2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state of Tennessee, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including President of the United States. The primaries were held on August 4.

Following the 2016 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving the Tennessee delegation at a 7-2 Republican majority.

Overview

By district

Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee by district:

District 1

Incumbent Republican Phil Roe, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 83% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 25.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Phil Roe, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

Clint Tribble, conservative activist and YouTube personality

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Alan Bohms, executive director of the Volunteer Firefighter Alliance

Results

Independent Candidates

Robert Franklin, U.S. Navy veteran
Paul Krane (write-in), student

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 2

Incumbent Republican Jimmy Duncan, who had represented the district since 1989, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 20.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

John J. Duncan Jr., incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Stuart Starr, IT business owner and union organizer

Results

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 3

Incumbent Republican Chuck Fleischmann, who had represented the district since 2011, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 16.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Chuck Fleischmann, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

Allan Levene, information technology specialist and perennial candidate
Geoffery Suhmer Smith

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Melody Shekari, policy analyst for the Chattanooga Department of Transportation

Eliminated in primary

Michael Friedman
George Ryan Love

Endorsements

Results

General election

Campaign

Fleischmann was heavily favored to win re-election.

Endorsements

Results

District 4

Incumbent Republican Scott DesJarlais, who had represented the district since 2011, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 18.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Scott DesJarlais, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

Grant Starrett, real estate developer and attorney

Campaign

Scandal-ridden incumbent representative Scott DesJarlais had narrowly won his primary in 2012, and faced another competitive primary against Starrett. While DesJarlais originally trailed in fundraising, the race tightened when a mailer sent out by the Starrett campaign sparked controversy over its alleged racism.

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Steven Reynolds, manager in the construction industry

Results

General election

Results

District 5

Incumbent Democrat Jim Cooper, who had represented the district since 2003, as well as previously between 1983 and 1995, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D 5.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Jim Cooper, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Stacy Reis Snyder, small business owner and songwriter

Eliminated in primary

Jody Ball, businessman
John "Big John" Smith, deputy sheriff and candidate for this seat in 2012 & 2014

Withdrawn

Ronnie Holden, candidate for this seat in 2014

Results

General election

Cooper was heavily favored to win re-election due to Nashville's partisan composition.

Results

District 6

Incumbent Republican Diane Black, who had represented the district since 2011, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 21.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Diane Black, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

Joe Carr, former state representative and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014
Donald Strong
Tommy Hay

Campaign

Joe Carr attempted to ride anti-establishment sentiment to defeat incumbent Diane Black, who was openly considering a future run for governor.

Results

Despite a strong challenge, Black won re-election by a larger margin than expected.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

David Kent, manufacturing industry manager

Eliminated in primary

Flo Matheson, nominee for state representative in 2012

Results

General election

Results

District 7

Incumbent Republican Marsha Blackburn, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 70% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 18.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Marsha Blackburn, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Tharon Chandler, journalist

Results

General election

Results

Blackburn dramatically outspent Chandler and easily won re-election.

District 8

Incumbent Republican Stephen Fincher, who had represented the district since 2011, announced he would not run for re-election. He was re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R 19.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

David Kustoff, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee

Eliminated in primary

Ken Atkins, corrections officer and former car dealership owner
Hunter Baker, Union University professor
Dave Bault, inspector for Terminix
George Flinn, radiologist and perennial candidate
Brad Greer, businessman and political consultant
Brian Kelsey, state senator
Tom Leatherwood, Shelby County Register of Deeds
Mark Luttrell, Shelby County Mayor
David Maldonado, businessman
David Wharton

Withdrawn

Steve Basar, Shelby County Commissioner

Declined

Stephen Fincher, incumbent U.S. Representative
Scott Golden, district director for Congressman Fincher and member of the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee
Andy Holt, state representative
Ed Jackson, state senator
Ron Kirkland, physician and candidate for this seat in 2010
Steve McManus, state representative
Mark Norris, Majority Leader of the Tennessee Senate
John Ryder, Republican National Committee General Counsel and committee member
Bill Sanderson, state representative
John Stevens, state senator
Matthew Stowe, district attorney general for the 24th judicial district
Mary Wagner, Shelby County GOP Chair
Amy Weirich, Shelby County District Attorney

Results

Kustoff won the crowded Republican primary with 27% of the vote.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Rickey Hobson, manager at Delta Air Lines

Eliminated in primary

Gregory Alan Frye

Withdrawn

James Coffman
Erika Stotts Pearson, sports agent

Declined

Roy Herron, former state senator, former Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party and nominee for this seat in 2010
Michael McCusker, Shelby County Assistant District Attorney and retired Army Major
David Vinciarelli

Results

General election

The 8th District, consisting of Memphis' suburbs and much of rural West Tennessee, is strongly Republican, foreshadowing a likely Kustoff win.

Results

District 9

Incumbent Democrat Steve Cohen, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 75% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D 25.