U.S. Rep. Mark Green is officially resigning from his seat on July 20, and U.S. Rep. John Rose is running for governor.
Image: Rep. Jody Barrett, a Dickson Republican, announced he will run for Congress in Tennessee District 7. Image Credit: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout
By Adam Friedman [The Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –
A rush of Republicans and Democrats are likely to run for two open U.S. Congressional seats in Middle Tennessee.
U.S. Rep Mark Green, a Clarksville Republican, confirmed Monday he is stepping down from his 7th Congressional District seat on July 20, triggering a special election. The 7th district encompasses parts of northern Nashville, Clarksville, and half of Williamson County, as well as about a dozen other Middle Tennessee counties.
Green announced in 2024 he would not run for reelection but one month later, was persuaded to run again by President Donald Trump. His official resignation comes days after he voted in favor of Trump’s domestic policy bill.
By state law, the special election to replace Green must occur later this year. A primary election is likely to take place in September, and the general election in late October or early November.
State Rep. Jody Barrett, a Dickson Republican, announced in a statement Monday he will run for the seat. Barrett, who voted against Gov. Bill Lee’s private school voucher program, positioned himself in the statement as an outsider.
“I’ve taken on the elites in my own party and stood up for you,” Barrett said. “And like President Trump, they came after me to get to you.”
Barrett joins four other Republicans who have announced they are running to replace Green:
- Jason Knight, a Montgomery County Commissioner
- Matt Van Epps, a former Tennessee General Services Commissioner
- State Rep. Jay Reedy of Erin
- Jonathan Thorp, a U.S. Army veteran
A sixth Republican, Franklin state Rep. Lee Reeves, filed a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on Monday.
On the Democrat side, Bo Mitchell, a state representative from Nashville, announced his candidacy for the seat.
“Now more than ever, Tennessee needs leaders in Congress who will have the courage to fight for us, not just cave to political pressure,” Mitchell said in a statement. “I am disgusted by the passage of this big, ugly bill; it will decimate rural health care and close rural hospitals.”
Rep. Aftyn Behn, another Nashville Democrat, filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on Monday.
Down the line, a race for District 6
Green’s resignation follows U.S. Rep. John Rose, a Cookeville Republican, who announced in March he will make a bid for governor in 2026, opening up the 6th Congressional seat. The 6th district includes the eastern part of Nashville, parts of Wilson County and about a dozen counties in Middle and East Tennessee.
Candidates for the 6th district have more time to declare, as Rose appears likely to finish his term. The 6th district election will fall on the traditional 2026 midterm election dates.
Van Hilleary, who represented Tennessee Congressional District 4 from 1995 to 2003, and serves as Rose’s chief of staff, filed his statement of candidacy with the FEC on July 1 to run to replace Rose. Hilleary last ran for office in 2002, when he lost a race for Tennessee governor to Democrat Phil Bredesen.
Other candidates to announce so far are Republican Dale Braden and Democrat Mike Croley.
2 Responses
Conservatives have their candidate for District 7 and not much time to get him elected. Jody Barrett carries a 100%/A+ conservative rating from Tennessee Stands’ Tennessee Legislative Report Card. Mark Green leaves with a 96% conservative rating. Now let’s do what we can to get Jody elected to carry on that conservative record.
Lucifer’s TNGOP hates Jody Barrett because he stood against them for US. He’s got my vote and all others I can bring.