NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee's newly redrawn congressional maps have reshaped competitive districts across the state, bringing a wave of new candidates — and some notable departures — ahead of the 2026 elections.
District 1
The 1st Congressional District includes candidates from the Tri-Cities region and surrounding areas.
Republican incumbent Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger of Kingsport is seeking re-election.
Democrats running in the 1st include Kristi Burke of Chuckey, Hernan H. Garcia of Johnson City, and David S. Kerr, Jr. of Dandridge.
Independent candidates include Joshua Ray Ashburn of Bristol, Richard G. Baker of Johnson City, Billy Cody of Kingsport, Chris Campbell of Bristol, and Tyler Brice Mitchell McClain of Kingsport. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 2
The 2nd Congressional District involves the greater Knoxville region.
Republican incumbent Congressman Tim Burchett of Knoxville is seeking re-election.
Democrat Michaela Barnett of Knoxville is also running.
Independent candidates include Bruce Fine of Thornhill and Adam Heimerman of Lenoir City. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 3
The 3rd Congressional District involves the greater Chattanooga region.
Republican incumbent Congressman Chuck Fleischmann of Ooltewah is seeking re-election.
Democrats running in the 3rd include Anna Golladay of Chattanooga and Bryan Martin of Signal Mountain.
Independent candidates include Dean Arnold of Chattanooga, Jean Howard-Hill of Chattanooga, Rodney Joe King of Powell, Donnie Lynn Ownby of Philadelphia, and Edward John Roland of Chattanooga. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 4
The 4th Congressional District now stretches from part of Davidson County south to the Alabama state line.
Republican incumbent Congressman Scott DesJarlais of Sherwood faces three challengers within his own party: Joshua James of Murfreesboro who serves on the Rutherford County Commission, Harold "Rocky" Jones of Manchester, and Thomas E. Davis of Morrison.
Democrats running in the 4th include Victoria Broderick of Fayetteville, Mike Cortese of Nashville who serves on Metro Council, Cliff Huffman of Sewanee, Tim Lanier of Nashville, and Joyce E. Neal of Antioch.
Independent candidate Jacob Kristopher Anders of Tullahoma is also running. He will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 5
The new 5th Congressional District stretches from Williamson County north to the Kentucky state line and west along the Arkansas state line to downtown Memphis.
Republican incumbent Congressman Andy Ogles of Columbia faces one primary challenger: Charlie Hatcher of College Grove, the former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner.
Democrats in the race include Yolanda Cooper-Sutton of Memphis, a former Memphis City Council member; DeVante R. Hill of Bartlett; Rachel Hurley of Memphis; Carrie Ann Iacomini of Memphis; Chaz Molder of Columbia, current Mayor of Columbia; and James A. Johnson of Memphis.
Independent candidates include Micheál (Me-Haul) O'Leary of Nashville. He will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 6
The new 6th Congressional District covers a sliver of Nashville and extends further east.
The race is wide open after incumbent Congressman John Rose opted to run for governor instead.
Republican candidates include Natisha Brooks of Nashville, State Representative Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville, Jon Henry of Riddleton, and Van Hilleary of Hendersonville, a former congressman seeking to reclaim his seat.
Democrats who have qualified include Lore Bergman of Hendersonville, Mike Croley of Crossville, Christopher Martin Finley of Sparta, Miriam Leibowitz of Nashville, and Chaney Mosley of Nashville.
Independent candidates include Christopher B. Monday of Cookeville and Angus Purdy of Nashville. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 7
The new 7th Congressional District includes a portion of Nashville and extends slightly further east.
Republican incumbent Congressman Matt Van Epps of Nashville has no Republican challenger.
Democrats in the race include Darden Copeland of Nashville, a Nashville political consultant; State Rep. Vincent Dixie of Nashville; Saletta Holloway of Nashville; and Joshua Warren Sales of Pegram.
Independent candidates include Andrew J. Koontz of Portland and Lowell Reynolds of Nashville.
Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and State Rep. Aftyn Behn will notably not be among the candidates, having decided not to run.
District 8
Republican incumbent Congressman David Kustoff of Germantown is seeking re-election.
Democrats running in the 8th include Dewey Gordon Bryan of Germantown, Jordan D. Hinders of Arlington, Heidi Kuhn of Cordova, and Leonard Perkins of Memphis.
Independent candidates include Adam D. Austill of Covington, Wendell "Wells" Blankenship of Memphis, Antonio Futch of Memphis, Pamela Jeanine "P." Moses of Memphis, Horace Taylor of Germantown, and Henry J. Ward, III of Millington. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
District 9
The new 9th Congressional District now stretches from Williamson County all the way to Shelby County.
Longtime Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen has decided not to run, leaving the seat open.
Republican candidates include Charlotte Bergmann of Memphis, State Senator Brent Taylor of Eads, Jeremy Thompson of Fayetteville, and State Rep. Todd Warner of Lewisburg.
Democrats running include M. LaTroy A-Williams of Memphis, State Senator London Lamar of Memphis, State Representative Justin Pearson of Memphis, and Jim Torino of Columbia.
Independent candidates include Dennis Clark of Memphis and Michelle Davis Head of Lewisburg. They will be on the ballot during the November general election.
Early voting for the Tennessee Congressional primary begins Friday, July 17th. Primary Election Day is August 6th.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
As we honor those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice, it is also heartening to see the military right a wrong. Chris Davis brings us the moving story of a Purple Heart ceremony two decades in the making. It's worth a watch.
A heartfelt thanks to all who bravely serve.
- Carrie Sharp
