Tennessee's 2nd congressional district

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district
Tennessee's 2nd congressional district since January 3, 2013
Representative	Tim Burchett R–Knoxville
Distribution	74.15% urban 25.85% rural
Population (2019)	758,519
Median household income	$57,777
Ethnicity	86.4% White 6.3% Black 3.7% Hispanic 1.7% Two or more races 1.5% Asian 0.4% other
Cook PVI	R+18

The 2nd congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in East Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Tim Burchett since January 2019.

Current boundaries

The district is located in East Tennessee and borders Kentucky to the north and North Carolina to the south.

It currently covers all of Blount, Claiborne, Grainger, Knox, and Loudon counties, along with a sliver of Campbell County and a large portion of Jefferson County.

Characteristics

The district is based in Knoxville, and is largely coextensive with that city's metropolitan area.

The area is known for being the home of the flagship campus for the University of Tennessee, hosting the 1982 World's Fair, and for being the headquarters for the Tennessee Valley Authority, Ruby Tuesday, and Pilot Flying J.

The 2nd is similar in character to the neighboring 1st, and has long been one of the safest districts in the nation for the Republican Party. No Democrat has represented the district since 1855, and Republicans have held the district continuously since 1859—the longest time any party has held any district. The Democrats waged some competitive races in the district during the 1930s. However, they have not put up a substantive candidate in the district since 1964, and have only managed 40 percent of the vote twice since then.

Most of its residents supported the Union over the Confederacy during the American Civil War; it was one of four districts whose congressmen did not resign when Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861. The area's residents immediately identified with the Republicans after hostilities ceased. Much of that sentiment was derived from the region's economic base of small-scale farming, with little or no use for slavery; thus, voters were mostly indifferent or hostile to the concerns of plantation owners and other landed interests farther west in the state, who aligned themselves with the Democratic Party. This loyalty has persisted through good times and bad ever since, despite the vast ideological changes in both political parties since that time.

The few Democratic pockets in the district are located in Knoxville, which occasionally elects Democratic mayors and occasionally sends Democrats to the state legislature. However, they are no match for the overwhelming Republican bent of the rest of Knox County, as well as the more suburban and rural areas. For example, Blount and Grainger counties are among the few counties in the country to have never supported a Democrat for president.

This district traditionally gives its congressmen very long tenures in Washington, electing some of the few truly senior Southern Republican congressmen before the 1950s. Since 1909, only seven people (not counting caretakers) have represented the district–Richard W. Austin, J. Will Taylor, John Jennings Jr., Howard Baker Sr., John Duncan Sr., Jimmy Duncan, and Burchett. All six of Burchett's predecessors have served at least ten years in Congress, with Taylor and the Duncans holding the seat for at least twenty years.

Election results from presidential races

Year	Office	Result
2000	President	George W. Bush 59% - Al Gore 39%
2004	President	George W. Bush 64% - John Kerry 35%
2008	President	John McCain 64% - Barack Obama 34.5%
2012	President	Mitt Romney 67.3% - Barack Obama 31%
2016	President	Donald Trump 65% - Hillary Clinton 29.7%
2020	President	Donald Trump 63% - Joe Biden 34.5%

History

Although the district has taken many forms over the years, it has been centered on Knoxville since 1853.

During the Civil War era, the area was represented in Congress by Horace Maynard. Maynard switched parties many times, but was pro-Union, and did not resign from Congress when Tennessee seceded. Maynard entered Congress in 1857 (four years before the outbreak of the Civil War), but did not leave entirely until 1875 (ten years after the Civil War ended).

For a short period in the 1870s, the area was represented by Jacob M. Thornburgh. For the 44th United States Congress, Thornburgh was the only Republican in the Tennessee delegation.

Following Thornburgh's retirement, the district chose former Union colonel Leonidas C. Houk, who served until his death in 1891, upon which he was succeeded by his son John.

In late 1893, John faced a primary challenge from Henry R. Gibson. Gibson was chosen following this narrow and divisive primary, then went on to serve in Congress for ten years.

Gibson did not seek re-election in 1904 and was succeeded by Nathan W. Hale, who served only two terms.

Similar in character to the Houk/Gibson primary in 1893, Hale faced a divisive primary with eventual winner Richard W. Austin in 1908.

Ten years later, Austin himself was defeated for the Republican nomination, being edged out by former state Republican chairman J. Will Taylor. Taylor managed to serve for twenty years until his death in 1939.

In a special election to fill the vacancy left by Taylor's death, the district elected former judge John Jennings, Jr. Jennings' tenure nearly perfectly coincided with the 1940s decade.

In 1950, Jennings was defeated in primary by former district attorney Howard Baker, Sr. Baker served for thirteen years until his death in 1964, where he was succeeded by his widow Irene who did not seek re-election.

In the 1964 election, the district chose Knoxville mayor John Duncan, Sr. Duncan served for 23 years before his death in summer 1988.

Following Duncan's death, the district elected his son, Jimmy. The younger Duncan served for just over thirty years from late 1988 until his successor was sworn in early January 2019.

Upon Jimmy Duncan's retirement, the district chose outgoing Knox County mayor Tim Burchett, who has served since January 2019.

