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2008 Tennessee Senate election
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The 2008 Tennessee State Senate election was held on November 4, 2008, to elect 16 of the 33 seats for the Tennessee's State Senate. The elections coincided with the Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and State House elections. The primary elections were held on August 7, 2008.
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Republicans gained 3 seats, reclaiming and expanding their majority that they gained in 2004.[2][3]
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Background
On March 14, 2007, Michael Williams announced that he was leaving the Senate Republican Caucus and becoming an Independent.[4][5][6][7] This left the Senate evenly divided, with 16 Democrats, 16 Republicans, and one Independent. In explaining his move, Williams said: "Some in the [Republican] party are leading us down a path of bitterness and divisiveness and, in doing so, they have left me. I have not left them." Senate leaders from both parties said Williams' move would make little difference because, as Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle stated, "Mike Williams has never been a guaranteed vote for anyone." Williams decided to seek re-election in 2008. The district he represented is generally regarded as strongly Republican, but Williams said he believes voters appreciate independence. "The largest voting bloc in the state of Tennessee is Independents," he said. "They're just not organized."
In the 2007-2008 edition of the Tennessee Blue Book, Williams listed his party affiliation as "Independent NASCAR Fan."[8]
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Predictions
Results summary
Closest races
Four races were decided by a margin of under 10%:
District 2
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District 4
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District 6
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District 8
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District 10
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District 12
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District 14
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District 16
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District 18
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District 20
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District 22
Summarize
Perspective
Primaries
General election background
Election officials certified Rosalind Kurita's primary victory. However, Tim Barnes contested the results, claiming that Kurita only won because a large number of Republicans crossed over to vote in Tennessee's open Democratic primary.[11] On September 13, Tennessee Democratic Party officials met in Nashville and voted to strip Kurita of the nomination. Party officials in Kurita's district then held a convention and designated Barnes as the party's candidate in the November general election. Kurita had been on bad terms with party leadership because of her vote for Republican Ron Ramsey, enabling him to win election as Senate speaker.[12]
Kurita also sued the state Democratic Party in federal court, seeking to have her name restored to the ballot.[13] Her lawsuit charged that the Tennessee law allowing political party officials to rule on challenges to primary election results violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution because it has no procedural rules to protect due process and it does not allow for judicial review. The complaint also contended that Kurita's rights were violated because rules for the party's review of the primary results were not adopted until the morning of the review meeting, and that the Democratic Party officials did not adequately explain their reasons for overturning the election results.[13] On October 15, 2008, Judge Robert L. Echols of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee dismissed her complaint. His ruling stated that when primary election results are contested, under Tennessee law the primary board (in this instance the Democratic Party executive committee) has the authority to decide on the party's nominee. Kurita said she would appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, but this effort did not result in the revocation of Barnes having been awarded the nomination.[14]
Kurita subsequently announced that she would seek re-election in November as a write-in candidate.[15]
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District 24
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District 26
On March 20, 2008, former long-time Democratic Speaker of the Tennessee Senate and Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee, John Wilde announced his decision not to run for re-election.[16]
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District 28
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District 30
Steve Cohen resigned from the chamber shortly after his election in 2004 to the United States House of Representatives, the Shelby County Commission appointed Shea Flinn to fill the seat until a special election could be held.[17] In March 2007, Marrero won the special election for the state senate seat.[18]
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District 32
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See also
References
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