The FiveThirtyEight opinion poll analysis website gives Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee a 99 in 100 chance of being re-elected on Nov. 8. The Cook Political Report puts U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s 3rd District House race in the “Solid Republican” category.
State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, has won seven elections (primary and general) to three offices with the help of basically the same voters who will determine whether he will be elected to a full term in the state House. State Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, has an independent opponent on the ballot in her bid for a fifth term, but that opponent suspended his campaign against her on Aug. 1.
The other members of the Hamilton County legislative delegation, state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, state Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, state Rep. Greg Vital, R-Georgetown, and state Rep. Esther Helton, R-East Ridge, are unopposed.
Tennessee lacks a U.S. Senate race and any of the implications of Senate races in other states that could determine the balance of power in the Washington, D.C., body.
The above realities give voters plenty of reasons not to vote in Hamilton County, but we hope they’ll overlook them and go to the polls anyway, as we believe they should no matter what the ballot looks like.