Knox County At-Large Commissioner Larsen Jay is the first candidate to officially announce his intention to run for mayor of Knox County. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Jay, a Republican, was elected to the county commission in 2018 and again in 2022, and he served as chairman from 2020-2021. Current Mayor Glenn Jacobs is term-limited and ineligible to run again in the 2026 election.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up whether former President Donald Trump can be disqualified from appearing on Colorado’s ballot due to his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, reports The Hill. The justices’ order sets the case up to be heard at a speedy pace, with oral arguments scheduled for Feb. 8. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined an amicus brief urging the court to hear the appeal.

The city of Selmer has elected its first Black woman alderman, WBBJ reports. LaShell Moore, a teacher in McNairy County Schools and a community leader, was sworn in Thursday. According to Moore, one of her goals is to unify the board so the town can thrive and grow. “Being the first African-American woman means a lot not only for me but also for women that will come after me. I am hoping that this will open the door for other women, not only women of color, but for women in general that want to serve in this capacity,” she said.

Gov. Bill Lee was elected in early December to serve as the chair of the Republican Governors Association. He will assume the position immediately and serve for a one year. In addition, Lee has been elected by fellow Appalachian governors to serve as co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) Federal-State Partnership. According to the Tennessee Journal, in this role, Lee will represent the 13 states in ARC's region and work with co-chair Gayle Manchin (wife of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia) who will represent federal interests for the group. The partnership focuses on investments for economic and community growth across the member states' 423 counties. ARC provides grants, publishes research and sponsors learning experiences.

A Goodlettsville man has filed a complaint against two groups, claiming they failed to register as political action committees even though they made expenditures for endorsed candidates. According to the Tennessee Lookout, complaints were filed against Sumner County Constitutional Republicans and Tennessee Constitutional Republicans with Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley and the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. The latter body is scheduled to review the matter at a Jan. 23 meeting.

The first female-majority Memphis City Council will take office in January. Jerri Green, Pearl Walker and Michalyn Easter-Thomas won their runoff elections yesterday. They join Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, Janika White, Jana Swearengen-Washington and Rhonda Logan who were elected and reelected in the October city elections. The Daily Memphian has more on the election results.

Legal battles over redistricting could lead to new congressional maps in nearly a dozen U.S. states for the 2024 election, potentially flipping control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Reuters reports on several cases including Tennessee, New York, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana that could result in seat gains for both Democrats and Republicans. The two political parties are fighting over maps redrawn after the 2020 U.S. Census. In Tennessee, civil rights groups have sued over the state's congressional map, claiming Republican lawmakers illegally hurt voters of color by splitting up Nashville's Davidson County, home to a sizable Black community into three districts. The 2022 map dismantled a heavily Democratic seat, prompting former Rep. Jim Cooper to retire.

For the first time since 1986, Knoxville will have a new municipal judge with the election of Tyler Caviness, KnoxNew reports. Incumbent John Rosson, age 76, ran on his record of experience. Caviness, a 32-year-old attorney, advocated for change throughout the campaign. He won 61.5% of the vote, promising to update the city court website and offer more accessibility in the courtroom. “I believe that treating people equally matters, and that we should prioritize that in our government offices. That is really what started this campaign,” Caviness said in his victory speech. Caviness served as a Knox County public defender before moving to the private sector and eventually starting his own practice. In a statement after conceding, Rosson said he would return to representing personal injury clients in his law practice.

Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is actively exploring a run for Congress, according to the Nashville Post. The paper reports that Barry has confirmed to another news source that she is considering a race against Rep. Mark Green, R-Clarksville, for the Seventh District seat. Barry resigned as mayor in 2018 amid a scandal involving her security chief. Barry’s political career started in 2007 when she won one of Nashville’s five at-large councilmember seats. She won a second term in 2011. She ran for mayor in 2015, beating her opponent by 10 percentage points.

New Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has hired Rep. Darren Jernigan to be his director of legislative affairs. Jernigan served Old Hickory, Donelson and Hermitage while on Nashville's Metro Council and has represented District 60 in the state house since 2012. Axios Nashville reports that Jernigan will serve out his current term but will not seek reelection.