The Tennessee Republicans retain the absolute majority, the Democrats hold their own

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee's Republican majority in the Legislature will remain unchanged after Democrats failed to flip seats in a handful of contests, but the minority party hasn't given up ground either.

Unofficial election results show Republicans will continue to hold 75 of the 99 seats in the House, the same amount the GOP held before Tuesday. Over in the Senate, Republicans will have 27 members while Democrats will still only have six.

“We were able to hold all 75 seats, which was a great thing given the heavy spending by the other side,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton said Wednesday. “And we look forward to coming back with our 75 supermajority intact and continuing to do what we’ve been doing to move Tennessee forward.”

Some Democratic officials expressed relief that their numbers did not decline as Republicans made major gains across the country, with former President Donald Trump winning a second term and Republicans gaining control of the U.S. Senate. In Tennessee, Trump and Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn increased their margins to nearly 30 percentage points, surpassing their previous statewide elections.

Blackburn defeated Rep. Gloria Johnson. She was one of three Democratic lawmakers who put Tennessee in the national spotlight after Republicans targeted her in a deportation effort last year. They protested in the House of Representatives for gun control changes after a deadly shooting at a Nashville elementary school.

In her concession speech on Tuesday, Johnson promised supporters: “We're going to flip some seats in the House of Representatives.”

Although they didn't gain any ground, Democrats outperformed in key elections in a tough election, said Rep. John Ray Clemmons, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

“It may not look like progress,” Clemmons said. “But in this environment and given the national political headwinds we faced at the top of the race, holding the line was truly remarkable.”

Democrats had invested heavily in Allie Phillips' attempt to flip a Republican-controlled House seat north of Nashville. Phillips gained national notoriety when she shared on social media that she was unable to have an abortion in Tennessee due to a nonviable pregnancy due to the state's abortion ban and had to travel to Washington, D.C. to receive the medical care she needed .

Despite national media coverage of Phillips, Republican Rep. Jeff Burkhart won re-election by nearly 10 percentage points.

In Nashville, Democrat Shaundelle Brooks won an open House seat, defeating Republican Chad Bobo. Republicans had targeted the Democratic-controlled district in Tennessee's liberal capital, but Brooks held a nearly eight-point lead over Bobo on Wednesday.

Brooks' son Akilah DaSilva was among four people killed and two injured in a mass shooting at a Nashville Waffle House in 2018. The tragedy gave Brooks impetus for his advocacy for gun control in a state with lax firearms laws.

But around Memphis, Democrats were unable to dismantle Republican control. Republican Representative John Gillespie was re-elected by four percentage points over Democrat Jess Huseth.

With the Republican ranks intact, Republican Gov. Bill Lee and political leaders wasted no time in resuming efforts for a universal school voucher program. On Wednesday, Lee and other key lawmakers unveiled a voucher proposal that would allow families to use public money for private school tuition.

Lee introduced a comprehensive voucher proposal earlier this year but abandoned it because of internal Republican disagreements over implementation.

It is unclear whether he will achieve more consensus in 2025. Lee took the extra step of supporting Republican school choice advocates in the August primary, and neither of those candidates lost Tuesday.

In neighboring Kentucky, voters on Tuesday decisively rejected a voucher-style ballot measure that would allow state lawmakers to allocate public tax dollars to support students attending private or charter schools.

Separately, Tennessee voters approved several ballot initiatives ranging from gun control to public transportation improvements.

In Memphis, voters approved a non-binding ballot measure aimed at requiring a permit to carry a handgun, banning the ownership of AR-15 rifles and establishing a so-called red flag ordinance that would allow law enforcement officers to remove firearms from them to remove it is determined that there is an imminent danger to yourself or others.

City officials and other supporters acknowledged it wouldn't take effect without the support of Tennessee's Republican lawmakers, who have rejected nearly all of the provisions.

In Nashville, voters approved a $3.1 billion transportation proposal that supporters say will improve the city's bus system, sidewalks and traffic signals. Under the plan, Davidson County — which includes Nashville — will increase its sales tax by half a cent to fund public transit improvements.

“What Nashvillians can look forward to are sidewalks that connect, traffic lights that are smart enough to keep as much traffic moving as possible, a transportation system that makes sense and is convenient when you need it, and streets with improved “Security” for the first time in decades,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a statement.