Tennessee's 6th congressional district

The 6th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in Middle Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican John Rose since January 2019.

Tennessee's 6th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
  John Rose
R–Cookeville
Distribution
  • 51.77% rural[1]
  • 48.23% urban
Population (2022)783,125[2]
Median household
income		$64,687[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+17[4]

Much of the sixth district is rural and wooded. It is spread across the geographic regions known as the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, and the Central Basin. The area is known for its waterfalls, such as Burgess Falls and Cummins Falls. Much of the western part of the district is located in the Nashville metropolitan area, along with a portion of Nashville itself.

With close access to interstates 24, 40, and 65, subdivisions are sprouting almost exponentially, fast filling with new economy managers. Recently, many companies have opened either manufacturing or distribution centers in the 6th district. This includes Amazon[5] and Bridgestone-Firestone[6] in Lebanon, gun manufacturer Beretta in Gallatin,[7] and clothing manufacturer Under Armour in Mt. Juliet.[8]

Politically speaking, the region was traditionally a "Yellow Dog Democrat" district. However, it began shifting rightward as Nashville's suburbs bled into the district and the rural counties trended Republican. It supported Bill Clinton in 1992, partly due to the presence of Al Gore, who represented it from 1977 to 1985, as Clinton's running mate. However, it has not supported a Democrat for president since. Longtime Democratic incumbent Bart Gordon consistently won reelection easily even as the district swung rightward after the turn of the millennium. By the mid-2000s, however, it was believed that the Democrats would have a hard time keeping the seat after Gordon retired.

Gordon retired in 2010, and Republican state senator Diane Black won the seat in a landslide, proving just how Republican this district had become. The 2010 redistricting made the district even more Republican, even as its longtime anchor of Murfreesboro was drawn into the neighboring 4th District. Since 2012, no Democrat has won an entire county within the district in any presidential, gubernatorial, senate, or congressional election.[9][10] Indeed, no Democrat has crossed the 30 percent mark in the district since Gordon's retirement.

Current boundaries

The district is located in north-central Tennessee and borders Kentucky to the north. It is currently composed of the following counties: Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, White, and Van Buren. The district also contains parts of Davidson, Scott, Warren, and Wilson counties.

Election results from statewide races

Results under old lines (2013-2023)

Year Office Result
2000 President George W. Bush 49% - Al Gore 49%
2004 President George W. Bush 60% - John Kerry 40%
2008 President John McCain 65% - Barack Obama 33.5%
2012 President Mitt Romney 70% - Barack Obama 29.5%
2016 President Donald Trump 72.6% - Hillary Clinton 23.7%
2020 President Donald Trump 72.2% - Joe Biden 25.6%

History

Prior to the 1980 census, when Tennessee picked up a district, most of what is now the 6th district was in the 4th district. During the 1940s, this area was represented by Albert Gore, Sr. of Carthage. Gore was elected to the United States Senate in 1952, where he was instrumental in creating the Interstate Highway system.[11]

From 1953 to 1977, the area was represented by Joe L. Evins of Smithville. Evins's nephew, Dan Evins, was the founder of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant/retail chain.[12] Cracker Barrel's headquarters are still located in Lebanon.[13]

In 1976, Evins was succeeded by Al Gore, then-future Vice President and son of Albert Gore, Sr. He was representing the area when much of it was moved into the present 6th district.

Shortly following the redistricting into the 6th district, Gore was elected to the United States Senate. He was then succeeded by former Tennessee Democratic Party chairman Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro. Gordon held the post for the next 26 years, generally with little difficulty. The only year he faced serious opposition was 1994, when attorney Steve Gill ran against him. Gordon defeated Gill by only one percentage point.[14]

According to the 2010 census, the five largest cities are Hendersonville (51,372), Cookeville (30,425), Gallatin (30,278), Lebanon (26,190), and Mt. Juliet (23,671).[15] Diane Black of Gallatin was elected in the Republican landslide of 2010 when Gordon retired after 26 years in Congress. Black's victory marked the first time that much of the district had been represented by a Republican since 1921, and for only the second time since Reconstruction.

List of members representing the district
Member
(Residence)		 Party Years Cong
ress		 Electoral history District location
District established March 4, 1813
Parry W. Humpreys
(Nashville)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815		 13th Elected in 1813.
Retired.		 1813–1823
[data missing]
James B. Reynolds
(Clarksville)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817		 14th Elected in 1815.
Lost re-election.
George W. L. Marr
(Clarksville)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –
March 3, 1819		 15th Elected in 1817.
Lost renomination.
Henry H. Bryan
(Palmyra)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1821		 16th Elected in 1819.
Re-elected in 1821 but failed to qualify.
Vacant March 4, 1821 –
March 3, 1823		 17th
James T. Sandford
(Columbia)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825		 18th Elected in 1823.
Lost re-election.		 1823–1833
[data missing]

James K. Polk
(Columbia)		 Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1833		 19th
20th
21st
22nd		 Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Redistricted to the 9th district.
Balie Peyton
(Gallatin)		 Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1835		 23rd
24th		 Elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Retired.		 1833–1843
[data missing]
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837

William B. Campbell
(Carthage)		 Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1843		 25th
26th
27th		 Elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Retired.

