State GOP Seeks to Disqualify 40 Primary Candidates - Articles

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Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Mar 18, 2026

Tennessee Republicans have asked election officials to exclude 40 candidates from the primary ballot in August, according to the Nashville Banner. The list of names includes former legislative aide Cade Cothren, who is seeking to challenge Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown. Cothren ran afoul of the party by donating to Democratic Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin J. Pearson of Memphis. Cothren reportedly donated $100 to each representative after they were ousted from the House in 2023 for their involvement in gun safety protests. Cothren was convicted, and then pardoned, in a public corruption trial alongside former House Speaker Glen Casada.