Tennessee Voter Guide: The competitive primaries for US House on Aug. 1

• The voter registration deadline was on July 2.
• Election day for the primaries and county general election is Thursday, Aug. 1.
• Early voting runs from July 12 through July 27.

Tennessee U.S. House races in the Aug. 1 primary include some notable races to watch.

All eyes will likely fall on the 5th Congressional District Republican primary, the first reelection campaign for U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia. Ogles faces a serious contender in Courtney Johnston, a Metro Nashville council member with a well-funded campaign.

Still, it's often an uphill battle to unseat incumbents in the congressional delegation. U.S. House Districts 2, 3 and 7 feature unopposed candidates in the Republican and Democratic primaries.

Here's who will appear on the Republican and Democratic ballots in contested Middle Tennessee U.S. House primaries:

U.S. House of Representatives District 1

U.S. District 1 sits in Northeast Tennessee and includes cities such as Kingsport and Johnson City.

U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport

Harshbarger, the District 1 incumbent, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. The Kingsport pharmacist was first elected to office in 2020 and is finishing her second term in office.

Kevin Jenkins, Democrat

Kevin Jenkins is a Dakota State University graduate planning to return to school to pursue an aerospace engineering career. Jenkins' legislative priorities include civil rights protections for women, immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities, in addition to climate issues and health care access.

Bennett H. Lapides, Democrat

Lapides, a Sevier County native, previously mounted an unsuccessful run for the Tennessee General Assembly. Lapides says he's committed to championing policies that combat climate change, protect public education and increase health care affordability for Tennesseans.

More:Tennessee U.S. Congress election: Meet Bennett H. Lapides, candidate for House District 1

U.S. House of Representatives District 4

District 4 includes a swath of counties spanning from Meigs in East Tennessee and Lawrence in south-central Tennessee, including a push northward to include Bedford and Rutherford counties.

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Murfreesboro

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Murfreesboro, is running for reelection in the District 4 seat. DesJarlais was first elected to the House in 2010. Though his early elections were frequently plagued by infidelity scandals related to his first divorce, he continued to turn out voters to win reelection five times in the district that encompasses rural southern Tennessee in addition to suburbs of Nashville and Chattanooga. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, an ultraconservative caucus that in recent years has found itself at odds with more mainstream members of its own parties. On his campaign website, DesJarlais cites "fiscal discipline," strengthening the economy and illegal immigration among his top issues.

Thomas Davis, Republican

Thomas Davis, of Morrison, Tennessee, is a former active duty military member who retired from the Army in 2014 before moving to Tennessee in 2017. Among his top priorities is "responsible budgeting," as he describes "irresponsible and unsustainable" Congressional spending on his campaign website. Davis also advocates for the repeal of the National Firearms Act, a 1934 law passed in response to gang violence that imposed regulatory and tax requirements on some firearms. The law has been modified over the years and is often criticized by conservatives seeking to expand firearm access.

Joshua James, Republican

Joshua James, a veteran and current Army reservist, was first elected to public office as the Rutherford County District 9 commissioner in 2022. In a candidate statement, James said he's fought against "excessive taxation" and has been critical in recent months of Congressional spending bills, arguing Tennessee representatives should do more to reduce national debt. Smaller government, veteran services and border security are among his top priorities.

Victoria Isabel Broderick, Democrat

Victoria Isabel Broderick is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. House of Representatives District 4 race.

U.S. House of Representatives District 5

District 5 includes a swath of south and southeastern Davidson County with parts of Wilson and Williamson counties, in additon to Maury County.

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles is seeking reelection for his second term in Congress. The former Maury County mayor has also worked with Americans for Prosperity Tennessee, a conservative advocacy group. Ogles lists immigration enforcement, school choice and 2nd Amendment issues among his top campaign priorities. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Ogles, while the first-time congressman has faced criticism for embellishing details on his resume, which he has characterized as a unintended mistake. Ogles has spent tens of thousands in taxpayer funds in recent months to buy digital and physical advertising burnishing his freshman congressional record.

Courtney Johnston, Republican

Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston is challenging Ogles in the Republican primary for the 5th District. Johnston has been sharply critical of Ogles' record in the House, calling him a "totally ineffective politician who’s getting nothing done" Johnston has represented Metro Council District 26 since 2019 and is among the more conservative members on the council. Johnston cites border and immigration issues as well as addressing inflation and federal spending as among her top priorities. She enters the primary with a well-funded campaign chest, bringing in more than $700,000 in the second quarter.

