Victoria Broderick Defeats Scott DesJarlais in Tennessee Upset

Victoria Broderick Defeats Scott DesJarlais in Tennessee Upset

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Fewer than 300 votes separated Victoria Broderick from the U.S. House of Representatives, Nashville Scene reported, as the Democratic tech support professional narrowly defeated longtime Republican incumbent Scott DesJarlais in Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District in a stunning upset that ends the congressman’s ninth-term bid for the seat.

The narrow margin capped a comeback campaign for Broderick, a Fayetteville resident who lost in 2024. This time, she flipped the district blue by unseating DesJarlais, who had been seeking his ninth term in Congress. Her narrow victory defeated longtime Republican incumbent Scott DesJarlais in Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District.

A Comeback Fueled by the Fall of Roe v. Wade

Broderick has cited the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as the spark for her political activism. Before running for Congress, she served as chair of the Lincoln County Democratic Party, building a grassroots foundation in a district that stretches across rural counties and into the southeastern edge of Davidson County.

Tennessee Isn't Red. It's Neglected. | Victoria Broderick

Her campaign centered on a broad platform that included decriminalizing marijuana, holding AI companies and data centers accountable, reducing gun violence, keeping rural hospitals open, and protecting religious liberty alongside safety, affordability, and equity. The message resonated in a district where voters have watched rural healthcare facilities struggle and where concerns about technology infrastructure have grown alongside the expansion of data centers.

Contradictions Plague Incumbent’s Anti-Abortion Stance

DesJarlais, a physician by training, built his political career on traditional conservative values including reducing taxes, securing the border, and protecting the Second Amendment. Yet his time in Congress was repeatedly marked by personal scandals, including instances when he had sexual relationships with multiple patients and pressured at least two former sexual partners to get abortions. Despite these controversies, he continued to brand himself as an anti-abortion conservative, a contradiction that Broderick’s campaign implicitly highlighted throughout the race.

Victoria Broderick Defeats Scott DesJarlais in Tennessee Upset

The 4th Congressional District encompasses southeastern Davidson County, the majority of Rutherford County, and all of Cannon, Coffee, Warren, Van Buren, Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Grundy, Marion, and Franklin counties—a sprawling mix of suburban growth corridors and remote rural communities where hospital closures and economic anxiety have become pressing concerns.

Shock and Relief After Years of Doors

Christian Gay, Broderick’s campaign manager, described the mood as one of stunned relief.

“We are ready to show that better representation in this district is possible and fight for the needs of everyday Americans and everyday Tennesseans. We want to thank those who voted for us, and for those who did not, we represent you too. Our office is going to be available to people for those who want to talk to us and have any needs. Victoria thanks them. I think it’s a little bit of shock. Victoria always knew the work would pay for itself. She lost in 2024. She got back up and kept moving. It’s a relief and a payoff for every door this campaign knocked. I can only describe it as tremendous.”

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Broderick defeats DesJarlais in District 4

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