2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

The 2006 congressional elections in Tennessee was held on November 7, 2006, to determine who will represent the state of Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives.

Following the 2006 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving the Tennessee delegation at a 5-4 Democratic majority.

Overview United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2006PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/– Democratic 860,861 50.18% 5 — Republican 799,547 46.61% 4 — Independents 55,018 3.21% 0 — Write-in 6 0.00% 0 — Totals 1,715,432 100.00% 9 —

By district District Incumbent Results Candidates District 2004 CPVI Representative Party Firstelected 1996 Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold. 1998 Incumbent re-elected. 1994 Incumbent re-elected. 2002 Incumbent re-elected. 19821994 2002 Incumbent re-elected. 1984 Incumbent re-elected. 2002 Incumbent re-elected. 1988 Incumbent re-elected. 1996 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.New member elected.Democratic hold.

District 1

Incumbent Republican Congressman Bill Jenkins, approaching his seventieth birthday, declined to seek a sixth term in order to spend more time with his family, creating an open seat. This staunchly conservative district, based in northeastern Tennessee, has been held by Republicans since 1881, one of the longest streaks out of any district nationwide. Republican State Representative David Davis won a narrow victory in the Republican primary and moved on to the general election, where he defeated Democratic candidate Rick Trent, a real estate businessman, and several independent candidates by a solid, but smaller margin than is normally seen in this district.

Notably, Democrat Rick Trent narrowly carried Hancock County. Democratic primary

Joel Goodman Alan Howell Rick Trent, councilman in Morristown Dennis Dean Whaley

Republican primary David Davis finished first in the strongly contested Republican primary with 22 percent of the vote. The second-place finisher, Richard Venable, received only 573 fewer votes. Tennessee law authorizes a recount in the case of a tie vote, an indication of voter fraud, voting machine malfunctions or tabulation problems, and for "any other instance the court or body with jurisdiction of a contested election finds that a recount is warranted." Venable reportedly had sought a recount because "about seven-tenths of one percent" of the primary votes determined the outcome of the election and because long lines at polling places in Sullivan County had reportedly discouraged voters."Venable seeks recount in GOP congressional primary" . Kingsport Time-News. Hank Hayes. August 21, 2006. The Tennessee Republican Party Primary Board decided not to have a recount, giving the nomination to Davis.Denial clears the way for David Davis to be the official GOP nominee in the November congressional election . August 24, 2006.

Candidates Peggy Parker Barnett Colquitt "C.P." Brackett Bill F. Breeding, Jr. Vance W. Cheek, Jr. Claude Cox Douglas Heinsohn Richard H. Roberts Phil Roe David Davis John "Jay" Grose Dan Smith Richard Venable Larry Waters

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Rothenberg November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2006 CQ Politics November 7, 2006

District 2

Incumbent Republican Congressman Jimmy Duncan, seeking a tenth term, faced no serious competition from two-time congressional candidate John Greene. This congressional district, based largely in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area, has been continuously held by the Republican Party since 1867 and has a long history of staunch conservatism. Duncan defeated Greene in an overwhelming landslide, as expected, winning another term in Congress. Democratic primary

John Greene Robert R. Scott

Republican primary

John J. Duncan Jr. Ralph McGill

District 3

This gerrymandered district, which stretches from the Chattanooga metropolitan area in southern Tennessee to Claiborne County in northern Tennessee, is strongly conservative and had been represented by Republican Congressman Zach Wamp since his initial 1994 election. Seeking a seventh term, Wamp easily dispatched Democratic nominee Brent Benedict to win re-election. Democratic primary

Brent Benedict Terry Stulce

Republican primary

June Griffin Charles Howard Doug Vandagriff Zach Wamp

District 4

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Lincoln Davis has represented this district since his 2002 election, claiming the seat that Van Hilleary vacated to run for Governor of Tennessee. Though this district has become more conservative in recent years, it has a long history of electing Democratic Congressmen, including Jim Cooper, Al Gore, and Albert Gore, Sr. It stretches from the outer reaches of the Nashville metropolitan area, hugs much of the southern Tennessee border, and shoots upwards to Campbell County in northern Tennessee. Davis ultimately defeated Republican candidate Kenneth Martin in a landslide win to seize a third term in Congress.

