MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Compared to the heated presidential contest, the races for Tennessee’s nine seats in the U.S. House won’t likely produce much drama on Election Night.
Tennessee’s eight incumbent House members - six Republicans and two Democrats - are expected to win re-election without much stress on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in the solidly-Republican 8th District in West Tennessee, Republican Stephen Fincher vacated his seat with the surprise announcement he would not seek a fourth term. Republican David Kustoff, a former U.S. attorney, is taking on little-known Democrat Rickey Hobson there.
More than 1.6 million voters cast early ballots in Tennessee, likely spurred by the pivotal and contentious presidential race featuring Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.
Kustoff became the favorite in the 8th District after winning the GOP primary over 12 opponents in August. Appealing to a conservative voter base, Kustoff ran television advertisements touting his “law-and-order” background and saying he will work to protect gun rights and fight “radical Islam.”
Kustoff, appointed by then-President George W. Bush, served as U.S. attorney for West Tennessee from 2006 to 2008. During that time, his office prosecuted the Tennessee Waltz political corruption cases, which resulted in guilty pleas or convictions for 12 defendants including former state Sen. John Ford.
Kustoff also served as state director for Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign, and has received Huckabee’s endorsement.
Kustoff has vowed during the campaign to reduce taxes on businesses and farms.
Hobson, his opponent, grew up in Somerville, which is in the 8th District. An employee of Delta Air Lines, Hobson also supports local farmers and wants to help middle class families and small businesses by cutting taxes, according to his campaign literature.
In the 4th congressional district in central and south-central Tennessee, incumbent Republican Scott DesJarlais is being challenged by Democrat Steven Reynolds.
A physician first elected to Congress in 2010, DesJarlais has weathered revelations that he had multiple affairs and encouraged a lover to get an abortion. He was reprimanded and fined by the state medical board for having sexual relations with patients. The behavior occurred before his first bid for Congress, where he has consistently opposed legal abortion.
In the state’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Phil Roe goes against Democrat Alan Bohms. In the 2nd, incumbent Republican John Duncan Jr. faces Democrat Stuart Starr.
The 3rd District features incumbent Republican Chuck Fleischmann against Democrat Melody Shekari. In the 5th, incumbent Democrat Jim Cooper takes on the GOP’s Stacy Ries Snyder.
Republican Diane Black seeks to keep her House seat against Democrat David Kent in the 6th District. Incumbent Republican Marsha Blackburn, a member of Congress since 2002, is expected to defeat Democrat Tharon Chandler in the 7th District.
And, Steve Cohen, the five-term incumbent Democrat in the 9th Congressional District in Memphis, faces Republican challenger Wayne Alberson.
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