Aaron V. Brown
(Pulaski)		 Democratic March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845		 28th Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 1843.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.		 1843–1853
[data missing]
Barclay Martin
(Columbia)		 Democratic March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1847		 29th Elected in 1845.
Retired.
James H. Thomas
(Columbia)		 Democratic March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1851		 30th
31st		 Elected in 1847.
Re-elected in 1849.
Lost re-election.

William H. Polk
(Columbia)		 Independent Democratic March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1853		 32nd Elected in 1851.
Retired.

George W. Jones
(Fayetteville)		 Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1859		 33rd
34th
35th		 Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Retired.		 1853–1861
[data missing]
James H. Thomas
(Columbia)		 Democratic March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861		 36th Elected in 1859.
Retired.
District inactive March 4, 1861 –
July 24, 1866		 37th
38th
39th		 Civil War and Reconstruction
Samuel M. Arnell
(Columbia)		 Unconditional Unionist July 24, 1866 –
March 3, 1867		 39th
40th
41st		 Elected in 1865.
Re-elected in 1867.
Re-elected in 1868.
Retired.		 1866–1873
[data missing]
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1871

Washington C. Whitthorne
(Columbia)		 Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875		 42nd
43rd		 Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 7th district.
1873–1883
[data missing]

John F. House
(Clarksville)		 Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883		 44th
45th
46th
47th		 Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.

Andrew J. Caldwell
(Nashville)		 Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887		 48th
49th		 Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Retired.		 1883–1893
[data missing]

Joseph E. Washington
(Cedar Hill)		 Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1897		 50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th		 Elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.
1893–1903
[data missing]

John W. Gaines
(Nashville)		 Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1909		 55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th		 Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Lost renomination.
1903–1913
[data missing]

Jo Byrns
(Nashville)		 Democratic March 4, 1909 –
March 3, 1933		 61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd		 Elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-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.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
1913–1923
[data missing]
1923–1933
[data missing]

Clarence W. Turner
(Waverly)		 Democratic March 4, 1933 –
March 23, 1939		 73rd
74th
75th
76th		 Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Died.		 1933–1943
[data missing]
Vacant March 23, 1939 –
May 11, 1939		 76th

W. Wirt Courtney
(Franklin)		 Democratic May 11, 1939 –
January 3, 1943		 76th
77th		 Elected to finish Turner's term.
Re-elected in 1940.
Redistricted to the 7th district.

Percy Priest
(Nashville)		 Democratic January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1953		 78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd		 Elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 5th district.		 1943–1953
[data missing]

James P. Sutton
(Lawrenceburg)		 Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1955		 83rd Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1952.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.		 1953–1963
[data missing]

Ross Bass
(Pulaski)		 Democratic January 3, 1955 –
November 3, 1964		 84th
85th
86th
87th
88th		 Elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned when elected.
1963–1973
[data missing]
Vacant November 3, 1964 –
January 3, 1965		 88th

William R. Anderson
(Waverly)		 Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1973		 89th
90th
91st
92nd		 Elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Lost re-election.

Robin Beard
(Franklin)		 Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1983		 93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th		 Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.		 1973–1983
[data missing]

Al Gore
(Carthage)		 Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1985		 98th Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1982.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.		 1983–1993
[data missing]

Bart Gordon
(Murfreesboro)		 Democratic January 3, 1985 –
January 3, 2011		 99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th		 Elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
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.
Retired.
1993–2003
[data missing]
2003–2013

Diane Black
(Gallatin)		 Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2019		 112th
113th
114th
115th		 Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
2013–2023

John Rose
(Cookeville)		 Republican January 3, 2019 –
present		 116th
117th
118th		 Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022
2023–present

See also

References
  1. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  2. "My Congressional District". Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  3. "My Congressional District". Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  4. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. "Amazon Fulfillment - Locations". Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  6. "Bridgestone Americas Distribution Centers". Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  7. Cross, Josh (August 28, 2014). "Beretta breaks ground on $45 million Gallatin plant". The Tennessean.
  8. Humbles, Andy (October 2, 2014). "Under Armour to bring 1,500 jobs to Mt. Juliet". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on April 11, 2022.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Albert Gore Sr". Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  12. Langer, Emily (January 16, 2012). "Dan Evins, founder of Cracker Barrel highway empire, dies". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012.
  13. "Work At Our Home Office | Cracker Barrel". Archived from the original on June 23, 2011.
  14. "Bio: Rep. Bart Gordon". Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  15. "American FactFinder - Results". Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2015.

36°11′41″N 85°46′42″W

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