Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, filed a collusion complaint with the Registry of Election Finance against the East Tennessee Conservatives PAC. The Registry has now referred the complaint to the Tennessee Attorney General's Office for investigation. The Tennessee Journal reports that the complaint states the treasurer of the PAC, which has published ads attacking incumbent Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, is also the treasurer for U.S. Rep. Diane Harshbarger, a Kingsport Republican. Harshbarger's son, Bobby, is challenging Lundberg for the District 4 seat.

A political action committee’s barrage of text message attacks on incumbent state Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, has spurred a formal complaint by Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ken Yager of Kingston, the Tennessee Journal reports. The messages aren’t just “dirty” politics, Yager argues, but possible “collusion” that runs afoul of Tennessee campaign finance restrictions. Lundberg’s opponent in the Republican primary for Senate District 4 is pharmacist Bobby Harshbarger, son of Republican U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Kingsport.

The Davidson County Election Commission met Monday to set the rules for two ballot challenges scheduled to be considered at a May 2 special hearing. Democratic State Rep. Justin Jones' Republican opponent Laura Nelson is challenging his qualification to be on the ballot after he turned in 26 petition signatures, of which 25 (the legal minimum) were deemed valid. In addition, state Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, is challenging the qualification of his Republican opponent, Metro Councilmember Jennifer Frensley Webb. Both sides in the cases will be allowed to submit supporting documentation ahead of time and present to the commission at the hearing. The Nashville Banner has more on this story.

The Tennessee Republican Party has finalized the candidates for the Aug. 1 primary. Of those who sought to run for various positions, the party removed 14 and restored eight after those individuals paid their party dues. Among those blocked from running were three candidates for Congress, two for the state Senate and nine for the state House, Tennessee Journal reports. Party leaders said these individuals failed to meet “bona fide” standards, which require Republican candidates to have voted in at least three of the last four statewide GOP primaries. With that move, U.S. Reps. Mark Green and David Kustoff no longer face primary opponents, while Rep. Scott DesJarlais will face two opponents rather than three. The Associated Press has more specifics.

U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, has confirmed that he is looking at a potential 2026 race for governor, The Tennessee Journal reports. “Well, it’s something I’m thinking about,” the three-term congressman and former state agriculture commissioner said after hosting a discussion with Republican state lawmakers in Nashville. Rose, who represents Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District, held the event to discuss federal and state issues. Gov. Bill Lee will be term-limited from running again when his current term expires in 2026.

Four members of the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee have filed suit against the organization seeking to strip non-elected committee members of their right to vote on party business. According to Tennessee Lookout, the law mandates that political parties have an executive committee composed of one man and one woman from each of the state’s 33 Senate districts. The Democratic Party also allows representatives from the House and Senate Democratic Caucuses, Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women, Tennessee Democratic County Chairs Association, Tennessee Young Democrats, College Democrats and High School Democrats to serve on its executive committee. The group argues there is nothing in state law that allows these ex-officio members to have voting rights. The party argues that while the law sets out the minimum number of members, it does not prohibit the addition of others.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has ended an 18-month inquiry into Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble’s 2022 Senate campaign, the Tennessean reports. The registry had been looking into Humble’s records to determine whether his campaign unlawfully coordinated with the group.

Tennessee’s population growth puts it on track for an additional U.S. House seat in 2032, Tennessee Lookout reports. According to the latest U.S. Census data, Tennessee’s population grew to 7.1 million people in 2023, which, if maintained, would mean it would gain another seat during the next redistricting cycle eight years from now. The paper reports that the state has not had more than nine House seats in some 80 years. After the Civil War, Tennessee had 10 congressional districts before losing one during the 1930 redistricting process, regaining it in 1940 and losing it again in 1950.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, has confirmed that she plans to run for her current state House District 90 seat in addition to running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn. The Tennessee Journal reports that Johnson says she is aware of attempts to block that ability. Legislation that would bar candidates for state and federal offices from appearing on primary or general election ballots for two or more offices is being promoted by two Knoxville Republicans: Senate State and Local Government Chair Richard Briggs and Rep. Dave Wright. The bill would allow for a few exceptions, including if the candidate already holds two offices and for purely political offices such as party state executive committees.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has asked the state attorney general’s office to investigate two Constitutional Republican groups to determine if they should register as political action committees (PACs). The registry took the action Tuesday following a complaint that the groups — Sumner County Constitutional Republicans and Tennessee Constitutional Republicans — should register. The groups deny they are PACs, saying they are private social clubs that do not provide financial support to candidates, though they have endorsed candidates. They also say the complaint lacks substance and appears to be politically motivated. Tennessee Lookout reports on the developments.