The 4th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in southern Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Scott DesJarlais since January 2011.
Most of the district is rural, but many residents live in the suburbs of Chattanooga and Nashville. The most recent redistricting includes parts of Southeast Nashville, including some of Nashville's most densely populated neighborhoods. Much of the area is hilly, and has many well-known geographical features related to the location of portions of the district on the Cumberland Plateau.
This part of Tennessee has several well-recognized distilleries such as Duck River, George Dickel, Southern Pride, and most famously the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg.
The region encompasses many of Tennessee's higher education facilities, such as Middle Tennessee State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, the Southeast campus of Nashville State, and Bryan College.
Current boundaries The district lies mostly in the southern part of Middle Tennessee, but stretches into East Tennessee. For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), it contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST47/CD118_TN04.pdf
Bedford County (5)
All 5 communities
Bledsoe County (1)
Pikeville
Coffee County (5)
All 5 communities
Franklin County (10)
All 10 communities
Giles County (7)
All 7 communities
Grundy County (8)
All 8 communities
Lawrence County (8)
All 8 communities
Lincoln County (8)
All 8 communities
Marion County (11)
All 8 communities
Meigs County (1)
Decatur
Moore County (1)
Lynchburg
Rhea County (3)
All 3 communities
Rutherford County (7)
All 7 communities
Sequatchie County (2)
Dunlap, Lone Oak
Warren County (4)
All 4 communities
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 62% - 36%2012 PresidentRomney 66% - 34%2016 PresidentTrump 68% - 27%2018 SenateBlackburn 61% - 37% GovernorLee 66% - 33%2020 PresidentTrump 68% - 30% SenateHagerty 69% - 28%2022 GovernorLee 72% - 26%2024 PresidentTrump 71% - 28% SenateBlackburn 70% - 28%
History Throughout the 20th century, the 4th district took many different forms, but in most cases encompassed most of the rural area between Nashville and Knoxville. It has often been the state's largest district in terms of area, and one of the largest east of the Mississippi River, because of low population density and the district's rural character.
For almost thirty years (1947–1977), this area of Tennessee was represented in Congress by Joe L. Evins. (Early in his political career, his district was numbered as the "5th", but that district was almost entirely in what became the 4th after the round of redistricting following the 1950 census.) Evins' successor in Congress was future vice president Al Gore Jr., who represented the 4th from 1977 to 1983. The district's current configuration dates from the 1980 census, when Tennessee gained a new congressional seat. Parts of what were previously in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th districts were combined to form a new 4th district. Most of Gore's territory became the 6th district.
The new district incorporated pieces of heavily Republican East Tennessee and traditionally Democratic Middle Tennessee. It was so large that it stretched across five of Tennessee's eight television markets (Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, the Tri-Cities, as well as the Tennessee share of the Huntsville, Alabama, market). and five of the state's nine radio markets (the above-mentioned cities, plus Cookeville). This gave congressional races much of the feel of statewide races; candidates' advertising budgets sometimes rivaled those for governor and U.S. Senate. Open-seat races in this district were usually among the most-watched in the country. However, the district's large size and lack of unifying influences make it very difficult to unseat an incumbent. Consequently, the district's congressman was usually reckoned as a statewide figure, with a good chance for winning state office in the future.
In 1982, Democrat Jim Cooper, son of former governor Prentice Cooper, defeated Cissy Baker, daughter of Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. Cooper went on to represent the district until 1995. On paper, this district was not safe for either party, given its volatile demographics. Much of the eastern portion, for instance, had not been represented by a Democrat since before the Civil War. However, Cooper was reelected five times without serious difficulty.
Cooper gave up his seat to run for the U.S. Senate in 1994, but lost to Fred Thompson. Republican Van Hilleary won the seat as part of the massive Republican wave of that year. Hilleary was reelected three times without much difficulty, handily winning a second term even as Bill Clinton carried the district due to Gore's presence as his running mate; Gore represented much of the western portion of the district for his first three terms in the House.
In 2002, Hilleary retired to mount an ultimately unsuccessful bid to become Governor of Tennessee, and was replaced by Democratic state senator Lincoln Davis. Davis held the seat for eight years. In 2010, Davis was challenged by Republican doctor Scott DesJarlais from South Pittsburg, who rode to victory on the Tea Party wave of 2010 despite Davis raising more money. This marked the first time that an incumbent had been defeated in the district since the reformation of the district in 1982. Indeed, DesJarlais became the first challenger to defeat an incumbent Tennessee congressman in a general election since 1974. Following the 2010 census, the 4th was made slightly more compact. The district lost its northern portion, including its territory near the Tri-Cities and Knoxville. On the other hand, it gained all of Rutherford County, home of Murfreesboro, and northern Bradley County.
