2016 Tennessee Senate election
The 2016 Tennessee State Senate election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect 16 of the 33 seats for the Tennessee's State Senate. The elections coincided with the Presidential, U.S. House, and 2016 [Tennessee House of Representatives election|State House] elections. The primary elections were held on August 4, 2016.
Retirements
Republicans
District 4: Ron Ramsey, lieutenant governor of Tennessee.Results summary
Closest race
Many of the senators running in this election ran unopposed. However, this race was the closest in the Senate election:District 2
Republican primary
Candidates
- Doug Overbey, incumbent senator
- Scott Williams, veteran and small business owner
District 4
Republican primary
Candidates
- John Paul Blevins
- Neal Kerney, veteran and small business owner
- Jon Lundberg, state representative for the 1st district
- Tony Shipley, state representative for the 2nd district
Declined
- Ron Ramsey, incumbent senator and Speaker of the Senate
District 6
Republican primary
Candidates
- Becky Duncan Massey, incumbent senator
District 8
Republican primary
- Frank Niceley, incumbent senator
District 10
Republican primary
Candidates
- Todd Gardenhire, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Ty O'Grady, entrepreneur and college professor
- Khristy Wilkinson
- Nick Wilkinson, director of the Chattanooga Office of Economic Development
District 12
Republican primary
Candidates
- Ken Yager, incumbent senator
District 14
Republican primary
Candidates
- Jim Tracy, incumbent senator
- Matt Randolph, retail manager
- Steve Lane, teacher
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Gayle Jordan, attorney
District 16
Republican primary
Candidates
- Janice Bowling, incumbent senator
- Michael Shane Wilcher, member of the Warren County Commission from the 3rd district
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Mike Winton, businessman
- Alice Demetreon, retired corrections officer
District 18
Republican primary
Candidates
- Ferrell Haile, incumbent senator
District 20
Republican primary
Candidates
- Steven Dickerson, incumbent senator
- Ron McDow, Tennessee delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Erin Coleman, attorney
District 22
Republican primary
Candidates
- Mark Green, incumbent senator
- Lori L. Smith, small business owner, Clarksville fencing
Democratic primary
Candidates
- David L. Cutting, retired architectural engineer and small business owner
District 24
Republican primary
Candidates
- John Stevens, incumbent senator
District 26
Republican primary
Candidates
- Dolores Gresham, incumbent senator
- Bob Shutt, mayor of Savannah, Tennessee
District 28
Republican primary
Candidates
- Joey Hensley, incumbent senator
Independent candidate
- Joey Norman, firefighter
District 30
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Sara Kyle, incumbent senator
- Beverly Marrero, former 30th district senator
District 32
Republican primary
Candidates
- Mark Norris, incumbent senator