Marquita Bradshaw has emerged victorious in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee, defeating four other candidates in Thursday’s (August 6) election. Bradshaw, an environmental advocate from Memphis, secured more than 50% of the vote, besting her Democratic opponents Maria Brewer, Kevin Lee McCants, Civil Miller-Watkins, and Diana Onyejiaka. In November, she will face incumbent Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Bradshaw’s win sets up a rematch with Hagerty, whom she previously challenged in the 2020 general election. Despite raising just over $2,000 for her campaign as of mid-July, Bradshaw managed to secure the Democratic nomination. In contrast, Hagerty has amassed over $5 million for his campaign. The Nashville Banner reports that Bradshaw, after her 2020 loss, refused to concede, calling concession an “antiquated tradition.”
According to the Nashville Banner, if Hagerty wins again, he could become Tennessee’s senior senator, as Senator Marsha Blackburn is running for governor. The upcoming election is expected to be competitive, with Bradshaw aiming to become the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee since Al Gore in 1990.
The primary results reflect a broader trend of increased voter turnout in Tennessee, with early voting numbers significantly higher than in previous midterm elections. As reported by WPLN, both parties saw a roughly 30% increase in turnout compared to the last midterm election in 2022.
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