Longtime Shelby County Democratic state representative John DeBerry, who served in the state legislature from 1995 to 2020, has announced his candidacy for Shelby County mayor in the Republican primary. “What folks want is basic,” he told Action News 5. “They want safe streets. They want good schools. They want to be able to take care of their families, and I think that’s not Democrat or Republican … that’s American.“ DeBerry, who currently serves as a special advisor to Gov. Bill Lee, joins Davis Henson and Gerald Kiner in vying for the Republican nomination. At least eight people have filed to run as Democrats. The countywide primary is May 5. After the May primary, Shelby County voters will return for the county general and statewide primary on Aug. 6 and the state and federal general election on Nov. 3.

Davidson County voters will decide three judicial primary races May 5 as recently appointed judges seek to retain their seats against challengers, the Nashville Banner reports. The contests include Criminal Court Division III, Circuit Court Division III and General Sessions Court Division VI, all filled in late 2025 after retirements, with appointees Jim Todd and Bethany Glandorf selected by Gov. Bill Lee and Jodie Bell appointed by Metro Council. Todd, the Criminal Court incumbent, faces challengers Dawn Deaner, a longtime public defender, and former assistant district attorney Ron Dowdy, while Glandorf, who oversees family law matters in Circuit Court, is challenged by Audrey Anderson, Corletra Mance and Tusca Alexis. In the General Sessions race, Bell, a defense attorney, will run against magistrate Michael Robinson. According to the Banner, several challengers previously applied for the same vacancies but were not selected, setting up primaries that will determine who serves the remainder of the judges’ eight-year terms.

A third Democratic candidate has emerged for state House District 59, which sits along the southern edges of Davidson County. Beth West, a Democratic Party organizer and former nonprofit executive, joins Rick Ewing and Mark Proctor in seeking the seat being vacated by Caleb Hemmer, D-Nashville. Republican Bill Hancock also is running in the Aug. 6 primary according to the Nashville Banner. West says the 2022 court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the 2023 Covenant School shooting motivated her to get involved in politics.

Just six weeks after the special election to fill a Middle Tennessee congressional district vacated by Mark Green, candidates already have begun picking up petitions to run when the term expires in November. State Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, who ran in the Democratic primary for the special election, is the latest candidate to pick up a petition. He joins Democrat Joshua Warren Sales and independent Teresa Christie. Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, who was the Democratic nominee in the special election has announced she would not run again. Rep. Matt Van Epps, who won the special election, has filed his signed petition to seek re-election. The Nashville Banner reports on the race.

Candidates for Tennessee governor have begun collecting signatures for nominating petitions, formally launching the race ahead of the Aug. 6 primaries and the November election to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee. At least a dozen candidates have declared, including Republicans Marsha Blackburn, John Rose and Monty Fritts; Democrats Carnita Atwater and Jerri Green; and independent Lauren Pinkston. Petitions are due March 10. The Tennessean reports on the candidates.

In state legislative races, the Daily Memphian reports that six of the 13 House incumbents from Shelby County picked up qualifying petitions on Friday. They are: Democrats Larry Miller, Gabby Salinas and Torrey Harris, along with Republicans Mark White, John Gillespie and Kevin Vaughan. Two incumbent state senators from Shelby County — Democrat London Lamar and Republican Brent Taylor — also picked up qualifying petitions. In East Tennessee, according to Local 3 News, Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, has announced he will seek reelection in District 28 and Sevierville Republicans Reps. Fred Atchley and Andrew Farmer also will run for reelection. In Cocke County, Republicans Kenny Cody, Jeff Fanger and Michelle Lane, Democrat Sheila McMahan and Independent Larry Brown have announced their intentions to run for a seat being vacated by Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby. In District 20, Democrat Karen Gertz is running against incumbent Rep. Tom Stinnett, R-Friendsville. In Knoxville, Democratic Reps. Sam McKenzie and Gloria Johnson picked up petitions to run for reelection, as did Republican incumbents Reps. Dave Wright, Justin Lafferty and Jason Zachary. In District 18, Elliot Schuchardt picked up a petition to challenge incumbent Rep. Elaine Davis in the Republican primary. And for the Knox County Senate seat, Kent Morrell picked up a petition to challenge incumbent Rep. Richard Briggs in the Republican primary. WBIR has more on the races.

State Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, says she will bypass a repeat bid for Congress in favor of running for reelection to the state legislature, Axios Nashville reports. Behn ran for Congress last month in a special U.S. House election. She bested a competitive Democratic primary field but lost to Matt Van Epps by nine percentage points. In a recent Instagram post, Behn said the campaign took a physical and emotional toll after she received "a daily deluge" of violent threats. Her family also was harassed and stalked online. "This decision is about keeping myself and my family safe while continuing to care loudly for my constituents," she said in a press release. Behn also announced she will use the remainder of her campaign funds to "build organizing capacity in Tennessee while honoring our campaign commitment to fund a Davidson County organizer for the '26 cycle."

Longtime Oracle Corp. executive Rick Ewing will run on the Democratic ticket to represent state House District 59, the South Nashville seat being vacated by fellow Democrat Caleb Hemmer. In an interview with the Nashville Business Journal, Ewing said he wants to run as "an extension of the community work I've already been doing, that already excites me. In my family, that's just sort of what is asked and demand of you, and has been for generations. ... I like talking to people about what Nashville needs, what the state needs." Ewing is a manager of customer success for Oracle's health sciences clients. He joins retired state Highway Patrol Lt. Col. Mark Proctor in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, Bill Hancock, an accounts executive with health care company Clinisys Inc. and an affiliate broker with Benchmark Realty, has indicated his intent to run.

Army veteran and former Sumner County Commissioner Chris Hughes has announced his campaign for Tennessee House District 45, the Nashville Banner reports. The seat is being vacated by Republican Johnny Garrett, who is running for Congress. Hughes says he is an “America First” conservative, who, if elected, would work to grow small businesses, eliminate property taxes, cut unnecessary licenses and fees, protect natural resources, and incentivize teachers who graduate from Tennessee colleges to teach in the state. The race will be on the ballot for the August primary and November general election.

Shelby County voters will head to the polls for countywide primary elections on May 5, with races including Shelby County mayor, all 13 county commission districts, court clerks, the assessor of property, sheriff, trustee, register of deeds, and Memphis-Shelby County Schools and Arlington Community Schools school board seats, the Commercial Appeal reports. Candidates began picking up petitions on Dec. 22, 2025, with the qualifying deadline set for Feb. 19 and the withdrawal deadline Feb. 26. Absentee ballot requests start Feb. 4 and end April 25. The voter registration deadline is April 6, and early voting runs from April 16 to April 30. After the May primary, Shelby County voters will return for the county general and statewide primary on Aug. 6 and the state and federal general election on Nov. 3.

Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Peck has announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for the Division II seat on the 11th Judicial District Circuit Court in Hamilton County, according to a press release. Peck currently serves in the position, having been appointed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 9 to succeed Circuit Court Judge Mike Dumitru, who was appointed as a federal magistrate earlier this year. Peck grew up on Signal Mountain and earned her law degree from Regent University. Before her judicial appointment, she ran a law practice focused on domestic relations, litigation and mediation. The Republican primary for the seat set for May 5, 2026.