A special primary for District 22 of the Tennessee State Senate was held on March 7. Bill Powers earned 37.3 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, defeating Jeff Burkhart, Betty Burchett, and Jason Knight. Juanita Charles ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Independent candidates Doyle Clark and David Cutting will join Charles and Powers in the general election on April 23.

 

The seat became vacant after Mark Green (R) won election to Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in November 2018. Rosalind Kurita (I) was appointed to fill the seat on January 14, 2019. Green had represented District 22 since 2012. He last won re-election in 2016 with 67 percent of the vote in the general election.

 

Entering the special election, the Tennessee State Senate has 5 Democrats, 26 Republicans, one independent, and one vacancy. Tennessee has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.