2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

The 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee was held on November 2, 2010, to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state of Tennessee, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts.

During the general elections, the Republicans flipped Tennessee's 4th, 6th, and 8th congressional districts, which changed Tennessee's House delegation from a 5-4 Democratic majority to a 7-2 Republican majority.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2010PartyVotesPercentageSeats BeforeSeats After+/– Republican 955,078 61.26% 4 7 3 Democratic 541,527 34.73% 5 2 3 Independent 62,515 4.01% 0 0 0Write-in90.00% 0 0 0 Totals 1,559,129 100.00% 9 9 —

By district Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee by district:

DistrictRepublicanDemocraticOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 123,006 80.84% 26,045 17.12% 3,110 2.04% 152,161 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 141,796 81.78% 25,400 14.65% 6,184 3.57% 173,380 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 3 92,032 56.79% 45,387 28.01% 24,637 15.20% 162,056 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 4 103,969 57.07% 70,254 38.56% 7,968 4.37% 182,191 100.0% Republican gainDistrict 5 74,204 42.07% 99,162 56.23% 2,996 1.70% 176,362 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 6 128,517 67.26% 56,145 29.38% 6,422 3.36% 191,084 100.0% Republican gainDistrict 7 158,916 72.37% 54,347 24.75% 6,320 2.88% 219,583 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 8 98,759 58.99% 64,960 38.80% 3,686 2.20% 167,405 100.0% Republican gainDistrict 9 33,879 25.11% 99,827 74.00% 1,201 0.89% 134,907 100.0% Democratic holdTotal 955,078 61.26% 541,527 34.73% 62,524 4.01% 1,559,129 100.0%

District 1

This district covers northeast Tennessee, including all of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties and parts of Jefferson County and Sevier County. It had been represented by Republican Phil Roe since 2009. The winner of the GOP primary was all but assured of representing the district in Congress as this is one of the safest seats for the GOP; it had held the seat continuously since 1881 and, since prior to the Civil War, the GOP or its predecessors had held the seat for all but four years. Democratic primary Michael Clark

Republican primary Phil Roe, incumbent Mahmood "Michael" Sabri

General election

from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal BallCrystal Ball, November 1, 2010RCPRealClearPolitics, November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 2

This district lies in the east central part of the state, based in Knoxville and is largely coextensive with that city's metropolitan area. It had been represented by Republican Jimmy Duncan since November, 1988. The GOP or its predecessors had held the seat continuously since prior to the Civil War. It had been represented by Republican Jimmy Duncan since November 1988. Duncan won re-election in a landslide, carrying every county with over 80% of the vote.

Democratic primary Dave Hancock

Republican primary Jimmy Duncan, incumbent

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times

District 3

This gerrymandered district, which stretches from the Chattanooga metropolitan area in southern Tennessee to Claiborne County in northern Tennessee, is strongly conservative and had been represented by Republican Congressman Zach Wamp since his initial 1994 election. Zach Wamp announced that he would be running for governor in 2010, leaving the third district open. Democratic primary Alicia Mitchell Brenda Freeman Short Brent Davis Staton John Wolfe Jr., attorney and perennial candidate Larry J. Abeare Sr (write-in)

Republican primary Tommy Crangle Chuck Fleischmann, attorney Tim Gobble Harvey Howard Jean Howard-Hill Van Irion Rick Kernea Basil Marceaux, perennial candidate Art Rhodes Robin Smith, former TNGOP Chairwoman Grover Travillian

General election

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 4

Democratic incumbent Lincoln Davis ran for re-election, challenged by Republican nominee Scott DesJarlais, a physician in Jasper, and Independents Paul H. Curtis (PVS), James

Gray (campaign site, PVS), Richard S. Johnson (PVS), and Gerald York (campaign site, PVS).

Davis had represented the district since 2003. He turned down a run for governor, deciding to run for re-election instead.

This district lies in Middle and East Tennessee.

Scott DesJarlais (R) won the election. Democratic primary

Lincoln Davis

Republican primary

Scott DesJarlais Jack Bailey Kent Greenough Ronald L. Harwell Donald "Don" Strong

General election from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 5

Tennessee’s 5th congressional district was centered on Nashville and included portions of the surrounding area. The district was anchored by the majority of Nashville–Davidson County, making Nashville its largest city and primary population center. In addition to Nashville, the district extended into parts of Cheatham County and Wilson County. This included communities such as Ashland City, Pleasant View, and Pegram in Cheatham County, as well as most of Lebanon, as well as Mount Juliet, and Green Hill in Wilson County. It had been represented by Democrat Jim Cooper since 2003.

