Staggered Senate
Senators serve four-year terms; about half the seats are on the ballot each election.
Tennessee › Tennessee State Senate · November 3, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026
Tennessee State Senate District 9
R vs RSame-party general election. Two Republicans advanced to November: the seat stays Republican.
Steve Southerland has no major-party opponent.
Steve Southerland has no major-party opponent.
How this race is decided
Simple-majority veto override
A majority of the members elected to each chamber can override the governor's veto.
The candidates
RepublicanIncumbentCandidate
Steve Southerland
Incumbent senator
- Experience
- State legislature
RepublicanCandidate
Chad Huntsman
Pharmacist
- Experience
- No elected office
The district
Lean R+63: how much more Democratic or Republican than the nation it votes for president.
Presidential vote
Precinct results re-aggregated to the current district lines.
Who lives here
- Population
- 217,927
- People per km²
- 47
- Adults with a B.A.+
- 18%
- White, no degree
- 73%of adults
- White 86%
- Hispanic 8%
- Black 2%
- Asian 1%
- Other / multiracial 3%
American Community Survey 2020–2024, aggregated from census tracts.
Past results
Results in the same-numbered district; earlier elections may have used different lines.
2024 President Vote in this district
90,561 two-party votes · R+63.8 · R+62.3 vs. the nation✓ Donald Trump (R)81.9%
Kamala Harris (D)18.1%
2022
47,174 votes · R+65.8✓ Steve Southerland (R)82.9%
Sara Thompson (D)17.1%
2020 President Vote in this district
85,155 two-party votes · R+59.8 · R+64.3 vs. the nation✓ Donald Trump (R)79.9%
Joe Biden (D)20.1%
2018 Earlier district lines
57,893 votes · R+55.5✓ Mike Bell (R)77.7%
Carl Lansden (D)22.3%
2016 President Vote in this district
70,467 two-party votes · R+62.3 · R+64.6 vs. the nation✓ Donald Trump (R)81.2%
Hillary Clinton (D)18.8%
2014 Earlier district lines
31,748 votes · Uncontested by the other party✓ Mike Bell (R)100.0%