Tennessee's 15th Senate district

Last updated

Tennessee's 15th
State Senate district
Flag of Tennessee.svg
Tennessee Senate District 15 (2023-).svg
Tennessee Senate District 15 (2013-2023).svg
Senator
  Paul Bailey
R Sparta
Demographics91%  White
1%  Black
4%  Hispanic
1%  Asian
3%  Multiracial
Population (2022)207,075 [1]

Tennessee's 15th Senate district is one of 33 districts in the Tennessee Senate. It has been represented by Republican Paul Bailey since 2014, succeeding retiring Democrat Charlotte Burks. [2]

Contents

Geography

District 15 covers much of rural Middle Tennessee, including all of Cumberland, Jackson, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, and White Counties. Communities in the district include Cookeville, Crossville, Sparta, Fairfield Glade, Lake Tansi Village, Algood, Monterey, and Gainesboro. [1] [3]

The district is mostly entirely in Tennessee's 6th congressional district. [4]

Recent election results

Tennessee Senators are elected to staggered four-year terms, with odd-numbered districts holding elections in midterm years and even-numbered districts holding elections in presidential years.

Results under old lines (2012–2022)

2018

2018 Tennessee Senate election, District 15 [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Paul Bailey (incumbent) 48,919 73.6
Democratic Angela Hedgecough17,51226.4
Total votes66,431 100
Republican hold

2014

2014 Tennessee Senate election, District 15 [5]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Paul Bailey 13,141 48.4
Republican Matt Swallows12,57746.3
Republican Gary Steakley1,4535.3
Total votes27,171 100
General election
Republican Paul Bailey 33,674 73.3
Democratic Betty Vaudt10,26322.3
Independent William Draper2,0224.4
Total votes45,959 100
Republican gain from Democratic

Federal and statewide results

YearOfficeResults [6] [7]
2020 President Trump 76.1 – 22.4%
2016 President Trump 74.6 – 22.2%
2012 President Romney 68.7 – 29.8%
Senate Corker 72.0 – 22.7%

1998 election

In 1998, the district was the site of a highly unusual election. Incumbent Democrat Tommy Burks was expected to coast to re-election over Republican Byron (Low Tax) Looper until, in October 1998, Looper shot and killed Burks on his own farm. Tennessee state law mandated that deceased candidates be removed from the ballot, but candidates who had been charged with a felony but not convicted were allowed to remain, meaning that Looper's name was the only one on the ballot a month later. However, friends of Burks as well as local politicians launched a write-in campaign for Charlotte Burks, Tommy Burks' widow. Although Burks herself never campaigned for the seat, the write-in effort was overwhelmingly successful, ultimately defeating Looper 95-5%. She went on to serve for 4 terms, while Looper was sentenced to life in prison. [8]

Related Research Articles

Fred Thomas Burks was a farmer and Democratic Party politician in Tennessee, United States. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1970 until 1978 and in the Tennessee State Senate from 1978 until his assassination in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byron Looper</span> American convicted murderer and political assassin

Byron Looper was a Democratic turned Republican politician in Tennessee and convicted murderer. In order to advance his political career, he legally changed his middle name from "Anthony" to "(Low Tax)", including the parentheses. After being convicted for the October 1998 murder of his election opponent, incumbent Tennessee State Senator Tommy Burks, he was given a life sentence in prison. He died in prison in 2013.

Charlotte Gentry Burks is a farmer and Democratic party politician in Tennessee who represented the 15th district as State Senator from 1998 until 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Tennessee</span> Election of US Senator Bob Corker

The 2012 United States Senate election in Tennessee took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the general election including the 2012 U.S. presidential election, elections to the House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Bob Corker won a second term in a landslide, carrying all but two counties in the state.

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References

  1. 1 2 "State Senate District 15, TN". Census Reporter. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  2. "Senator Paul Bailey". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  3. "Tennessee District Maps". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  4. David Jarman. "How do counties, House districts, and legislative districts all overlap?". Daily Kos. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Tennessee State Senate District 15". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  6. "Daily Kos Elections Statewide Results by LD". Daily Kos. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  7. "2020 Presidential by Legislative District & Most Recent Election Result". CNalysis. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  8. Rick Bragg (October 24, 1998). "Tennessee Senator's Killing and Opponent's Arrest Upend Small Town". The New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2020.