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Rep. Patsy Hazlewood Loses Tennessee House Seat

Chattanooga – August 2, 2024

Incumbent Rep. **Patsy Hazlewood**, R-Signal Mountain, has lost her seat in the Tennessee House. In a nail-biting primary for the District 27 seat, **Michele Reneau** emerged victorious with 4,079 votes over Hazlewood’s 3,942. The gap of just over 100 votes marked the end of Hazlewood’s tenure, which she started in 2014.

A Surprising Defeat

Hazlewood, who served as the chair of the House Finance Ways and Means Committee, was narrowly defeated despite outspending Reneau during the campaign. Reneau, who pitched herself as **more conservative** than Hazlewood, focused much of her campaign on immigration issues.

Other Key Races

District 10

In another significant race, District 10 state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, comfortably defeated Ed LeCompte with a 5,320 to 1,086 vote tally. Gardenhire, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, celebrated the early results, indicating voters’ preference for mainstream Republican leadership over fringe candidates.

District 28

The District 28 race saw incumbent Rep. **Yusuf Hakeem**, D-Chattanooga, winning over Chattanooga City Council member **Demetrus Coonrod**. Hakeem secured 3,165 votes, while Coonrod garnered 1,832. This contest was a rematch of sorts as Coonrod had previously unseated Hakeem from the city council.

“She pushed us,” Hakeem said in an interview. “We left no stone unturned.” Hakeem will now face independent **Thomas Brooks** in the general election.

Future Contests

With the primary behind them, the victors now shift focus to the general election. Reneau will take on **Kathy Lennon** in November for the District 27 seat, which stretches from Chattanooga to the Georgia border. Gardenhire will face Democrat Missy Crutchfield in a bid to represent a region that includes most of Chattanooga and the surrounding counties.

Unchallenged Incumbents

In House District 29, incumbent Rep. **Greg Vital**, R-Harrison, will have to fend off Democrat **Ryan Scofield** in the general election. Meanwhile, in House District 30, Rep. **Esther Helton-Haynes**, R-East Ridge, is up against Democrat **Heather McClendon**. Both incumbents won their primaries unchallenged.

Looking Ahead

The newly elected members of the Tennessee state legislature, including the winners from these races, will be sworn in during the first week of January. Despite being part-time positions, these roles come with a salary of just under $28,400, along with additional stipends for district office expenses and travel.

Each representative in the state House serves a constituency of approximately 69,000 people, making the upcoming general elections pivotal for shaping the future legislative direction.

Stay tuned for more updates as these newly elected officials prepare to take on their roles and shape policy in Tennessee.

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