2018 Tennessee State Senate election|
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Republican hold Democratic hold
No Election
Results by gains and holds
50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90%
80–90% >90%
Results by winning party vote share |
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The 2018 Tennessee State Senate election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect 18 of the 33 seats for the Tennessee's State Senate. The elections coincided with the Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and State House elections. The primary elections were held on August 2, 2018.[1]
Following the 2018 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving Tennessee's State Senate delegation at a 28–5 Republican supermajority.
Background
Following Republican Doug Overbey's appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2017, fellow Republican Art Swann was appointed to replace him. Per Tennessee state law, Swann had to run in an off-cycle election in 2018 to retain the seat for the remainder of Overbey's term.
Retirements
Three incumbents (2 Democrats and 1 Republican) did not run for re-election in 2018. Those incumbents are:
Democrats
- District 19: Thelma Harper retired.
- District 29: Lee Harris retired to run for mayor of Shelby County.
Republicans
- District 13: Bill Ketron retired to run for mayor of Rutherford County.
Incumbents defeated
In the primary election
Democrats
- District 33: Reginald Tate lost renomination to Katrina Robinson.
Predictions
Results summary
Summary of the November 6, 2018 Tennessee Senate election results
| Party
|
Candidates
|
Votes
|
Seats
|
| No.
|
%
|
Before
|
Up
|
Won
|
After
|
+/–
|
|
|
Republican
|
16
|
671,278
|
58.86
|
28
|
14
|
14
|
28
|
|
|
|
Democratic
|
15
|
459,033
|
40.25
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
|
|
|
Independent
|
2
|
9,756
|
0.86
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
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|
|
|
Write-in
|
2
|
421
|
0.04
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
| Total
|
1,140,488
|
100
|
33
|
18
|
18
|
33
|
|
| Source: [1]
|
Popular vote
|
|
|
| Republican |
|
58.86% |
| Democratic |
|
40.25% |
| Other |
|
0.90% |
Senate seats
|
|
|
| Republican |
|
84.85% |
| Democratic |
|
15.15% |
Closest race
This race was decided by a margin of under 10%:
| District
|
Winner
|
Margin
|
| District 31
|
Republican
|
1.78%
|
District 1
2018 Tennessee's 1st Senate district election|
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Republican primary
General election
District 2 (special)
2018 Tennessee's 2nd Senate district special election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
Special election
District 3
2018 Tennessee's 3rd Senate district election|
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Republican primary
General election
District 5
2018 Tennessee's 5th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 7
2018 Tennessee's 7th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 9
2018 Tennessee's 9th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 11
2018 Tennessee's 11th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 13
2018 Tennessee's 13th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 15
2018 Tennessee's 15th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 17
2018 Tennessee's 17th Senate district election|
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Background
In September 2017, Tennessee state senator Mae Beavers resigned her seat to run for governor. This resignation required a special election to fill the seat for the remaining year of her term. Republican Mark Pody ran unopposed in the Republican primary, and he defeated Democrat Mary Alice Carfi in the special election, 5,995 to 5,688.[6][7]
Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 19
2018 Tennessee's 19th Senate district election|
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Democratic primary
General election
District 21
2018 Tennessee's 21st Senate district election|
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Democratic primary
General election
District 23
2018 Tennessee's 23rd Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 25
2018 Tennessee's 25th Senate district election|
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County results
Roberts: 60–70% 70–80% |
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 27
2018 Tennessee's 27th Senate district election|
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Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 29
2018 Tennessee's 29th Senate district election|
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Incumbent Lee Harris retired to successfully run for Shelby County Mayor.
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
District 31
2018 Tennessee's 31st Senate district election|
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Precinct results
Kelsey: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Salinas: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% |
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The 31th senate district was based in Shelby County, and encompassed parts of East Memphis and some of Memphis's suburbs, including Cordova and Germantown. The district had been represented by Republican Brian Kelsey, who won re-election in 2014 unopposed. The district had been labeled competitive, and Kelsey was considered the most vulnerable incumbent heading into 2018, as the district had been trending leftwards due to changing demographics.[8]
Incumbent Brian Kelsey narrowly won re-election by 1.8%, defeating his Democratic opponent Gabby Salinas.[9]
In the concurrent gubernatorial and senate elections, the district voted for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee by 3.5% and Democratic senate nominee Phil Bredesen by 7.5%.[10]
Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 33
2018 Tennessee's 33rd Senate district election|
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On January 29, 2018, Robinson announced that she would run in the Democratic primary. She defeated incumbent Senator Reginald Tate in the Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election. Tate had been censured by the Shelby County Democratic Party and Robinson was endorsed by United States Representative Steve Cohen and Senate Minority Leader Sara Kyle.
Democratic primary
General election
See also
References
- ^ "Tennessee Primaries: What to Watch For". New York Times. August 2, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ Jacobson, Louis (October 8, 2018). "A Month Before Election Day, Democrats Poised for Legislative gains". Governing. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "August 2, 2018 Republican Primary" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "November 6, 2018 State General" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "August 2, 2018 Democratic Primary" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "Sen. Mae Beavers to resign post to run full time, raise money in Tennessee governor's race". wbir.com. August 23, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "Mark Pody narrowly wins Mae Beavers vacant District 17 state Senate seat". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^ Connolly, Daniel. "Gabby Salinas asks for provisional ballot count in close senate race against state Sen. Brian Kelsey". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ "The Latest: GOP Sen. Brian Kelsey defeats Gabby Salinas". AP News. November 7, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ "Tennessee State Senate Elections Data". Daves Redistricting. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "November 6, 2018 State General" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved October 7, 2023.