3 win statehouse primaries; Brown takes court clerk
Torrey Harris won his Democratic primary for the Tennessee House of Representatives, District 90, receiving more votes than Catrina Smith or Anya Parker, according to unofficial election results Thursday night.
The three Democrats were vying to see who is likely to challenge current Rep. John Deberry, who was ousted from the Democratic party in the spring and has said he plans to run as an independent.
No Republican ran in the primary. Harris, who works in human resources for Shelby County Government, previously ran for District 90 in 2018.
In the race for the Tennessee House of Representatives, District 97, Gabby Salinas won her Democratic primary, beating Ruby Powell-dennis, Allan Creasy and Clifford Stockton. Salinas is a St. Jude scientist who came close to beating Republican Brian Kelsey in State Senate District 31 in 2018.
On the Republican side, John Gillespie, a grant coordinator at Trezevant Episcopal Home, overcame Brandon Weise.
The winner of the election in the fall will replace Bartlett Rep. Jim Coley, who announced in May 2019 that he wouldn't seek reelection after being diagnosed with the early stages of dementia. Coley, a 14-year veteran of the Tennessee General Assembly, endorsed Gillespie.
Tom Leatherwood held onto his seat in the Republican primary for District 99 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, fending off challenger Lee Mills.
No Democrat ran in the primary. Leatherwood was elected state representative in 2018.
He previously served in the state senate for two terms, later working as the Shelby County register of deeds. Mills, a Fedex pilot instructor, is also the former chairman of the Republican Party of Shelby County and former president of Northeast Shelby Republicans. He's currently the District 32 committeeman for the Tennessee Republican Party.
His wife, Amber Mills, is a Shelby County commissioner.
In the race for General Sessions Court Clerk, Democrat Joe Brown defeated Republican Paul Boyd.
Brown is a former Memphis City councilman who previously ran for Memphis city clerk, while Boyd is a former probate court clerk.
The general sessions court clerk is responsible for maintaining the records and funds of Shelby County’s civil and criminal court.
Whomever is elected will replace Edward “Ed” Stanton Jr., who was appointed clerk pro tempore in 2011, then elected general sessions court clerk in 2012.
He announced in the fall that he would not seek another term after more than three decades of working in the office.