Maryam Abolfazli, Democrat, unopposed

Nashvile activist Maryam Abolfazli is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the District 5 seat.

U.S. House of Representatives District 6

U.S. District 6 encompasses eastern Davidson County and spans across middle Tennessee and the north-central Tennessee border, including cities like Cookeville and Oneida.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, is unopposed in the Republican primary.

Lore Bergman, Democrat

Lore Bergman, a Hendersonville resident, says her personal experiences with homelessness and living with a disability "fuel" her campaign. A self-described advocate and activist, Bergman lists women's health care access, gun safety reform and LGBTQ+ rights among her top campaign priorities.

Clay Faircloth, Democrat

Clay Faircloth is a Nashville-based pastor and counselor who also works as a career coach with the Nashville Career Advancement Center. Faircloth calls himself a "hybrid candidate" adept to serve District 6, referencing his upbringing on a rural farm east of Nashville and current career in the city, and cites affordable health care access and reproductive health rights among his top priorities. Faircloth previously ran for the Democratic nomination in the 6th in 2022.

Cyril Focht, Democrat

Cyril Focht is a Cookeville-based computer science instructor at Tennessee Tech University whose campaign priorities include a host of technology issues, including artificial intelligence, social media and data privacy, in addition to public education support and LGTBQ rights. In his campaign, Focht has been critical of current campaign finance norms and says he would support campaign finance support to allow more working class candidates access to public office.

U.S. House of Representatives District 8

U.S. District 8 encompasses the majority of west Tennessee and parts of Shelby County, including Germantown.

Incumbent Rep. David Kustoff, R-Germantown, is running unopposed in the Republican primary for the 8th District.

Sarah Freeman, Democrat

Sarah Freeman has a background as an educator and has served on the Shelby County Democratic Executive Committee and the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee, according to a campaign website. Key issues central to Freeman's campaign include gun control, increasing funding for public schools and student loan debt forgiveness.

Leonard Perkins, Democrat

Leonard Perkins, a retired pastor and veterans affairs official, prioritizes veterans rights, reproductive health care access and labor protections in his campaign for the 8th District seat. Perkins has criticized the priorities of the current representative, stating in campaign materials that communities north and northeast of Shelby County need better representation for myriad infrastructure issues.

Lawrence A. Pivnick, Democrat

Larry Pivnick, now an emeritus professor of law, taught full-time at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law for almost 40 years. According to a campaign website, key issues for Pivnick include reducing taxes on low-income families and hiking corporate taxes, supporting universal, affordable healthcare, including mental healthcare, and opposing predatory lending practices.

Lynette P. Williams, Democrat

Lynnette P Williams won the 2022 Democratic primary for the seat, but ultimately lost resoundingly to Kustoff in the general election, earning only 24.3% of the vote. Williams did not have an updated campaign website or respond to questions from The Commercial Appeal about her background and priorities if elected.

Brenda Woods, Democrat

Brenda Woods did not have an updated campaign website or respond to questions from The Commercial Appeal about her background and priorities if elected.

U.S. House of Representatives District 9

U.S. House District 9, the smallest Tennessee district by geographic area, includes Memphis with the western halves of Shelby and Tipton counties. It is the only seat in Tennessee currently held by a Democrat.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis

Incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, was first elected to the District 9 seat in 2007.

Cohen has held the seat comfortably since 2007. Before being elected to Congress, the Memphian and attorney served as a member of the Tennessee Senate and as a member of the Shelby County Commission. He has long advocated for expanded access to affordable health care and improved infrastructure in the district. In the current Congress, Cohen serves as co-chair of the House Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and is a member of the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

M Latroy A-Williams, Democrat

M Latroy A-Williams did not have an updated campaign website or respond to questions from The Commercial Appeal about his background and priorities if elected.

Kasandra L Smith, Democrat

Kasandra L Smith is a law enforcement officer who has held multiple positions within the Memphis Police Department, including in the Special Victims Unit, Organized Crime Unit and Homicide Unit. Key issues in Smith's campaign include reducing violent crime in Memphis and investing further in education in the district.

Corey Strong, Democrat

Corey Strong is a former chair of the Shelby County Democratic Party and a U.S. Navy veteran who has worked in multiple educational organizations in the Memphis area, including Memphis-Shelby County Schools, formerly Shelby County Schools, and Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools. Key campaign issues for Strong include increasing funding for job training programs and securing more funding for infrastructure improvements.

Charlotte Bergmann, Republican

Charlotte Bergmann is unopposed in the Republican primary for the 9th district.