Hamilton County state House, Senate incumbents reelected

All sitting members of Hamilton County’s delegation to the state legislature retained their seats following Tuesday’s election.

State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, the delegation’s only non-Republican member, earned 72% of the vote over independent challengers Demetrus Coonrod, with 19%, and Johnny Horne, with 8.5%.

Bo Watson

Each Republican incumbent from Hamilton County won reelection despite a challenging mood for Republicans across the U.S., said state Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga.

“We fully expected this to be a really tight race, just because of the climate we were running in,” Watson said in a phone call. “I think it actually speaks volumes to the strength of the Republican Party here in Hamilton County and our resilience.”

Watson defeated Democratic challenger Tim Roberts by 6 points, which he said was what his campaign expected.

“I’m thrilled to win. I would’ve been elated to be at 55%,” Watson, who won 53% of the vote, said.

Every election has a distinct character, and this year’s was characterized by the diminished popularity of President Donald Trump, higher gas prices caused by the war in Iran and overall inflation, Watson said.

It’s the kind of election where Republicans in Hamilton County need to celebrate their wins and move on to the next term, he said.

“Certainly the Democrats had a good night. Even in their losing, they’re going to feel emboldened,” Watson said. “We were not running races against candidates. We were running races against the Democratic Party.”

The area’s other state senator, Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, was not up for reelection this year.

Esther Helton-Haynes

State Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Brainerd, narrowly defeated challenger Art Rymer to keep her seat by a margin of 540 votes, according to vote totals from the county Election Commission.

Helton-Haynes gathered Tuesday night at Champy’s in East Ridge with supporters and East Ridge Mayor Brian Williams, who ran unopposed for a third term.

Helton-Haynes ran unopposed in the Republican primary to face Rymer in the general election. Rymer posted a message to his campaign website saying he wasn’t campaigning “due to frustration with the local and state Democratic parties.”

The lack of a campaigning challenger didn’t keep Helton-Haynes from running a full-fledged campaign with signs and door knocking.

“I hadn’t been doing really any door knocking, but when the results came in from early voting, I wasn’t pleased with the turnout,” Helton-Haynes said in an interview. “So, we took it up a notch, and in less than two weeks, we knocked 2,700 doors in District 30, cause you can never take anything for granted. I never want to take anybody that supports me for granted.”

Helton-Haynes’s district includes much of the southern border of Hamilton County, including pieces of Chattanooga, East Ridge, Ridgeside and Collegedale.

Her focus during the past year was a bill to enact a statewide ban on natural and synthetic forms of kratom, a substance that acts like a stimulant and opioid.

(READ MORE: Tennessee set to become seventh state to have full ban on kratom)

In her fifth term, Helton-Haynes said she has several ideas for legislation, including a bill to provide free feminine products to girls in public high schools. Helton-Haynes, a longtime nurse and former member of East Ridge City Council, is chair of the House insurance subcommittee and a member of the population health subcommittee. She hopes to retain these assignments in the next General Assembly.

It will be her first term under a new governor, as several candidates seek to replace outgoing Gov. Bill Lee. Helton-Haynes said she has not yet spoken with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican candidate for governor, about bills she’d like to introduce in her next term.

Michele Reneau

With half of precincts reporting at around 9:30 p.m., state Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Hixson, won reelection with 53.7% of the vote over her Democratic challenger, Paige Quirin, with 46.3%.

“Voting is a basic civic opportunity to have your voice heard,” Reneau said in an interview at a local Republican party watch party at The Chattanoogan Hotel. “It’s great so many people came out to vote tonight. Their voice is the reason why we serve.”

Reneau said she didn’t change her campaign strategy from the Republican primary, when she defeated Tony Hullender, to the general election.

She said she is still figuring out her legislative priorities for another term, but that infrastructure and development were the top concerns for her constituents this cycle.

“A lot of it comes down to money,” Reneau said. “We probably don’t have as big a transportation budget as we should given our backlog.”

Greg Vital

State Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, won reelection with 62% of the vote in the eastern portion of the county. His challenger, Democrat Ryan Scofield, earned 38%.

“I think the last five years have spoken for themselves that I’ve fought hard for property rights, the impact of overdevelopment and congestion, fiscal responsibility and conservative values,” Vital said in an interview. “That’s what the people of East Hamilton County want, and I think that shows in the election tonight.”

Vital said the state needed to get a better return on its educational investments, both in public schools and in its voucher program. A major legislative focus of the upcoming session is likely to be reducing the tax burden as inflation remains high, he said.

“It’s going to be holding the line on tax policy. I think we need to work for ways to reduce the grocery tax, and the impact of economic inflation,” he said.

Greg Martin

State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, ran unopposed for reelection in a district that runs through the center of Hamilton County. His former Democratic opponent, Nathan Denton, dropped out of the race after winning the primary in August.

Martin said his priorities in his next term would be based on feedback from voters. He mentioned the economy, public safety and investing in educational opportunity as key areas.

“The most important thing is what the people want,” Martin said in a phone call. “It’s a little early to say what I’m going to do, because I’m still listening to voters … I’m just grateful to the people for the confidence they’ve placed in me.”

Martin said he didn’t expect a new governor to change the nature of his role in the General Assembly because of the separation of powers. Martin has served in the state House since 2022, when he was appointed to fill the seat of Rep. Robin Smith after her resignation. He formerly served on the Hamilton County Commission.

Contact business reporter Daniel Dassow at ddassow@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.