Jim Cooper (D) won re-election with 56.2% of the vote. This election was Cooper's closest congressional race. Democratic primary

Jim Cooper Eric Pearson Eric Schechter

Republican primary

David Hall Jeffery Alan Hartline CeCe Heil Vijay Kumar Patrick Miranda Jarod D. Scott Lonnie Spivak Alvin M. Strauss Bob Ries Bob Schwartz Tracy C. Tarum

General election from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 6

This district lies in Middle Tennessee, including all of Bedford, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Marshall, Overton, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, and Trousdale Counties, as well as a portion of Wilson County. It had been represented by Democrat Bart Gordon since 1985. Gordon announced on December 14, 2009, that he would not be seeking another term, leaving the sixth district open.

State Senator Jim Tracy, State Senator Diane Black, Rutherford County Republican Chairwoman Lou Ann Zelenik, United States Army Reserve Major General Dave Evans, realtor Gary Mann, and businessman Kerry Roberts ran for the Republican nomination. Democratic candidates included lawyer and Iraq veteran Brett Carter, aviation safety inspector George Erdel, ex-marine Ben Leming, Henry Barry, and Devora Butler.

The nominees were Brett Carter (D) and Diane Black (R).

Diane Black (R) won the election. Democratic primary Henry Clay Barry Devora E. Butler Brett Carter George T. Erdel Ben Leming Write-in - Floyd R. Conover Write-in - Martin L.C. Kelly, Jr.

Republican primary Diane Black Dave Evans Gary Dewitt Mann Bruce McLellan Kerry E. Roberts Jim Tracy Lou Ann Zelenik

General election

from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 7

Tennessee’s 7th congressional district stretched from portions of Shelby County in West Tennessee through parts of Middle Tennessee which included the majority of Williamson County and a part of southern suburban Nashville and northward to include Clarksville in Montgomery County, resulting in an unusually long and narrow configuration that combined distant suburban and rural areas into a single congressional district. It had been represented by Republican Marsha Blackburn since 2003. She faced a challenge from Austin Peay University professor and Democrat Dr. Greg Rabidoux.

Marsha Blackburn (R) won re-election. Democratic primary

Greg Rabidoux

Republican primary

Marsha Blackburn

General election from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

District 8

Democratic incumbent John Tanner, who had represented the district since 1989, announced his retirement in December 2009 leaving the eighth district open.

Stephen Fincher was the Republican nominee, and State Senator Roy Herron was the Democratic nominee. Also on the ballot are Tea Party candidate Donn Janes (campaign site, PVS), who earlier dropped out of the Republican primary, and Independent Mark J. Rawles (campaign site, PVS).

This district covers roughly the northwestern part of the state.

Stephen Fincher (R) won the election. Democratic primary

Roy Herron Kimberlee E. Smith

Republican primary Stephen Fincher comfortably secured the Republican nominee receiving 48.5% of the vote against his main appointments George Flynn and Ron Kirkland.

James L. Hart, who had previously attempted to run in 2006 and 2008 and ran in 2004, attempted to run again. Republican state leadership successfully petitioned to have him removed from the ballot on the grounds that he was not a bona fide member of the party. Hart's attorney when he first challenged to remain on the ballot in 2006 was Richard Barrett, the Mississippi white nationalist leader."Lawyer says Hart could challenge disqualification -- Law state used wasn't 'prequalified,' he says;" Bartholomew Sullivan. The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tenn.: April 20, 2006. pg. B.11 Heart ended up having a write-In campaign where he only received 4 votes in the Republican primary and 5 votes in the general election.

Candidates Stephen Fincher George Flinn Ron Kirkland Randy Smith Ben Watts Write-In – James L. Hart, a white supremacist, segregationist activist and political candidate in Buchanan, Tennessee

General election

from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Race profile at The New York Times

Endorsements Herron had been endorsed by the state's two largest newspapers, the Memphis Commercial Appeal and the Nashville Tennessean.