Category Archives: TN Senate Elections

Bell, Bo, Bilbo, Berke, and Bradley

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Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) rebutted claims by Cleveland, Tenn. attorney Jim Bilbo that splitting Bradley County between an eastwardly expanded 10th senatorial district and the 9th would weaken the county’s influence in Nashville. Bell cited his past House experience, when he served part of Monroe County, as evidence:

“Every time an issue came up with TDEC, TDOT or the County Commission passed a resolution, they had two representatives speaking for them in Nashville,” he said. “Anytime we had a meeting in Nashville, they had two representatives there.”

But is that assuming that their votes don’t cancel each other out? Say, for instance, that Sen. Andy Berke still held the 10th and Bell the 9th, and both represented Bradley. Well, look no further than Hamilton County, Bell says, which today is split between Berke, a Democrat, and Sen. Bo Watson, the Republican Speaker Pro Tempore.

“When it comes to local issues, economic issues or road issues, even Berke and Watson get along,” he said. “I’m sure they don’t agree a lot on political issues, but when it comes to local issues … when it comes to economic development issues, even Berke and Watson get along on those. It’s the political issues when you have people of different parties who might not get along.

In any case, despite Bilbo’s begging, it looks somewhat likely that Bradley County will have one senator representing its northern half, and another representing the southern.

Massey wins special election in Senate District 6

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Republican candidate Becky Duncan Massey will be the next state senator in the Sixth District, according to unofficial election results posted by the Knox County Election Commission. With about 35 percent of precincts reporting, Democratic Party candidate Gloria Johnson had received 34 percent of the vote to Massey’s 67 percent in the heavily Republican district.

Turnout has been light throughout the election, reports David Oatney.

The seat was made vacant in July when former Sen. Jamie Woodson resigned to take a job in the education advocacy nonprofit SCORE. Sue Atchley served as the interim senator. The 6th remains in the Republican column, so the ratio of Republicans to Democrats remains unchanged.

Massey will be up for re-election in 2012, as the even-numbered Senate seats are on the ballot.

Senate District 6 Special Election Tuesday

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Here is the Tuesday, November 8 ballot for Tennessee’s Sixth Senate District, clipped from the Tennessee Ticket State Senate voter guide:

District 6

Gloria Johnson

Becky Duncan Massey

The City of Knoxville holds its mayoral runoff on Tuesday as well, and there are other municipal elections scheduled around the state. It’s getting a little late now, but check with your county election commission to determine for sure if there is an election in your area.

Massey nominated by GOP in Senate District 6

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Becky Duncan Massey bested two Republican rivals for the nomination in the special election to replace former Sen. Jamie Woodson in the Sixth Senate District. Knoxville City Councilwoman Marilyn Roddy received 39 percent of the vote to Massey’s 49 percent, according to unofficial results published in the Knoxville News Sentinel. Victoria DeFreese ended up with the remaining 12 percent.

Massey will face Democratic Party nominee Gloria Johnson in the November 8 general election. The district is currently drawn to favor Republican candidates, so Johnson will have to meet an uphill challenge.

Massey is from a well-known political family. Her father, former Congressman John J. Duncan Sr., was also a former mayor of Knoxville. Massey’s brother, U.S. Rep. John J. (“Jimmy”) Duncan Jr., currently represents the Second District. And her nephew, John Duncan III, is Trustee of Knox County. It is therefore almost excusable that the newspaper led its “subhed” with Massey’s maiden name, as pictured below:

In case there's any doubt, Massey is of the Duncan family.

As is so often the case, turnout was critical in this special election. When so few citizens bother to show up, a campaign with a solid get-out-the-vote apparatus can wield significant leverage.

The City of Knoxville also held elections on Tuesday. The top two vote-getters in the mayoral race, Madeline Rogero and Mark Padgett, will face each other in a runoff election on November 8.