Voters to elect Green successor in state Senate

Tuesday is special election day in state Senate District 22. Voters in Montgomery, Houston, and Stewart counties will decide who will fill the last 18 months of former state Sen. Mark Green’s term in the General Assembly following the Ashland City Republican’s election to Congress.

Update:

Republican Bill Powers defeats Democrat Juanita Charles 54% to 44% in special election to serve out former state Sen. Mark Green’s term in the Tennessee General Assembly.

— Erik Schelzig (@schelzig) April 24, 2019

Previously:

The race pits Republican Bill Powers, a Clarksville City Councilman and manager of an auto dealership, against Democrat Juanita Charles, a real estate agent and Army veteran.

Powers, a managing partner of an auto dealership, emerged as the Republican nominee after a tough four-way primary in March. He has raised more than $102,000 from donors, loaned his campaign $120,000, and spent $195,000. Charles was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She raised nearly $35,000 and spent $9,700 through the pre-general reporting period.

The seat switched to Republican control when Green defeated incumbent Sen. Tim Barnes by 6 percentage points in 2012. Green won re-election by 34 points in 2016.

Republicans were optimistic about their chances of flipping an open state House seat in Clarksville last year, but Democrat Jason Hodges defeated Tommy Vallejos by 8 points. Incumbent Rep. Joe Pitts had given up the seat to make a successful bid for Clarksville mayor.

Here is a breakdown of the total ballots cast through the early voting period:

Houston: 259

Montgomery: 5,032

Stewart: 423

Total: 5,714