# 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 State House elections. The primary elections were held on August 4, 2016.

## Retirements
### Republicans

* District 4: Ron Ramsey, lieutenant governor of Tennessee.

## Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Governing | Safe R | May 18, 2016 |

## Results summary

| Party | Party | Candidates | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats |
| Party | Party | Candidates | No. | % | Before | Up | Won | After | +/– |
| | Republican | 15 | 802,362 | 80.82 | 28 | 15 | 15 | 28 | |
| | Democratic | 6 | 172,753 | 17.40 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| | Independent | 1 | 17,640 | 1.78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| | Write-in | 1 | 1 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | Total | Total | 992,756 | 100 | 33 | 18 | 18 | 33 | |
| Source: ||||||||||
Popular vote
Republican
80.82%
Democratic
17.40%
Other
1.77% :
Senate seats
Republican
84.85%
Democratic
15.15% :

### Closest race

Many of the senators running in this election ran unopposed. However, this race was the closest in the Senate election:
| District | Winner | Margin |
| District 10 | Republican | 11.74% |

## District 2
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Doug Overbey, incumbent senator
* Scott Williams, veteran and small business owner
Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Doug Overbey (incumbent) | 8,126 | 61.19% |
| | Republican | Scott Williams | 5,155 | 38.81% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,281 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Doug Overbey (incumbent) | 66,262 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 66,262 | 100.00% |

## 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 (retiring)
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jon Lundberg | 7,019 | 55.21% |
| | Republican | Tony Shipley | 2,684 | 21.11% |
| | Republican | Neal Kerney | 2,629 | 20.68% |
| | Republican | John Paul Blevins | 381 | 3.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,713 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jon Lundberg | 60,516 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 60,516 | 100.00% |

## District 6
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Becky Duncan Massey, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Becky Duncan Massey (incumbent) | 5,563 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,563 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Becky Duncan Massey (incumbent) | 62,688 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,688 | 100.00% |

## District 8
### Republican primary

* Frank Niceley, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Frank Niceley (incumbent) | 11,114 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,114 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Frank Niceley (incumbent) | 49,440 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 49,440 | 100.00% |

## District 10
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Todd Gardenhire, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Todd Gardenhire (incumbent) | 6,058 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,058 | 100.00% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Ty O'Grady, entrepreneur and college professor
* Khristy Wilkinson
* Nick Wilkinson, director of the Chattanooga Office of Economic Development
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Khristy Wilkinson | 2,662 | 43.58% |
| | Democratic | Nick Wilkinson | 2,111 | 34.56% |
| | Democratic | Ty O'Grady | 1,335 | 21.86% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,108 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Todd Gardenhire (incumbent) | 39,308 | 55.87% |
| | Democratic | Khristy Wilkinson | 31,043 | 44.13% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 70,351 | 100.00% |

## District 12
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Ken Yager, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ken Yager (incumbent) | 12,860 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,860 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ken Yager (incumbent) | 55,219 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,219 | 100.00% |

## District 14
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Jim Tracy, incumbent senator
* Matt Randolph, retail manager
* Steve Lane, teacher
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Tracy (incumbent) | 10,817 | 81.63% |
| | Republican | Steve Lane | 1,681 | 12.68% |
| | Republican | Matt Randolph | 754 | 5.69% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,252 | 100.00% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Gayle Jordan, attorney
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Gayle Jordan | 2,767 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,767 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Tracy (incumbent) | 53,082 | 74.41% |
| | Democratic | Gayle Jordan | 18,259 | 25.59% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 71,341 | 100.00% |

## District 16
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Janice Bowling, incumbent senator
* Michael Shane Wilcher, member of the Warren County Commission from the 3rd district
Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Janice Bowling (incumbent) | 10,235 | 81.74% |
| | Republican | Scott Williams | 2,287 | 18.26% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,522 | 100.00% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Mike Winton, businessman
* Alice Demetreon, retired corrections officer
Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Mike Winton | 3,342 | 70.27% |
| | Democratic | Alice Demetreon | 1,414 | 29.73% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,756 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Janice Bowling (incumbent) | 46,846 | 67.84% |
| | Democratic | Mike Winton | 22,205 | 32.16% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,051 | 100.00% |

## District 18
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Ferrell Haile, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ferrell Haile (incumbent) | 10,326 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,326 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ferrell Haile (incumbent) | 64,220 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 64,220 | 100.00% |

## District 20
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Steven Dickerson, incumbent senator
* Ron McDow, Tennessee delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention
Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steven Dickerson (incumbent) | 5,222 | 59.94% |
| | Republican | Ron McDow | 3,490 | 40.06% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,712 | 100.00% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Erin Coleman, attorney
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Erin Coleman | 8,788 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,788 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steven Dickerson (incumbent) | 52,966 | 56.26% |
| | Democratic | Erin Coleman | 41,172 | 43.74% |
| | Write-in | Joseph H. Johnston (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 54,287 | 100.00% |

## District 22
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Mark Green, incumbent senator
* Lori L. Smith, small business owner, Clarksville fencing
Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 6,183 | 84.17% |
| | Republican | Lori L. Smith | 1,163 | 15.83% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 7,346 | 100.00% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* David L. Cutting, retired architectural engineer and small business owner
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | David L. Cutting | 2,692 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,692 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 41,497 | 67.04% |
| | Democratic | Mike Winton | 20,406 | 32.96% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 61,903 | 100.00% |

## District 24
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* John Stevens, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Stevens (incumbent) | 9,474 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,474 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Stevens (incumbent) | 46,945 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 46,945 | 100.00% |

## District 26
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Dolores Gresham, incumbent senator
* Bob Shutt, mayor of Savannah, Tennessee
Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dolores Gresham (incumbent) | 9,938 | 52.79% |
| | Republican | Bob Shutt | 8,889 | 47.21% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 18,827 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dolores Gresham (incumbent) | 54,210 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 54,210 | 100.00% |

## District 28
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Joey Hensley, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Joey Hensley (incumbent) | 9,260 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,260 | 100% |

### Independent candidate

* Joey Norman, firefighter

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Joey Hensley (incumbent) | 51,251 | 74.59% |
| | Independent | Joey Norman | 17,460 | 25.41% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,711 | 100.00% |

## District 30
### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Sara Kyle, incumbent senator
* Beverly Marrero, former 30th district senator
Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Sara Kyle | 7,607 | 75.42% |
| | Democratic | Beverly Marrero | 2,479 | 24.58% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,086 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Sara Kyle (incumbent) | 39,668 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 39,668 | 100.00% |

## District 32
### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Mark Norris, incumbent senator
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mark Norris (incumbent) | 15,273 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,273 | 100.00% |

### General election

General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mark Norris (incumbent) | 57,912 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 57,912 | 100.00% |