Tennessee's Redrawn Map Produces Two Republican Nominees

Tennessee's congressional map, redrawn ahead of the 2026 cycle, delivered its first electoral test this week in a pair of Republican primaries that will shape the state's House delegation. In the state's 9th Congressional District, Brent Taylor, a Republican, defeated three other candidates to secure the nomination. The district's boundaries were altered as part of the broader redistricting process, and Taylor's win positions him as the party's standard-bearer in a seat where the new lines carry different partisan lean than the district's prior configuration.

In the state's 6th Congressional District, Johnny Garrett, also a Republican, defeated Jon Henry and Van Hilleary to win that nomination. Hilleary's presence in the field is notable given his history in Tennessee politics, though the primary result shows Garrett prevailing over both rivals. As with the 9th District, the 6th's redrawn boundaries mean the general election will be the first real test of how the new map performs.

Redistricting fights tend to draw less attention than the general-election contests that follow, but primary results in redrawn districts often serve as early indicators of how competitive — or uncompetitive — new lines will prove. Both Taylor and Garrett now advance to November without further primary obstacles, and attention shifts to whether Democratic opposition in either district will be organized enough to test the new boundaries or whether both seats will effectively be decided in the primary just concluded.

Georgia's 2026 Field Convenes on Business and Data Centers

Georgia's crowded 2026 statewide field appeared together at a chamber luncheon this week, offering a rare joint setting for candidates who will otherwise spend the next several months campaigning separately. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins, a sitting member of Congress, joined Georgia's gubernatorial candidates and Governor Brian Kemp to discuss business conditions and data center development — an issue that has become increasingly salient in Georgia as the state competes for large-scale technology infrastructure investment.

Data centers have emerged as a flashpoint in Georgia politics beyond their economic development value: proposals tied to these facilities have drawn scrutiny over water and electricity consumption, tax incentive structures, and their effect on local utility rates. Candidates using a chamber of commerce forum to address the topic suggests the issue is being treated as a mainstream economic question rather than a niche regulatory one, and it will likely recur throughout the state's Senate race and gubernatorial contest as both fields sharpen their messaging ahead of primary season.

The joint appearance itself is worth noting less for its content than for its format — chamber luncheons of this kind function as low-stakes venues where statewide candidates test rhetoric before more adversarial general-election settings. Kemp's presence alongside candidates seeking to succeed him or join him in Washington underscores the extent to which Georgia's business community remains a required stop for any serious statewide campaign in the state.

What to Watch

With Tennessee's primaries settled, focus turns to how quickly Democratic challengers organize in the state's redrawn 6th and 9th Districts, and whether either race draws national attention given the altered partisan composition of the new lines. In Georgia, expect data center policy and utility costs to feature prominently as the Senate and gubernatorial fields continue courting business audiences ahead of the state's primary calendar.