Tennessee Special Election Results – District 27 Reneau Victory

Tennessee’s 27th House District saw a contested race in November 2024, though it came through the regularly scheduled general election rather than a special election. Republican Michele Reneau secured victory over Democrat Kathy Lennon, maintaining the district’s long-standing Republican representation. The outcome reflected broader statewide trends that favored Republican candidates across most House districts.

Unlike some legislative seats that trigger special elections due to vacancies, District 27 followed its normal election cycle. The seat became contested after incumbent Republican Patsy Hazlewood, who had held the position since 2014, did not seek renomination. Voters in the district ultimately chose Reneau by a margin exceeding twenty percentage points.

Who Won the Tennessee 27th District Race?

Michele Reneau, the Republican candidate, won the District 27 seat with 60.2 percent of the vote. Democrat Kathy Lennon received 39.8 percent. This result ensured continued Republican control of the district, which had not been competitive in recent election cycles.

Reneau’s victory came with approximately 60 percent of the vote, a commanding lead that surpassed typical Republican performance in the district. The win marked a successful transition for the seat following Hazlewood’s decision not to seek another term. For more details on how this race fit into the broader electoral landscape, consult coverage from the Associated Press election reports.

2024 Tennessee House District 27 Results

How District 27 Compared to Other Tennessee House Races

The District 27 result fit within a broader pattern of Republican dominance across Tennessee’s state House seats in 2024. Republicans won 75 of 99 House districts, while Democrats secured 24. District 27’s margin of approximately 20 percentage points placed it among the solidly Republican seats that did not generate close competition. Historical election data from Ballotpedia provides additional context on how these margins compare to previous cycles in the state.

Several other districts saw tighter margins that drew more attention during the election cycle. District 67 resulted in a Democratic hold by just 0.60 percentage points, while District 97 saw a Republican hold with a 3.40 percent margin. District 60 went to Democrats with a 7.56 percent margin, and District 18 returned a Republican victory with 7.50 percent separating the candidates.

Which District Was on the Ballot?

Tennessee’s 27th House District represents portions of the state that have consistently supported Republican candidates in statewide and federal races. The district had been held by Republicans for multiple election cycles before the 2024 contest.

The vacancy that created the open seat stemmed from Patsy Hazlewood’s decision not to seek renomination. Hazlewood had first won the seat in 2014 and had successfully defended it in subsequent elections. Her departure created an open seat situation that attracted both Republican and Democratic candidates.

The Candidates in the Race

Michele Reneau ran as the Republican nominee, positioning herself as the successor to the district’s Republican tradition. Her campaign focused on issues consistent with the district’s conservative orientation. Kathy Lennon represented the Democratic Party, contesting the seat in a district that historically favored Republican candidates.

Sample Vote Counts from Other Tennessee House Races

Understanding Tennessee Special Elections

Genuine special elections in Tennessee occur when a legislative seat becomes vacant mid-term due to resignation, death, or other circumstances. These elections take place outside the regular election calendar and can happen at various times throughout the year.

The 2024 District 27 contest did not fall into this category. The vacancy occurred through the normal process of an incumbent choosing not to seek another term, which allowed the seat to be filled through the scheduled general election rather than requiring a separate special election.

Recent Tennessee Special Elections

Separate from District 27, Tennessee did conduct special elections in late 2025 for congressional and state legislative seats. One notable contest involved a U.S. House seat where Republican Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner in Governor Bill Lee’s cabinet, faced Democrat Aftyn Behn, who served as a state representative. That race took place in a district where Republican candidates had performed strongly in recent elections. Coverage of these developments appeared in The Tennessean and other regional outlets.

Another state House runoff occurred in District 24 following the resignation of Democrat David Jordan in June. Candidates Curressia Brown and Justin Pope advanced from the November first round to compete in the subsequent runoff election. The News Channel 5 network provided ongoing updates about this contest.

Tennessee House Election Results: The Bigger Picture

The 2024 Tennessee House elections demonstrated significant Republican strength across the state. Former President Donald Trump won 75 of 99 state House districts, while Vice President Kamala Harris carried 24 districts. This distribution reflected the state’s overall political orientation during the 2024 election cycle.

District 27’s result aligned with this pattern, showing a decisive Republican victory in a district that had consistently supported the party’s candidates. The approximately 20-point margin separating the two candidates fell within the range of typical Republican performance in similar districts across the state. Comprehensive state election results are available through the Tennessee Secretary of State official channels.

Results Timeline and Certification

The general election took place on November 5, 2024, with polls closing at 8 PM Eastern Time across Tennessee. Results from District 27 were available on election night, with Michele Reneau’s lead becoming apparent as returns came in from across the district.

1. November 5, 2024: General election day with polls closing at 8 PM ET
2. Election night: Results reported with Reneau holding lead
3. Unofficial certification: Results compiled from county election offices
4. Official certification: State-level review and final tabulation

County election offices transmitted results to the state level following the close of polls. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office compiled these returns and made them available through official channels. Results for local and state races were accessible through municipal government websites and state election databases.

What Remains Clear and Unclear

Where to Find Official Results

Official Tennessee election results are available through the Tennessee Secretary of State’s elections division. The website maintains archives of election results including county-level data for state House races. For local results in Davidson County and other jurisdictions, municipal election offices publish certified returns through their official channels.

Multiple news organizations compiled and reported results from the 2024 election cycle. These sources included Associated Press coverage and local news outlets that provided race-by-race analysis for legislative contests across the state.

Summary

Tennessee’s 27th House District race concluded with Republican Michele Reneau defeating Democrat Kathy Lennon in the November 5, 2024 general election. The 60.2 percent to 39.8 percent outcome reflected the district’s conservative orientation and maintained Republican control of the seat following Patsy Hazlewood’s decision not to seek another term. The race was decided through the regular election calendar rather than a special election, and no recount was required given the substantial margin of victory. For additional context on legislative district boundaries and election procedures in Tennessee, see the full analysis of district representation.

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