logo
Tennessee Democrats have a chance in a looming special congressional election

Tennessee Democrats have a chance in a looming special congressional election

Yahoo10-07-2025
A special election in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District could open a door for state Democrats. (Art: Getty Images)
If you haven't heard, Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green announced his intent to resign from Congress on July 20 and there will be a special election to replace him in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, a district which spans from deep blue Davidson County in the east to deep red Decatur County in the west. Under Tennessee law, an election to fill a congressional vacancy must take place by early November — a tight turnaround.
Democrats in Davidson County, in District 7, in Tennessee, and across the rest of the country have a unique opportunity to flip this seat. The Republican margin in Congress is already razor thin: Republicans can lose just three votes on any given legislation. A few strategic seat flips could place Democrats within striking distance of retaking the majority in the House.
Now, if you're a good self-defeating Democrat, you may be thinking to yourself, 'Self, didn't former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry lose this race just eight months ago by 21.5 points?' Well, yes. She did. Flipping the district will take some work, but there are a few factors that narrow the gap.
The two Democrats competing in special congressional elections since November have vastly outperformed the expectations for their districts. In April, Democratic candidate Gay Valimont in Florida's 1st Congressional District moved her district 17 points from November in the special election to replace Rep. Matt Gaetz. Similarly, Joshua Weil improved the margin in Florida's 6th Congressional District by 19 points, also in April. That sounds like an average of 18 points to me, and I do basic math every single day for a living. The gap in Tennessee's District 7 of 21.5 points is not insurmountable.
This special election has national implications. There are three other vacancies in Congress — Texas's 18th Congressional District, Arizona's 7th Congressional District, and Virginia's 11th Congressional District are vacant due to deaths — right now which will require special elections: All three are in safe Democratic districts which are not likely to swing toward Republicans this cycle. In that case, all eyes will be on Tennessee as the premiere special election in the country. For once, a Tennessee Democratic candidate will have significant resources from outside the state. Assuming the other seats are retained by Democrats, once Green's seat flips, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, will have a majority of just three members (he could lose just one vote on any given bill). Get your popcorn ready for a knockdown, drag-out fight for this seat.
President Donald Trump's administration and congressional Republicans just handed the American public a hot mess with their One Big Beautiful Bill Act ('OBBA'). The bill is certainly big, in terms of the tax cuts that the wealthy will reap and in terms of the harm that will be done to the poorest Americans, but it is anything but beautiful. The bill will cost millions of Americans their health coverage, shutter rural hospitals and the federal deficit will explode. (I'm beginning to think maybe it was never about fiscal responsibility?) This is not to mention the clean energy cuts and expansion of unaccountable Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation measures. Republicans may not realize just yet, but the bill harms Americans. Democrats are fired up and ready to go shout this from the rooftops.
The Tennessee race is winnable for Democrats, with the right candidate. So, what does that candidate look like? I'd say they're looking for someone who is:
Pragmatic and can rise above petty politics to do the right thing at all costs;
Deeply caring about their community, their district, our country, and humanity at large;
Capable of crafting and delivering a message built on kitchen table, economic issues like better public schools, cheaper health coverage, lower prices and eliminating Trump tariffs;
Unafraid to stand up against the Trump political movement and stand up for those among us who are marginalized and forgotten;
Experienced in public service and knows the ins and outs of getting things done;
Exciting to the base, who can deliver a win with an effective campaign that is built on the fundamentals.
Democrats have a number of options to choose from that might fit the bill. Within days of Green announcing his resignation, two Democratic state representatives announced their candidacy for the seat: Rep. Bo Mitchell and Rep. Aftyn Behn, both of Nashville. A few other names are being tossed around as well, including Nashville Rep. Vincent Dixie and former Nashville Mayor John Cooper. Better buckle up, as Democrats are in for an exciting primary.
At the end of the day, no matter who you support this special election season, it's important to engage in the process. Politics is about people after all. Democracy, if we work for it, gives people, like you, a voice.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump's ‘no tax on tips' sparks questions for workers: ‘We're looking at a crystal ball,' expert says
Trump's ‘no tax on tips' sparks questions for workers: ‘We're looking at a crystal ball,' expert says

CNBC

timea few seconds ago

  • CNBC

Trump's ‘no tax on tips' sparks questions for workers: ‘We're looking at a crystal ball,' expert says