List of members representing the district

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1805
George W. Campbell	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809	9th 10th	Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Retired to become judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court.	1805–1813 "Hamilton district"
Robert Weakley	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811	11th	Elected in 1809. Retired.
John Sevier	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1811 – September 24, 1815	12th 13th 14th	Elected in 1811. Re-elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Died.
					1813–1823 [data missing]
Vacant		September 24, 1815 – December 8, 1815	14th
William G. Blount	Democratic-Republican	December 8, 1815 – March 3, 1819	14th 15th	Elected to finish Sevier's term. Re-elected in 1817. Retired.
John A. Cocke	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1825	16th 17th 18th 19th	Elected in 1819. Re-elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Retired.
					1823–1833 [data missing]
	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827
Pryor Lea	Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1831	20th 21st	Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Lost re-election.
Thomas D. Arnold	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	22nd	Elected in 1831. Redistricted to the 1st district and lost re-election.
Samuel Bunch	Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	23rd 24th	Elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1835. Lost re-election.	1833–1843 [data missing]
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837
Abraham McClellan	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843	25th 26th 27th	Elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841. Retired.
William T. Senter	Whig	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Elected in 1842. Retired.	1843–1853 [data missing]
William M. Cocke	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	29th 30th	Elected in 1845. Re-elected in 1847. Lost re-election as a Democrat.
Albert G. Watkins	Whig	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853	31st 32nd	Elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851. Redistricted to the 1st district and lost re-election.
William M. Churchwell	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd	Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1853. Retired.	1853–1863 [data missing]
William H. Sneed	Know Nothing	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	34th	Elected in 1855. Retired.
Horace Maynard	Know Nothing	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859	35th 36th 37th	Elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859. Re-elected in 1861. Could not seek re-election, as state was under Confederate occupation.
	Opposition	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861
	Unionist	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863
Vacant		March 4, 1863 – July 24, 1866	38th 39th	Civil War	1863–1873 [data missing]
Horace Maynard	Unconditional Unionist	July 24, 1866 – March 3, 1867	39th 40th 41st 42nd	Elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Redistricted to the at-large district.
	Republican	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873
Jacob M. Thornburgh	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879	43rd 44th 45th	Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Retired.	1873–1883 [data missing]
Leonidas C. Houk	Republican	March 4, 1879 – May 25, 1891	46th 47th 48th 49th 50th 51st 52nd	Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Died.
1883–1893 [data missing]
	Vacant		May 25, 1891 – December 7, 1891	52nd
	John C. Houk	Republican	December 7, 1891 – March 3, 1895	52nd 53rd	Elected to finish his father's term. Re-elected in 1892. Lost renomination and lost re-election as an Independent Republican.
1893–1903 [data missing]
	Henry R. Gibson	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1905	54th 55th 56th 57th 58th	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Retired.
1903–1913 [data missing]
	Nathan W. Hale	Republican	March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1909	59th 60th	Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Lost re-election.
	Richard W. Austin	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1919	61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th	Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Lost renomination and lost re-election as an Independent.
1913–1923 [data missing]
	J. Will Taylor	Republican	March 4, 1919 – November 14, 1939	66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th	Elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Died.
1923–1933 [data missing]
1933–1943 [data missing]
	Vacant		November 14, 1939 – December 30, 1939	76th
	John Jennings Jr.	Republican	December 30, 1939 – January 3, 1951	76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st	Elected to finish Taylor's term. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Lost renomination.
1943–1953 [data missing]
	Howard H. Baker	Republican	January 3, 1951 – January 7, 1964	82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th	Elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Died.
1953–1963 [data missing]
1963–1973 [data missing]
	Vacant		January 7, 1964 – March 10, 1964	88th
	Irene Baker	Republican	March 10, 1964 – January 3, 1965		Elected to finish her husband's term. Retired.
	John J. Duncan	Republican	January 3, 1965 – June 21, 1988	89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th	Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Died.
1973–1983 [data missing]
1983–1993 [data missing]
	Vacant		June 21, 1988 – November 7, 1988	100th
	John J. Duncan Jr.	Republican	November 8, 1988 – January 3, 2019	100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th	Elected to finish his father's term. Also elected to the next full term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Retired.
1993–2013 [data missing]
2003–2013
2013–present
	Tim Burchett	Republican	January 3, 2019 – present	116th 117th 118th 119th	Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020

Recent election results

2012

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, 2012

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John J. Duncan, Jr. (incumbent)	196,894	74.4
	Democratic	Troy Goodale	54,522	20.6
	Green	Norris Dryer	5,733	2.2
	Libertarian	Greg Samples	4,382	1.7
	Independent	Brandon Stewart	2,974	1.1
Total votes			264,505	100
	Republican hold

2014

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, 2014

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John J. Duncan, Jr. (incumbent)	120,833	72.5
	Democratic	Bob Scott	37,612	22.6
	Green	Norris Dryer	4,033	2.4
	Independent	Casey Adam Gouge	4,223	2.5
Total votes			166,701	100.0
	Republican hold

2016

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, 2016

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John J. Duncan, Jr. (incumbent)	212,455	75.6
	Democratic	Stuart Starr	68,401	24.4
Total votes			280,856	100.0
	Republican hold

2018

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Burchett	172,856	65.9
	Democratic	Renee Hoyos	86,668	33.1
	Independent	Greg Samples	967	0.4
	Independent	Jeffrey Grunau	657	0.3
	Independent	Marc Whitmire	637	0.2
	Independent	Keith LaTorre	349	0.1
Total votes			262,134	100.0
	Republican hold

2020

Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, 2020

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Burchett (incumbent)	238,907	67.6
	Democratic	Renee Hoyos	109,684	31.1
	Independent	Matthew Campbell	4,592	1.3
	Write-in		14	0.0
Total votes			353,197	100.0
	Republican hold

See also

• Tennessee's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present