at a private Christian college in Gallatin, is a voucher support and a self-described “pro-life” legislator.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 37
Incumbent Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfreesboro, won a fourth term over Democrat Cheri Brown.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 38
Incumbent Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, won reelection against independent candidate Alexander Armor.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 39
Incumbent Rep. Iris Rudder, R-Winchester, defeated Democrat Rose Mary Drake to win reelection.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 40
Incumbent Rep. Michale Hale, R-Smithville, defeated Democrat Daniel Hawthorne to win reelection.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 41
Incumbent Rep. Ed Butler, R-Rickman, defeated Democrat Joel Derek Hawn to win reelection.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 42
Incumbent Rep. Ryan Williams, R- Cookeville, won reelection against Democrat Amber Taylor.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 44
House Majority Leader and incumbent Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, won reelection against Democrat Brian Robertson in House District 44. Lamberth, among the most influential members of the GOP caucus, will likely sponsor Gov. Bill Lee’s statewide voucher proposal next year.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 45
Incumbent Rep. Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, won reelection against Democrat Alison Beale in House District 45. Garrett, the House majority whip, has served in the legislature since 2019.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 46
Incumbent Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon, won reelection for a fourth term against Democrat Joni Cochran.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 47
Incumbent Rep. Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma, won reelection against independent Veronica Owens.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 48
Incumbent Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, won reelection against Democrat Matt Ferry.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 49
Incumbent Rep. Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna, won reelection against Democrat Luis Mata.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 50
Incumbent Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, won reelection against Republican challenger and Metro Council member Jennifer Frensley Webb.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 51
Incumbent Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, handily won reelection for her second term in a race without a Republican challenger. An independent candidate, Jeff Ketelsen, did not have a significant campaign presence.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 52
Incumbent Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, won reelection to his Davidson County seat against Republican challenger Laura Nelson.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 53
Incumbent Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, won reelection to his seventh term against Republican Yog Nepal and independent candidate Rueben Dockery.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 57
Incumbent Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, won reelection against Democrat Ailina Carona.
Tennessee State House of Representatives District 60
In the rare open seat this cycle, gun safety reform advocate Shaundelle Brooks, a Democrat, narrowly beat out Republican and former legislative aide Chad Bobo. The seat was vacated by Rep. Darren Jernigan, D-Nashville, who is transitioning to a new job with Metro Nashville.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, won reelection to his second term in the House against Democrat Clair Jones and independent Alana LeBlanc.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 63
Incumbent Rep. Jake McCalmon, R-Franklin, won reelection to a second term against Franklin physician Dr. Laura Andreson, a Democrat.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 64
Incumbent Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, handily won reelection against Democrat Eileen Longstreet.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 65
Real estate lawyer Lee Reeves, a Republican, picked up House District 65 against Democrat LaRhonda Williams. The Williamson County district was an open seat following the retirement of Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 66
Incumbent Rep. Sabi Kumar, R-Springfield, won reelection against Democrat Elizabeth Webb and independent candidate Kevin Mead.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 67
Incumbent Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, won a very narrow victory against Republican Jamie Dean Peltz.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 68
Republican Aron Maberry, a Clarksville-Montgomery County school board member and Clarksville pastor, was elected in House District 68, a seat left open by the retirement of Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 70
Incumbent Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, won reelection against Democrat Jason Luttrell.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 71
Incumbent Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown, won reelection against Democrat Tim Coy.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 75
Incumbent Rep. Jeff Burkhart, R-Clarksville, won a second term in a close race against Democrat Allie Phillips.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 76
Incumbent Rep. Tandy Darby, R-Greenfield, won reelection against independent candidate James Hart.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 78
Incumbent Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, won reelection over Democrat Deborah Castle Doyle. Littleton currently chairs the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee and is a frequent sponsor of legislation on divisive cultural issues, like a bill this year that codified protections for anti-LGBTQ foster parents.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 80
Incumbent Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, won reelection against Republican challenger Brad Grantham.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 83
Incumbent Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, held the lead early Wednesday against Democratic challenger Noah Nordstrom.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 86
Incumbent Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, won reelection against independent candidate Jeff Johnston.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 88
Incumbent Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis, won reelection against Republican Larry Hunter.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 89
Incumbent Rep. Justin Lafferty, R-Knoxville, won reelection against Democrat Cary Hammond.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 92
Incumbent Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, won reelection over Democrat Teri Mai in District 92.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 93
Incumbent Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, won reelection against Republican Renarda Renee Clariett.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 94
Incumbent Rep. Ron Gant, R-Piperton, won reelection against Democrat Terry Saine.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 97
Incumbent Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, held the lead early Wednesday against against Democrat Jess Huseth.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 98
Incumbent Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, won reelection against Republican Cecil Hale.
