Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the District 7 special congressional primary election to replace former Rep. Mark Green. The Oct. 7 primary election will determine which of four Democrats and 11 Republicans will represent their respective party in the Dec. 2 general election. Learn more about the candidates here. Visit https://ovr.govote.tn.gov to register to vote.

The deadline to file petitions to run to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Green Ballot in the 7th Congressional District was Tuesday. The primary ballot is now set with 11 Republicans, four Democrats and four Independents. The group includes six sitting state representatives, according to The Tennessee Journal. WPLN looks at each of the candidates. Rep. Green resigned from Congress on July 20. The primary election is set for Oct. 7, with the general election scheduled for Dec. 2.

Nashville businessman Darden Copeland has announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the upcoming Congressional District 7 primary, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Copeland, founder of Calvert Street Group, a Nashville public affairs firm specializing in referendums and land use campaigns, filed his campaign committee statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on July 24. His announcement comes after weeks of speculation and adds to a growing field of candidates vying to replace U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from Congress on July 20. The primary election is set for Oct. 7, with the general election scheduled for Dec. 2.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood has announced her candidacy for Tennessee governor. Blackburn is the state's longest-serving Republican woman at the federal level. "I'm running for governor to ensure Tennessee is America's conservative leader for this generation and the next," she said, Knox News reports. The primary election to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee is Aug. 6, 2026. Blackburn will face U.S. Rep. John Rose, Republican of Cookeville, who announced his candidacy March 20. Memphis City Council member and attorney Jerri Green announced her candidacy in July for the Democratic primary.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has rejected a $2,500 settlement offer from the Civic Engagement Forum to resolve a complaint involving unregistered ads it ran against Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, during her 2024 primary race. Registry Chair Tom Lawless said the fine was too low, noting political operatives should be held accountable for violating campaign laws. According to Tennessee Lookout, the group admits it should have registered as a political committee and filed expenditure reports. It proposed the offer "to settle the matter and avoid further costs and uncertainty." The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office determined the Civic Engagement Forum and a second group, Citizen Engagement Forum, shared identical content opposing Reneau and likely were connected though the group denies any connection.

Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, has joined the growing list of candidates seeking to replace former 7th Congressional District Rep. Mark Green. Bulso announced his candidacy at a Republican forum held this weekend at the Humphreys County Fairgrounds in Waverly, the Nashville Post reports. He is the second state representative from Williamson County to enter the race, following Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, who announced earlier this month. “If I’m elected to this office, I will serve no more than three terms, or however long it’s necessary to get this federal government back to what our founders intended — to get to a balanced budget,” Bulso said Saturday. Green resigned from Congress July 20. The primary election will take place Oct. 7, with the general election set for Dec. 2.

A special election will be held in Tennessee in December to fill the vacancy left by Republican U.S. Representative Mark Green’s retirement. State officials announced Thursday that the primary election will take place Oct. 7, with the general election set for Dec. 2 in the 7th Congressional District, The Associated Press reports. Green, who served as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, resigned July 20. The race already includes contested primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder told the Tennessee Lookout this week that he is “strongly considering” entering the 5th Congressional District race as a Democrat, potentially setting up a 2026 race against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles. According to the Nashville Post, Molder announced yesterday that he would not seek a third term as mayor. If he runs, Molder could face three others in a party primary. Nashville Metro Council member Mike Cortese, adjunct professor Joyce Neal and health care executive Jim Torino have expressed interest in running. Molder, who practiced law in Columbia before becoming mayor in 2018, is a graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. As a new lawyer he was active in the TBA Young Lawyers Division.

Tennessee state Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, who previously filed paperwork to launch a bid for the 7th Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Mark Green, has decided not to run. Clarksville Now reports that Reedy dropped out of the contest, saying, “At this time I feel God has placed me in the Tennessee state House and the job is not yet finished. His departure leaves these five Republicans and two Democrats to face off in their respective party primaries. The field also includes former state Rep. Brandon Ogles and health executive Mason Foley on the Republican side and state Rep. Vincent Dixie on the Democratic side. Former Nashville mayor Megan Barry and state Republican Sen. Bill Powers of Clarksville, who originally had expressed interest in the seat, have decided not to run.

State Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, has entered the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Mark Green, Axios reports. Dixie has served in the state legislature for eight years representing portions of north and northwest Davidson County. He joins fellow Democratic state Reps. Aftyn Behn and Bo Mitchell, who also have announced bids. Also in news this week, Green endorsed former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps, who is running in a crowded Republican primary that still is growing. Mason Foley, who works for Main Street Health, has joined the field, according to Tennessee Lookout.