2016 Tennessee Election Results
Although there was extraordinary attention focused on this year's National election cycle, down ballot in the TN General Assembly saw no changes to the number of Senate seats held by the GOP and House Republicans saw a net gain of one seat. Both bodies, once again, will begin the 110th General Assembly with GOP super majorities.
There are a total of 33 State Senate seats and Senators serve four-year terms, so every two years half of the seats stand for election. This year the 16 evenly numbered districts were on the ballot. None of the seats changed hands, but there was one open seat due to the retirement of Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey. Lt. Gov. Ramsey's seat will be filled by an Arts Caucus member, Representative Jon Lunburg (R-Bristol) who had previously served in the State House.
In the 99 Member House of Representatives, one Republican incumbent and an Arts Caucus member, Rep. Steve McManus (R-Cordova) was upset. The House Democrats also lost a seat -- Rep. Kevin Dunlap (D-Rock Island) will be replaced by his Republican challenger. The Republicans gained the seat that was up for grabs with the retirement of Rep. David Shepard (D-Dickson.) These three General Election changes increase the super majority held by the House Republicans by one.
The official start of the 110th will begin on January 10th when the new General Assembly will be sworn into office. Between now and then, there will be leadership elections for both parties in the House and the Senate.
With the departure of Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, Senate Republicans will choose a nominee to replace him. When the GOP Senators caucus next Thursday, they will nominate Senator Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) to become Lt. Governor. A member of the Arts Caucus, the longest serving member in the General Assembly and long-time Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, McNally appears to be the presumptive nominee to become Lt. Governor. With the make-up of the Senate, he then officially would be elected to the position by the full Senate in January.
The House GOP also will have leadership elections next Thursday. House Speaker Beth Harwell, (R-Nashville) will run for Speaker again. Harwell, an Arts Caucus member, Harwell has a drawn a challenger, Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City) also an Arts Caucus member who had announced his intention to run against her. There also will be changes in other House Leadership positions. Republican Majority Leader, Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) earlier announced he would not seek the position again.
The two elected leaders have the responsibility to lead the two, respective bodies and each will make the appointments to all standing committees. Those assignments will be made in January and when these decisions are made, we will update TFTA members.
