Three Democrat House challengers outraise Republican opponents in this week’s campaign filings

Luis Mata (left), Jesse Huseth (center), and Allie Phillips (right) (Photos by Mata, Huseth, and Phillips' campaigns)

Tennessee Democrats’ hopes of cutting into at least some of the Republican House supermajority in next Month’s general election received a boost with this week’s campaign filings.

Three Democratic challengers outraised their Incumbent Republican opponents according to third-quarter reports. Additionally, Democrats running in three seats facing strong Republicans pick-up challenges posted fundraising advantages.

One of the more noticeable campaign fillings occurred in Memphis’ House District 97 that’s currently held by Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis.  His opponent, Democrat Jesse Huseth raised $89,390 to Gillespie’s $69,240 in third quarter filings.

Huseth is a former Memphis-Shelby County Schools teacher who’s running on increasing funding for public schools and opposing Governor Lee's proposal to let families use tax dollars to send their kids to private school, sometimes referred to as vouchers.

“Our Governor plans to siphon money away from Tennessee public schools to allow wealthy parents (and his political donors) to use taxpayer dollars at private schools. This pattern has repeated many times across the country; when vouchers are introduced, the vast majority of the benefits go to those families who are already attending private schools. Most public school students never see a benefit, and in fact the majority of them suffer from the drop in funding available to their public school. We are already shortchanging our students, we cannot make it worse by implementing vouchers,” said Huseth on his campaign website.

Representative John Gillespie (Photo by Tennessee General Assembly)

Gillespie is a member of the House Education Administration Committee and voted in favor of advancing vouchers legislation last session.  His campaign website touts the two-term Representative’s sponsorship of the “Truth in Sentencing” law that requires violent felons to serve their entire prison sentence.

“John works with Representatives from across the state to crack down on violent crime impacting our communities. He understands reducing crime will boost long-term economic growth in Memphis,” said Gillespie’s campaign on its website.

The two other Democratic challengers posting fundraising advantages this quarter are running for seats in Middle Tennessee.

In Rutherford County’s House District 49, Mexican immigrant and public policy advocate Luis Mata raised $58,575 to incumbent Representative Mike Sparks’, R-Smyrna, $23,500 total, while in Clarksville’s House District 75, Democratic challenger Allie Phillips raised $65,586 to incumbent Representative Jeff Burkhart’s, R-Clarksville, $50,675.

 Incumbent advantages in Middle and East Tennessee

Democratic candidates additionally posted fundraising advantages in three Middle Tennessee seats they’re hoping to keep, while Republicans did the same with two seats in East Tennessee.

Incumbent Representative Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, raised $95,618 this quarter to his challenger, Republican Metro Council Member Jennifer Frensley Webb’s $45,713 total, and Representative Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, outraised his Republican challenger Jamie Dean Peltz $73,940 to $25,215 this quarter.

Democrats are also protecting Davidson County’s House District 60 seat that has been held by retiring Representative Darren Jernigan, D-Old Hickory. Democrat Shaundelle Brooks outraised Republican Chad Bobo $67,126 to $53,708 this quarter in the the House District 60 race.

In East Tennessee two Republican candidates for GOP held seats posted fundraising advantages this quarter in closely watched races.

In Knoxville’s House District 18, incumbent Representative Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, outraised Democrat challenger Bryan Goldberg $74,341 to $60,354 this quarter, while in Chattanooga’s House District 27, Republican Michele Reneau outraised Democrat Kathy Lennon $70,150 to $56,372.

Representative Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, has held House District 27 but Reneau unseated her in the Republican primary last August.

All 99 House seats are up for grabs in the November fifth General Election.  Currently Republicans hold 75 of those seats.

Early voting begins Wednesday October 16.