Williamson County General Sessions Court Judge Denise Andre will run for reelection in the May 3, 2022, Republican primary, Williamson Herald reports. Andre has held the Division 1 seat since 2006. Among the accomplishments she touts are creating the first General Sessions DUI Recovery Court in the county; starting the first General Sessions TNRocs docket in the state, which addresses drug offenders who also have co-occurring behavioral health issues; serving as president of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference; and being involved in a wide range of legal and community organizations.

Nashville businessman Quincy McKnight has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, the Tennessean reports. That seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper and has been controlled by a Democrat for almost 150 years. McKnight, who is the CEO of a privately held payment processing company, made the announcement Thursday, touting his small business ownership and focusing much of his speech on the issue of jobs and the economy. Cooper also faces competition from fellow Democrat Odessa Kelly, who announced plans to run for the seat in April. The news comes as Cooper’s office undergoes staff changes, with the Nashville Post reporting earlier this week that longtime chief of staff, Lisa Quigley, is departing this summer.

Nashville attorney Wendy Longmire today announced that she has launched a campaign for First Circuit Court in Davidson County. Longmire previously clerked for Circuit Court Judge Walter Kurtz and has practiced at Nashville’s Ortale Kelley for 35 years. “After 35 years of civil law practice, I know that my experience has been an apprenticeship for this position,” Longmire said in the announcement. “I will put my experience to work for my community and strive to promote public confidence in our judicial system.”

Coffee County attorney William Lockhart has announced his campaign for 14th Judicial District Circuit Court judge, the Tullahoma News reports. Lockhart currently practices in Manchester at Burch & Lockhart. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, he served as Coffee County Bar Association president from 2015-2021. He also serves on the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Lockhart is presently a candidate for the governor’s appointment to the seat being vacated by Judge L. Craig Johnson. He indicated he will run regardless of who the governor chooses.