From PJMedia.com
On Tuesday, I promised you an extra special second edition of live primary results, and I’m a man of my word. Welcome to primary Thursday in Tennessee!
Here’s a little history lesson for you. Tennessee embedded late-week primaries into the state constitution in 1796, and Politico reported in 2014 that historians don’t know why. Somehow, the tradition has held through the present day, so here we are reporting on primaries in the Volunteer State on a Thursday. Tennesee and Hawaii are the only states that don’t hold all of their primaries on Tuesday, according to Politico. (Some states hold runoffs on other days, but they keep their primaries on Tuesday.)
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In the Republican Senate primary, incumbent Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) faces off against policy analyst Tres Wittum, who finished in last place in a House primary in 2022. On the Democrat side, state Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-90th District), who made headlines as part of a gun-control protest stunt last year, squares off against activist Marquita Bradshaw, Lola Denise Brown, and Civil Miller-Watkins.
Redistricting has favored the GOP in nearly all the state’s congressional districts, but the Associated Press points out the 5th District as one to watch. The incumbent, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is vying for a second term against Courtney Johnston, a businesswoman and member of the Nashville Metro Council. Johnston and Ogles have similar stances on the issues, but Johnston has called Ogles “a ‘do-nothing grandstander’ who is ‘mired in scandals,’” according to the AP. The winner of that primary will face Maryam Abolfazli, who is running unopposed as a Democrat.
The AP notes that primaries are technically open in Tennessee, but the law holds that it’s illegal to vote in a primary for the party that a voter doesn’t support:
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Tennessee does not register voters by party, which in other states usually means that any registered voter may choose to vote in any party’s primary. However, a 2023 law requires local elections officials to post signs at polling places that it’s illegal to vote in a party’s primary without being a “bona fide” member or “affiliated with” that party, referring to a 1972 state law. The laws are being challenged in court.
In addition to House and Senate contests, there is a Supreme Court seat and an appeals court seat up for grabs. Tennessee is split between the Eastern and Central time zones, but polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Check back here for the most up-to-date results, in cooperation with our friends at Decision Desk HQ. Don’t forget that you can always find the best coverage and analysis of the 2024 election cycle right here at PJ Media.
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