Tennessee held its general election on November 6, 2012, deciding 115 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans won their first supermajority in both chambers, enough to pass legislation without Democratic votes: 26-7 in the Senate and 70-28-1 in the House, where the lone independent was Rep. Kent Williams (I), a former Republican who had become Speaker with Democratic votes in 2009.
- Most of the Republicans' Senate gains came on open seats left by departing Democrats on the new maps. In Senate District 10, which Andy Berke (D) left to run for Chattanooga mayor, Todd Gardenhire (R) beat Andraé McGary (D) by about 9 points, becoming the first Republican there in four decades. Tim Barnes (D) of Clarksville, one of only 2 incumbents to lose and the only one in the Senate, was beaten by Mark E. Green (R) by about 6 points in Senate District 22.
- In the House, Republicans took the seat long held by former Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, as Debra Moody (R) won the redrawn House District 81. Three Republican incumbents also turned back former Democratic members:
- Nashville Councilman Darren Jernigan (D) pulled off one of the upsets of the night, edging Rep. Jim Gotto (R) by fewer than 100 votes in House District 60, the only House incumbent to lose. Democrats also held 2 open seats by under two points: Bo Mitchell (D) won House District 50 by about 160 votes and Gloria Johnson (D) won House District 13 by about 290.
Legislature
- House (99 seats): 34 D, 64 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 28 D, 70 R, 1 other or vacant after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (33 seats): 13 D, 20 R before the election, 7 D, 26 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Legislative races
| Race | Winner | Others | Notes |
|---|
| House 1 | Jon Lundberg (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 2 | Tony Shipley (R) 68.26% | Bruce Dotson (D) 31.74% | |
| House 3 | Timothy Hill (R) | Leah R. Kirk (D), Suzanne Parker (G) | |
| House 4 | Kent Williams (I) | Thomas Gray (R) | |
| House 5 | David Hawk (R) | Eddie Yokley (D) | |
| House 6 | James Van Huss (R) | Michael Clark (D) | |
| House 7 | Matt Hill (R) | Nancy Fischman (D) | |
| House 8 | Art Swann (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 9 | Mike Harrison (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 10 | Tilman Goins (R) 100% | Unopposed | |
| House 11 | Jeremy Faison (R) 69.91% | Marjorie Ramsey (D) 30.09% | |
| House 12 | Dale Carr (R) 100% | Unopposed | |
| House 13 | Gloria Johnson (D) 48.09% | Gary Loe (R) 46.71%, Nick H. Cazana (I) 5.2% | |
| House 14 | Ryan Haynes (R) 74.84% | Jerome Q. Miller (D) 25.16% | |
| House 15 | Joseph Armstrong (D) 82.22% | Calvin Cassady (G) 17.78% | |
| House 16 | Bill Dunn (R) 84.76% | Bryan Moneyhun (G) 15.24% | |
| House 17 | Andrew Farmer (R) 76.09% | Mike Dockery (D) 23.91% | |
| House 18 | Steve Hall (R) 61.33% | Anthony D. Hancock (D) 38.67% | |
| House 19 | Harry Brooks (R) 100% | Unopposed | |
| House 20 | Robert Ramsey (R) 100% | Unopposed | |
| House 21 | Jimmy Matlock (R) 78.64% | Andrew F. Bennett, III (D) 21.36% | |
| House 22 | Eric Watson (R) 77.76% | Jonathan Gladden (D) 22.24% | |
| House 23 | John W. Forgety (R) 75.85% | Peggy Hall Wall (D) 24.15% | |
| House 24 | Kevin Brooks (R) 100% | Unopposed | |
| House 25 | Cameron Sexton (R) 74.32% | Flo Matheson (D) 25.68% | |
| House 26 | Gerald McCormick (R) | W. Rodger Cooksey (I) | |
| House 27 | Richard Floyd (R) | Frank Eaton (D) | |
| House 28 | JoAnne Favors (D) | Johnny W. Horne (R) | |
| House 29 | Michael Carter (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 30 | Vince Dean (R) | Sandy Norris Smith (D) | |
| House 31 | Ron Travis (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 32 | Kent Calfee (R) | Jack W. McNew (D), Allen R. Cole (I) | |
| House 33 | John Ragan (R) | Jim Hackworth (D) | |
| House 34 | Rick Womick (R) | Luke E. Dickerson (D) | |
| House 35 | Dennis "Coach" Roach (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 36 | Dennis Powers (R) | Virgil Kidwell (I) | |
| House 37 | Dawn White (R) | Robert "Bob" New (D) | Flipped D to R |
| House 38 | Kelly Keisling (R) | David R. Harper (D) | |
| House 39 | David Alexander (R) | Doug Clark (D) | |
| House 40 | Terri Lynn Weaver (R) | Sarah Marie Smith (D) | |
| House 41 | John Mark Windle (D) | Bobby Stewart (R) | |
| House 42 | Ryan Williams (R) | Thomas D. Willoughby (D) | |
| House 43 | Charles Curtiss (D) | Robert F. Dunham (R) | |
| House 44 | William Lamberth (R) | Steven Glaser (D) | Flipped D to R |
