The candidates for the Tennessee State House of Representatives District 52 special election are set after two candidates – Republican Laura Nelson and incumbent Justin Jones, a Democrat – qualified by the Thursday deadline.
District 52 has a long history of being a Democratic stronghold in the eastern half of Davidson County. Since 2000, the district has elected three Democrats: Rob Briley – brother of former Mayor David Briley, Mike Williams, and most recently, Jones.
At just over 30 square miles, the legislative district lies entirely within Davidson County, comprising about 10 percent of the Metro’s population with a little over 74,000 residents. Its east-to-west boundaries begin with a small “jut” covering Shelby Park and several blocks of east Nashville, where Jones resides. The district border then travels southward across the Cumberland River, encompassing Mount Olivet Cemetery and Trevecca Nazarene University.
At Murfreesboro Pike, the line takes a 90-degree turn eastward, enveloping the airport before crossing Bell Road and Percy Priest Lake. The eastern flank of District 52 coincides with Davidson County’s southeastern border, covering much of the area between La Vergne and Mt. Juliet.
This area of Nashville is one of the city’s most diverse areas. According to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, the district comprises a majority of non-white citizens – 31 percent of African-Americans and 24 percent of Hispanics make up over half of the district’s population. Fifteen percent of the district’s citizens live below the poverty line, and 10 percent receive food stamps. The median disposable income in the district is $53,052.
Though the district is heavily Democratic, with only one Republican even contesting the seat since 2010, one member of the GOP decided she would offer voters an alternative to Rep. Jones this time. Nelson, currently serving as the first vice chair of the Davidson County GOP, has thrown her hat in the ring against the Democratic incumbent.
Jones has a more notorious history of public forays in Nashville than his Republican opponent. Five years ago, Fisk University graduate turned Vanderbilt Divinity School enrollee Jones was arrested after disrupting a rally held by then-U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn. Less than a year later, Jones was banned from the State Capitol building after allegedly throwing a cup of coffee at then-Speaker of the House Glen Casada (R-Franklin).
Before running unopposed in the general election for District 52 in 2022, Jones won a closely contested primary with Metro Councilmember Delishia Porterfield. Previously, Jones attempted a 2020 primary challenge to then-Rep. Jim Cooper but failed to amass the 25 petition signatures required to be on the ballot.
The voter registration deadline for next month’s special election is May 16. Early voting for the uncontested primaries runs from May 26 through June 10, with the special primary on June 15th. Early voting for the general election will run between July 14 and July 29. Special Election Day will coincide with the Metro Nashville General Elections on August 3rd. Further information on the three upcoming special elections in the state can be found here.
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Mac Roberts is a reporter at The Tennessee Star. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Justin Jones” by Justin Jones. Background Photo “Voting Booths” by Tim Evanson. CC BY-SA 2.0.