Tennessee House of Representatives District 99
Incumbent Rep. Tom Leatherwood, R-Arlington, won a decisive reelection victory against independent candidate William Mouzon.
Tennessee
Childhood friends reunite during cancer treatments 50 years after serving in Tennessee National Guard together
A pair of childhood classmates who served together in the Tennessee National Guard reconnected during their cancer treatments nearly 50 years after they fell out of touch.
Billy Taylor, a two-time cancer survivor, wasn’t entirely surprised when he found himself back at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at TriStar Natchez in Dickson, Tennessee, for yet another round of radiation, WSMV 4 reported.
At the same time, Randy Duke was riding his motorcycle to the same center for daily radiation and chemotherapy treatments as he fights an aggressive throat cancer.
For weeks, neither knew that they were incidentally crossing paths with an old friend.
Duke and Taylor attended school together in White Bluff, Tennessee — just 10 miles outside of Dickson — and were in the same training unit in the Volunteer State’s National Guard.
They lost contact in 1979 when Taylor left the guard to pursue his own business, and figured that was the end of things.
Taylor recognized Duke’s name immediately when he heard a nurse call for him while they were both in the waiting room at the center. Physically, though, Duke looked like a stranger — and vice versa.
“I didn’t know for sure that was him because we changed so much. I wouldn’t have known him if I hadn’t heard his name. I would have never guessed in a million years who he was,” Taylor told WSMV 4.
Taylor didn’t say anything until he got a closer look at Duke in the parking lot three days later.
“Drake, is that you?” Taylor recounted shouting at Duke.
Duke always went by his middle name, Drake, in school because there were so many other students named Randy.
“Oh my goodness, yeah. I can see it now, Billy Ray, and I was glad to see him,” Duke remembered replying while Taylor reintroduced himself.
The pair have been inseparable ever since. They spent hours catching up and reflecting on “all the crazy stuff” they did in the Guard — effectively filling a gaping hole in Duke’s life.
When Duke first started his cancer treatments, he knew it would be difficult, but he told the outlet that the lack of real connection was even harder.
“We used to know everybody in White Bluff. Now, we don’t hardly know anybody. We go to a restaurant and I’m searching for somebody I know up there,” he said.
Now, he and Taylor are leaving for their morning appointments a little earlier so they can carve out extra time to chat in the waiting room.
“We could sit out there and talk. It got our mind off things too. It was just a good feeling to see him again. You don’t see many people that you’ve not seen in 48 years,” Taylor told the outlet.
“As you get older, you’ve got less and less time to meet them. So, it might be a good time to do it,” Duke added.
When Taylor completed his treatments, he rang the center’s chemo bell with Duke by his side. Taylor said he plans to do the same for Duke when he finishes his treatments in June.
Duke, meanwhile, is hoping to secure a part-time job with Taylor when he’s well enough so they can work side-by-side as they did in their youth.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Nashville Soccer Club has been named Tennessee’s 2026 “Professional Team of the Year” for its historic 2025 season. Nashville SC and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (TSHOF) made the announcement Wednesday.
In 2025, Nashville SC became the first professional sports team in Tennessee to win a championship with its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. The team also qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.
“This year’s Achievement Award honorees reflect the very best of Tennessee’s rich sports tradition — from legends who’ve inspired generations to rising stars making their mark on the national stage,“ said Harold Graeter, chairman of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors. ”We are proud to honor these individuals and teams whose dedications, excellence, and impact represent what the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Stands for.”
In addition to their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title and qualification to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Nashville SC said it set multiple club records in 2025, including:
- The most single season wins in Nashville SC history (22)
- The most single season MLS wins in Nashville SC history (17)
- The longest unbeaten streaks in Nashville SC history (15 all competitions, 12 MLS)
- The most single season home wins in Nashville SC history (15)
- The most single season goals in Nashville SC history (75)
- The most MLS All-Stars in Nashville SC history with three (Hany Mukhtar, Andy Najar, Sam Surridge)
The TSHOF will formally present Nashville SC with its award at its 2026 Banquet at the Omni Nashville Downtown on July 11.
Nashville SC said this honor is the third TSHOF Achievement Award in the club’s history, with the others including principal owner John Ingram’s 2022 ‘Tennessean of the Year’ recognition and Hany Mukhtar’s 2023 ‘Professional Player of the Year’ honors.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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