| House 45 | Courtney Rogers (R) | Jeanette Jackson (D) | |
| House 46 | Mark Pody (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 47 | Judd Matheny (R) | Scott Price (D) | |
| House 48 | Joe Carr (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 49 | Mike Sparks (R) | Mike Williams (D) | |
| House 50 | Bo Mitchell (D) | Charles D Williamson (R) | |
| House 51 | Mike Turner (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 52 | Mike Stewart (D) | Daniel T Lewis (I) | |
| House 53 | Jason Powell (D) | Ben Claybaker (R) | |
| House 54 | Brenda Gilmore (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 55 | Gary Odom (D) | Susan Shann (G) | |
| House 56 | Beth Harwell (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 57 | Susan Lynn (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 58 | Harold Love (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 59 | Sherry Jones (D) | Robert Duvall (R) | |
| House 60 | Darren Jernigan (D) | Jim Gotto (R) | Flipped R to D; Incumbent defeated |
| House 61 | Charles M. Sargent, Jr. (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 62 | Pat Marsh (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 63 | Glen Casada (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 64 | Sheila Butt (R) | Brian K. Brewer (D) | |
| House 65 | Jeremy Durham (R) | Unopposed | Flipped D to R |
| House 66 | Joshua G. Evans (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 67 | Joe Pitts (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 68 | Curtis Johnson (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 69 | David A. Shepard (D) | Wayne White (R), Kenneth W. Buser (I) | |
| House 70 | Barry Doss (R) | Calvin Moore (D), Jack Johnson (I) | |
| House 71 | Vance Dennis (R) | John Crandall (I) | |
| House 72 | Steve McDaniel (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 73 | Jamie Eldridge (R) | Corey Currie (D) | |
| House 74 | John C. Tidwell (D) | Lauri Day (R) | |
| House 75 | Tim Wirgau (R) | Steve R. Wright (D), James Hart (I) | |
| House 76 | Andrew Holt (R) | Mark L. Maddox (D) | |
| House 77 | Bill Sanderson (R) | Mark Oakes (D) | |
| House 78 | Mary Littleton (R) | Linda Hayes (D), Rick Wilson (I) | |
| House 79 | Curtis Halford (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 80 | Johnny Shaw (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 81 | Debra Moody (R) | Conneye Thompson Albright (D), Tommy Hill (I) | Flipped D to R |
| House 82 | Craig Fitzhugh (D) | Johnny Edwards (R) | |
| House 83 | Mark White (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 84 | Joe Towns, Jr. (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 85 | Johnnie R. Turner (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 86 | Barbara Cooper (D) | George T Edwards III (R) | |
| House 87 | Karen Camper (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 88 | Larry Miller (D) | Harry Barber (R) | |
| House 89 | Roger Kane (R) | Unopposed | Flipped D to R |
| House 90 | John J. DeBerry, Jr. (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 91 | Lois M. DeBerry (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 92 | Billy Spivey (R) | Vicki C. Cain (D) | |
| House 93 | G.A. Hardaway (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 94 | Barrett Rich (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 95 | Curry Todd (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 96 | Steve McManus (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 97 | Jim Coley (R) | Unopposed | |
| House 98 | Antonio Parkinson (D) | Unopposed | |
| House 99 | Ron Lollar (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 2 | Doug Overbey (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 4 | Ron Ramsey (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 6 | Becky Massey (R) | Evelyn Gill (D) | |
| Senate 8 | Frank Niceley (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 10 | Todd Gardenhire (R) | Andrae' McGary (D) | |
| Senate 12 | Ken Yager (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 14 | Jim Tracy (R) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 16 | Janice Bowling (R) | Jim Lewis (D) | |
| Senate 18 | Ferrell Haile (R) | Maria A. Brewer (D) | |
| Senate 20 | Steven Dickerson (R) | Phillip L. North (D) | |
| Senate 22 | Mark E. Green (R) | Tim Barnes (D) | Flipped D to R; Incumbent defeated |
| Senate 24 | John Stevens (R) | Brad Thompson (D) | |
| Senate 26 | Dolores Gresham (R) | Meryl Rice (D) | |
| Senate 28 | Joey Hensley (R) | Tyler "Ty" Cobb (D) | |
| Senate 30 | Jim Kyle (D) | Unopposed | |
| Senate 32 | Mark Norris (R) | Unopposed | |