Democrat Jesse Huseth Pulls Off Major Upset in Tennessee House District 97

Democrat Jesse Huseth Pulls Off Major Upset in Tennessee House District 97

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Democrat Jesse Huseth pulled off one of Tennessee’s most surprising election victories, defeating Republican incumbent John Gillespie in House District 97 on November 3, 2026. WREG reported the win, which bucked the statewide trend, came after a four-year grassroots campaign focused on local issues and face-to-face voter conversations.

In a state where Republicans cemented their supermajority and Democrats struggled to gain ground, one race in Shelby County told a different story. Jesse Huseth’s upset over Gillespie, which covers parts of East Memphis, Cordova, Berclair, and the Shelby Farms area, wasn’t just a partisan shift. As Huseth told WREG’s Alex Coleman, it was “a win for Memphis.”

The victory was built on a foundation of relentless, on-the-ground work. While many campaigns rely on television ads and mailers, Huseth credits a four-long effort of personal engagement. “I have spent the last four years knocking on, it feels like, every door in this district,” he said, noting he personally knocked on 13,000 doors to talk with voters one-on-one. This wasn’t just about shaking hands; it was about listening. “When folks said, ‘Hey, this is really hurting,’ we’d talk about why it was hurting and what could be done about it,” Huseth explained. “This time when we came back, we had solutions ready to go at the door.”

Democrat Jesse Huseth Pulls Off Major Upset in Tennessee House District 97
Photo: aol.com

A Ground Game Built on Affordability

Huseth framed his campaign around practical, everyday concerns. “If you care about groceries, if you care about goods, if you care about schools, if you care about safety, if you care about health care, we spent a lot of time crafting detailed policy in a way voters can understand,” he said. He argued that these issues aren’t separate islands but are deeply connected, and that tackling affordability was the number one concern he heard from District 97 residents.

“What I said a couple of nights ago was no one issue is an island,” Huseth told WREG. “If I talk about reducing crime, I’m going to talk about increasing health care, increasing economic output, fighting poverty, getting better education.” This interconnected approach is a direct response, he believes, to what he calls years of “culture-war stuff” dominating the State House. “For the last six years, the State House has done a lot of what I would call partisan red meat,” he criticized. “We’re not talking about helping our community members and taxpayers make sure they’re getting proper service from the government.”

How Democrat Jesse Huseth pulled off one of Tennessee's biggest upsets

The Local vs. State Power Struggle

At the heart of Huseth’s message is a fight for local control. He argues that Memphis, as a primary economic engine for the state, has had its ability to govern itself eroded by state policy. “Even though Memphis has long been one of the main economic engines of this state, we send some of the most tax dollars to our State House,” he said. His job, he declared, is clear: “It’s my job to represent Memphis, not the 93 other red counties who disagree with us.”

The state-created oversight board for Memphis-Shelby County Schools is a prime example of this tension. Huseth opposes the board, even while acknowledging resident concerns about school governance. “The voters put those people there in place to govern, and I do not agree with an oversight board taking over that governance,” he said. His reasoning is rooted in democratic principle: “If the oversight committee makes a decision you don’t like, the voter has no recourse. It is a reduction of democracy when it comes to how we affect our elections.”

A New Voice on Public Safety and Healthcare

Huseth’s victory also signals a potential shift in how Shelby County’s issues are represented in Nashville. He plans to be an aggressive advocate for his district, holding regular public forums and community meetings to bridge the gap between Nashville and local residents. “A lot of folks in Shelby County feel disconnected from Nashville,” he admitted. “I am going to be aggressive in having very public meet-and-greet and forums and things of that nature to be accessible.” He emphasized that state government often has a more direct impact on daily life in Memphis than the federal government, a fact he believes many voters overlook.

He argues the policy would help preserve health care access in rural Tennessee while strengthening regional systems, including those in Memphis. Huseth said the policies he supports help rural voters, noting his win could offer a path for bipartisan cooperation on issues like healthcare that benefit both urban and rural communities.

Can This Upset Change the Game in Nashville?

While Huseth’s victory is a significant local win, it did not alter the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly. Still, his campaign offers a clear lesson for both parties: a relentless ground game focused on local, substantive issues can still produce an upset in a deep red state. Huseth himself noted crossing party lines, speaking with voters who identified as former Republicans, including one “40-year Republican” who told him they were voting for him.

“My hope is that we’re seeing cracks in the strategy of just pushing partisan politics,” he said. Looking toward his time in office, Huseth expressed a desire for a more substantive political climate. “I’m hoping we can start getting back to debating ideas and not people,” he said. “I truly believe all of us want to get to the same place. We want to see safe streets. We want to see our cities succeed. We want folks to thrive. We disagree on how to get there.”

As he prepares to take office, Huseth’s list of priorities is clear. He also wants to address future public-school funding concerns related to Tennessee’s voucher program and increase long-term education investments.

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