Democratic primary

Norma Cartwright Lincoln Davis Harvey Howard

Republican primary

Kenneth Martin Alan Pedigo Don Strong

District 5

Tennessee’s 5th congressional district was centered on Nashville and included portions of the surrounding area. The district was anchored by the majority of Nashville–Davidson County, making Nashville its largest city and primary population center. In addition to Nashville, the district extended into parts of Cheatham County and Wilson County. This included communities such as Ashland City, Pleasant View, and Pegram in Cheatham County, as well as most of Lebanon, as well as Mount Juliet, and Green Hill in Wilson County.

The district had been represented by Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper since 2002, though he had previously represented an adjacent district from 1983 to 1995. True to the district's liberal tilt, Cooper swamped Republican nominee Thomas Kovach and independent candidate Ginny Welsch to win a third term in Congress.

Democratic primary

Jim Cooper Jason Pullias

Republican primary

Thomas F. Kovach

District 6

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Bart Gordon, a high-ranking member on the House Science and Technology Committee, sought a twelfth term in this increasingly conservative district based in the eastern suburbs of Nashville. In a testament to Gordon's moderate tenure, his widespread popularity, and the Democratic wave sweeping the country in 2006, Gordon was re-elected again with nearly seventy percent of the vote.

Democratic primary

Bart Gordon J. Patrick Lyons

Republican primary

David R. Davis Write-in – Steven L. Edmondson

Endorsements

District 7

This staunchly conservative district, which stretches from the eastern suburbs of Memphis, runs along the southern border of Tennessee, and hugs the western suburbs of Nashville, is the state's wealthiest. Incumbent Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn had represented this district since her election in 2002, replacing Republican Congressman Ed Bryant, who opted to run for Senate. Blackburn was victorious in her bid for a third term, defeating Democratic nominee Bill Morrison and five independents in a landslide.

Democratic primary

Randy G. Morris Bill Morrison

Republican primary

Marsha Blackburn Tom Leatherwood

District 8

This Republican-leaning district, rooted in the northwestern portion of the state, had been represented by moderate Democratic Congressman John Tanner since 1989. Tanner ran for re-election to a ninth term, and easily defeated Republican candidate John Farmer, carrying every county.

Democratic primary

John Tanner

Republican primary White supremacist and segregationist James L. Heart tried to run again, but Republican state leadership successfully petitioned to have him removed from the ballot on the grounds that he was not a bona fide member of the party. Hart's attorney in the matter was Richard Barrett, the Mississippi white nationalist leader."Lawyer says Hart could challenge disqualification -- Law state used wasn't 'prequalified,' he says;" Bartholomew Sullivan. The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tenn.: April 20, 2006. pg. B.11

Candidates Rory B. Bricco John Farmer

District 9

This district, based exclusively within the city of Memphis, has the distinction of being the state's most liberal district, the only district contained within one county, and Tennessee's only African-American majority district. Incumbent Democratic Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. opted to run for Senate rather than seeking a sixth term, creating an open seat. Democratic State Senator Steve Cohen won the Democratic primary to replace Ford with a slight plurality, which is tantamount to election in this district. Cohen faced Republican nominee Mark White and Jake Ford, the younger brother of Harold Ford, Jr. Cohen defeated both opponents by a solid margin, and held the distinction of being white and representing a solidly African-American district, a rarity. Democratic primary

Jesse Blumenfeld Julian T Bolton Steve Cohen Joseph S. Ford Jr Ruben M Fort Marvell R Mitchell Tyson Pratcher Ron Redwing Lee Harris Joseph B. Kyles Ed Stanton Nikki Tinker Joe Towns, Jr. Ralph White Bill Whitman

Republican primary

Derrick Bennett Rudolph Daniels Tom Guleff Cecil Hale Mark White

Endorsements

Results

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

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