List of members representing the district Name Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District established March 4, 1813 John H. Bowen Democratic-Republican March 4, 1813 –March 3, 1815 Elected in 1813.Retired. 1813–1823 Bennett H. Henderson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –March 3, 1817 Elected in 1815.Retired. Samuel E. Hogg Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –March 3, 1819 Elected in 1817.Retired. Robert Allen Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1819.Re-elected in 1821.Redistricted to the . Jacob C. Isacks Democratic-Republican (Jackson) March 4, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Elected in 1823.Re-elected in 1825.Re-elected in 1827.Re-elected in 1829.Re-elected in 1831.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. 1823–1833 Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1833 James I. Standifer Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1835 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1833.Re-elected in 1835.Re-elected in 1837.Died. 1833–1843 Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –March 3, 1837 Whig March 4, 1837 –August 20, 1837 Vacant August 20, 1837 –September 14, 1837 William Stone Whig September 14, 1837 –March 3, 1839 Elected September 14, 1837, to finish Standifer's term and seated October 6, 1837.Lost re-election. Julius W. Blackwell Democratic March 4, 1839 –March 3, 1841 Elected in 1839.Lost re-election. Thomas J. Campbell Whig March 4, 1841 –March 3, 1843 Elected in 1841.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. Alvan Cullom Democratic March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1847 Elected in 1843.Re-elected in 1845.Retired. 1843–1853 Hugh Hill Democratic March 4, 1847 –March 3, 1849 Elected in 1847.Retired. John H. Savage Democratic March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1853 Elected in 1849.Re-elected in 1851.Retired. William Cullom Whig March 4, 1853 –March 3, 1855 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1853.Lost re-election. 1853–1863 John H. Savage Democratic March 4, 1855 –March 3, 1859 Elected in 1855.Re-elected in 1857.Lost re-election. William B. Stokes Opposition March 4, 1859 –March 3, 1861 Elected in 1859.Redistricted to the . Andrew J. Clements Union March 4, 1861 –March 3, 1863 Elected in 1861.Could not seek re-election, as state was under Confederate occupation. District inactive March 3, 1863 –July 24, 1866 Civil War and Reconstruction Edmund Cooper Union July 24, 1866 –March 3, 1867 Elected in 1865.Lost re-election. 1866–1873 James Mullins Republican March 4, 1867 –March 3, 1869 Elected in 1867.Retired. Lewis Tillman Republican March 4, 1869 –March 3, 1871 Elected in 1868.Retired. John M. Bright Democratic March 4, 1871 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1870.Re-elected in 1872.Redistricted to the . 1873–1883 Samuel M. Fite Democratic March 4, 1875 –October 23, 1875 Elected to begin representative-elect John W. Head's term.Died. Vacant October 23, 1875 –December 14, 1875 Haywood Y. Riddle Democratic December 14, 1875 –March 3, 1879 Elected to finish Fite's term.Re-elected in 1876.Retired. Benton McMillin Democratic March 4, 1879 –January 6, 1899 Elected in 1878.Re-elected in 1880.Re-elected in 1882.Re-elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Re-elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee and resigned when elected. 1883–1893 1893–1903 Vacant January 6, 1899 –March 3, 1899 Charles E. Snodgrass Democratic March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1903 Elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Lost renomination. Morgan C. Fitzpatrick Democratic March 4, 1903 –March 3, 1905 Elected in 1902.Retired. 1903–1913 Mounce G. Butler Democratic March 4, 1905 –March 3, 1907 Elected in 1904.Lost renomination. Cordell Hull Democratic March 4, 1907 –March 3, 1921 Elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Lost re-election. 1913–1933 Wynne F. Clouse Republican March 4, 1921 –March 3, 1923 Elected in 1920.Lost re-election. Cordell Hull Democratic March 4, 1923 –March 3, 1931 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Retired to run for U.S. senator. John R. Mitchell Democratic March 4, 1931 –January 3, 1939 Elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Retired to run for U.S. senator. 1933–1943 Albert Gore Sr. Democratic January 3, 1939 –December 4, 1944 Elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944 but resigned until next term began to enter U.S. Army for fact-finding training. 1943–1953 Vacant December 4, 1944 –January 3, 1945 Albert Gore Sr. Democratic January 3, 1945 –January 3, 1953 Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Joe L. Evins Democratic January 3, 1953 –January 3, 1977 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Retired. 1953–1963 1963–1973 1973–1983 Al Gore Democratic January 3, 1977 –January 3, 1983 Elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Redistricted to the . Jim Cooper Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 1995 Elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Retired to run for U.S. senator. 1983–1993 1993–2003 Van Hilleary Republican January 3, 1995 –January 3, 2003 Elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee. Lincoln Davis Democratic January 3, 2003 –January 3, 2011 Elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Lost re-election. 2003–2013 Scott DesJarlais Republican January 3, 2011 –present Elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2013–2023 2023–2027
See also
Tennessee's congressional districts