TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Congressional Races Include Big Upset

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Aug 7, 2020
News Type: Election 2020

Former ambassador Bill Hagerty won the Republican primary yesterday in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. His resounding victory over challenger Manny Sethi came as a surprise as late-breaking polls suggested the race had tightened. In the Democratic primary, Marquita Bradshaw pulled off an upset victory over former prosecutor and Nashville lawyer James Mackler, who reportedly was the Democratic party establishment's choice. In the race for the 5th Congressional District, former public defender Keeda Haynes fell short in her bid to unseat incumbent Jim Cooper. The long-serving Cooper almost certainly will return to Congress for a 16th term, as no Republicans qualified for the race. Both Bradshaw and Haynes emphasized progressive policies, criminal justice reform and racial injustice as key elements of their campaigns. The Nashville Post has more on both of those contests. The race to fill the 1st Congressional District seat of retiring Rep. Phil Roe also drew widespread attention. In the crowded field of state legislators such as Sen. Rusty Crowe and Reps. Timothy Hill and David Hawk, as well as several mayors, political newcomer Diana Harshbarger won with 19% of the vote. In November, she will take on Democrat Blair Walsingham. Knoxcom has that story.

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