President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" includes a section called "no tax on tips" — an idea that both Republicans and Democrats floated during the 2024 that the provision has been enacted, questions remain about how the tax break works and who qualifies. Despite its name, "no tax on tips" doesn't eliminate tax on tips, which are still subject to payroll and state taxes. Instead, it's a deduction worth up to $25,000. The tax break is available from 2025 through 2028. It phases out, or gets reduced, once modified adjusted gross income exceeds $150,000. However, the IRS needs to clarify which occupations qualify, which is expected to come in early October, according to the agency. Meanwhile, "we're looking at a crystal ball" for guidance, said Larry Gray, a Missouri-based certified public accountant who serves as IRS liaison for the National Association of Tax Professionals. More from Personal Finance:Trump's 'big beautiful bill' caps student loans. What it means for youWhy 22 million people may see a 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026Trump's 'big beautiful bill' cuts SNAP for millions of families: Report In 2023, there were roughly 4 million U.S. workers in tipped occupations, representing 2.5% of all employment, according to estimates from The Budget Lab at Yale University. The cohort of workers who qualify for the tax break is even smaller — actors, musicians and singers, directors and playwrights — are included among the professions that are already prohibited under the legislation's text. Here's a breakdown of what to know about Trump's tip deduction. As written, "qualified tips" are cash tips an employee earns. This includes tips a customer offers in cash or added to a credit card charge, as well as payouts under a tip-sharing arrangement. Yet, the law also says that the tip must be paid voluntarily and determined by the customer or payor, which can put other forms of gratuities or mandatory service charges in question. "It's an entirely voluntary transaction," said Alex Muresianu, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation. For example, the definition may exclude mandatory service fees, such as an automatic gratuity a restaurant might tack on for a large dining party. "Based on the plain text of the law, it's hard to argue that that's something that's given voluntarily," said certified financial planner and enrolled agent Ben Henry-Moreland, a certified financial planner with advisor platform who analyzed the legislation. To qualify for the deduction, tips must be "properly reported," according to Melanie Lauridsen, AICPA's vice president of tax policy & advocacy. That means employers must report the worker's tips on so-called information returns — such as Form W-2 or 1099 — with a copy going to the employee and the IRS. However, Trump's legislation also increased the income thresholds for certain information returns. That could raise eligibility questions for tipped workers who don't get a form. For example, Form 1099-K reports business transactions from apps, such as PayPal or Venmo, along with gig economy platforms like Uber or Lyft. For 2025, the 1099-K reporting threshold returns to $20,000 and200 transactions. Previously, the threshold was $2,500 for 2025. Starting in 2026, the threshold for 1099-NEC, which reports contract income, jumps from $600 to $2,000. However, there is also uncertainty about whether workers fully disclose cash tips to their employer and the IRS. "The elephant in the room around this whole 'no tax on tips' provision is, so many tips go unreported to begin with," said Henry-Moreland.

Indiana congresswoman calls for release of Epstein files, days after blocking House vote
Indiana congresswoman calls for release of Epstein files, days after blocking House vote

Indianapolis Star

timea minute ago

  • Indianapolis Star

Indiana congresswoman calls for release of Epstein files, days after blocking House vote

U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana has introduced a resolution calling for the release of the Epstein files just days after she voted to block a similar Democrat-led effort. The resolution, which she announced on July 17, would ask the U.S. Department of Justice to release the files in the next 30 days while also implementing safeguards to protect victims, according to a news release from Houchin, who represents Indiana's 9th Congressional District in southeastern Indiana. 'I have always supported full transparency when it comes to the Epstein files, and I'm glad to back President Trump in that effort,' Houchin said in the release. 'Earlier this week, I refused to hand this process over to Democrats trying to exploit it for political gain. Their amendment in the Rules Committee was nothing more than a stunt—reckless and completely lacking the victim protections this issue demands.' Democrats in Congress have been looking to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files after the DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation decided to withhold the files because it mostly contained child pornography and detailed information about victims. They also concluded Jeffrey Epstein's death in prison was a suicide and determined there was no 'client list,' contradicting claims made by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Houchin serves on the 13-member House Rules Committee, where Democrats tried to force a full House vote to compel the DOJ to release records associated with Epstein. Seven Republicans, including Houchin, blocked the measure, with one Republican joining the Democrats to support the measure and another absent. In the news release, Houchin referenced her background as a caseworker for the Indiana Department of Child Services as the driving force behind her resolution. 'I refuse to let Democrats and their media allies play games that would further harm innocent victims,' she said in the release. 'Anyone involved in these horrific crimes must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'

Raskin notes ‘bipartisan urgency' for DOJ to release all Epstein files
Raskin notes ‘bipartisan urgency' for DOJ to release all Epstein files

The Hill

time29 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Raskin notes ‘bipartisan urgency' for DOJ to release all Epstein files

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said Thursday that he thought the Trump administration would have to turn over all the 'Epstein files' due to what he characterized as significant bipartisan support for their release. 'We need total disclosure of the complete file, redacting only the names and the identities of the minor victims,' the Maryland Democrat said during an appearance on MSNBC. 'There is overwhelming bipartisan, popular demand, Congressional demand, to release all of this stuff.' Without control of the chamber, House Democrats are unable to do much on their own to force the release of any evidence held by the federal government. However, a resolution spearheaded by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to force a House vote on the matter has garnered bipartisan support from figures as wide-ranging as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). Raskin is not an official co-sponsor on the resolution. The Maryland lawmaker, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, instead said Tuesday that Bondi and other top administration officials should testify about Epstein, and floated the possibility of a subpoena. 'I think the cat is out of the bag and they're going to have to turn everything over to us,' Raskin said on MSNBC Thursday. Many Democrats have seized on the controversy roiling the MAGA-verse to demand that the Trump administration release documents related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. 'In other words, we're asking for exactly what Donald Trump was demanding and exactly what Pam Bondi was demanding before they got into power and got to look at everything,' Raskin said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store