Middle Tennessee Incumbents Hold On, In Spite Of Voter Anger

As he looked up and down the Republican ballot, Sam Lowe didn’t like many of his options.

But rather than selecting the challengers, the Murfreesboro voter instead lodged a protest. He simply wrote in other candidates.

“Democrats have lost their minds, so they won’t get my vote, but the establishment Republicans, I mean they’re no different than the Democrats. So that’s really the only choice I have.”

Anger toward the establishment has been a frequent theme this year. But in last week’s races for the state legislature and Congress, only one incumbent in Middle Tennessee actually lost.

That was state Rep. Jeremy Durham. The Franklin Republican suspended his campaign last month, following the release of a report that alleged he’d sexually harassed nearly two dozen women.

John Vile, a political scientist at Middle Tennessee State University, suggests a few theories why the incumbents did so well:

* Turnout in the election was low, giving familiar candidates an edge.

* Many of the officeholders in Tennessee were outsiders themselves just a couple of years ago.

* And the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, seems to be soaking up all the attention.

“Is there a chance that a lot of the frustration is going in support of Trump rather than in opposition to other incumbents?” he said. “Maybe you only enough room for so much indignation in one campaign.”

Voters will get another chance to take a shot at the incumbents in November.

But in this topsy-turvy season, the biggest Election Day surprise may turn out to be no surprises at all.