The2004 congressional elections in Tennessee was held on November 2, 2004, to determine who will represent thestate ofTennessee in theUnited States House of Representatives. Following the 2004 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving the Tennessee delegation at a 5-4Democratic majority.[2][3]
Tennessee was one of four states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2004, the other states beingColorado,Connecticut, andNew Mexico.
Tennessee’s 2nd congressional district lies in the east-central part of the state, based inKnoxville, and is largely coextensive with that city's metropolitan area. It has been represented by RepublicanJimmy Duncan since November 1988. He ran against Democrat Bob Scott. No Democrat has held this seat since 1855.
Tennessee’s 3rd congressional district, which stretches from theChattanooga metropolitan area in southern Tennessee toClaiborne County in northern Tennessee, is strongly conservative and has been represented by Republican CongressmanZach Wamp since his initial1994 election.
Tennessee’s 5th congressional district was centered onNashville and included portions of the surrounding area. The district was anchored by the majority of Nashville–Davidson County, making Nashville its largest city and primary population center. In addition to Nashville, the district extended into parts ofCheatham County andWilson County. This included communities such asAshland City,Pleasant View, andPegram in Cheatham County, as well as most ofLebanon, as well asMount Juliet, andGreen Hill in Wilson County.[7]
Tennessee’s 7th congressional district stretched from portions ofShelby County inWest Tennessee through parts ofMiddle Tennessee which included the majority ofWilliamson County and a part of southern suburbanNashville and northward to includeClarksville inMontgomery County, resulting in an unusually long and narrow configuration that combined distant suburban and rural areas into a single congressional district.[8]
Tennessee’s 8th congressional district, a Republican-leaning district, rooted in the northwestern portion of the state, had been represented by moderate Democratic CongressmanJohn Tanner since 1989.
Republican nomineeJames L. Hart, awhite supremacist andsegregationist activist,[9] faced controversy.[10] As the only candidate on the primary ballot (facing only a write-in campaign), he won the Republican nomination, despite listing an out-of-state address in candidate filings. The stateRepublican Party disavowed his candidacy, describing his views on race as "abhorrent and outrageous" and urging "all Republicans and Tennesseans to reject the candidacy of James Hart wholly and unequivocally."[11] Hart lost to incumbentDemocratJohn Tanner, receiving 25.6% of the vote.
Tennessee’s 9th congressional district, based exclusively within the city ofMemphis, has the distinction of being the state's most liberal district, the only district contained within one county, andTennessee's onlyAfrican-American majority district. Incumbent Democratic CongressmanHarold Ford, Jr. had represented this district since his initial1996 election.
[1] 15.92pp
Party gains
District results
County results
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