Democrats push their chips into Knox County in bid to flip House seat

The Tennessee House Democratic Caucus is funneling its money into a West Knox County state house rematch in a district Democrats think they can flip. The Democrats' political action committee donated money to only five candidates this election cycle, including Bryan Goldberg, who is once again chall

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What is the story about?

The Tennessee House Democratic Caucus is funneling its money into a West Knox County state house rematch in a district Democrats think they can flip.

The Democrats' political action committee donated money to only five candidates this election cycle, including Bryan Goldberg, who is once again challenging District 18 Rep. Elaine Davis.

"We're seeing a lot of movement in West Knox County, in that district," state Rep. John Ray Clemmons, who is the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus Chair, told Knox News. "Your local elections in August show the momentum."

Democrats flipped one county commission seat and one school board seat that partially overlap with District 18 in 2024 and another in 2026.

Goldberg received a $25,000 donation from the Democratic

caucus in the weeks before the election. The only other candidates the caucus donated to are Jesse Huseth in Shelby County, Allie Phillips in Clarksville and Mark Proctor in Davidson County. State Rep. Ronnie Glynn in Clarksville got an in-kind contribution, which is a donation for items such as services or free or discounted rental space.

The Republican caucus hasn't invested any money in Davis' reelection bid this year, but House Republicans aren't spending much money at all on the election. The caucus has made only in-kind contributions of less than $230 to three candidates: Kenny Cody in Cosby, Perry Keenan in Cheatham County and state Rep. Timothy Hill in Blountville.

District 18 stretches through west and south Knoxville from Cedar Bluff Road to Chapman Highway. It includes the Cedar Bluff, Rocky Hill, Sequoyah Hills and Vestal neighborhoods.

Davis has held the District 18 seat since 2022. Davis beat Goldberg 54% to 46% in 2024.

Differences and similarities

Davis and Goldberg have stark differences in their political beliefs, but both are calling for an end to the state's grocery sales tax:

Goldberg talked about repealing the tax in his 2024 campaign, echoing a 2023 bill from state Rep. Aftyn Behn of Nashville to eliminate the tax and offset the lost revenue by changing Tennessee's corporate tax structure.
In December 2024, Davis filed a different bill to eliminates the tax but did not include a replacement revenue source.

"I find it curious and interesting that [Davis] only mentioned it after I brought it up on the campaign," Goldberg told Knox News on Oct. 15. "There's a reason it didn't leave committee or get a second vote: because it didn't have a 'pay for.'"

Davis told Knox News eliminating the sales tax on groceries "isn't about making up those dollars."

"I don't want to replace that with another tax," Davis told Knox News this week describing the difference between her proposal and the one supported by Goldberg.

"That's what the Democrats always propose. For me, it's important to reduce that sales tax in order to give those monies back to families, they know best how to spend those tax dollars. Our state continues to have a budget surplus."

Goldberg finds support from local Republicans

Goldberg is supported by three former elected officials who are Republicans: Victor Ashe, who was mayor of Knoxville from 1987-2003 and the U.S. ambassador to Poland from 2004-2009; Larsen Jay, who held an at-large seat on the Knox County Commission from 2018-2026 before losing his county mayor bid in 2026; and Eddie Mannis, a one-term state representative from 2021-23.

Ashe and Mannis supported Goldberg in 2024, and Jay's public support is new this year. Despite an endorsement from House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Jay was at odds with localGOP leaders over his willingness to sometimes vote with Democrats on the commission.

"I have found Bryan Goldberg to be an honest and ethical person that is focused on serving and governing and somebody who doesn’t fall into the same old political playbook and is actually focused on serving the people of Knox County," Jay told Knox News. "That stuff matters to me."

In the last reporting cycle before the election, Goldberg's top donations came from the House Democratic Caucus ($25,000); The Progress Fund, a political action committee created and funded by Knoxville philanthropist Phil Lawson ($5,000); Knoxville Museum of Art benefactor Ann Haslam Bailey ($1,900); former Tennessee Arts Commission member and Knoxville Museum of Art benefactor Stephen Bailey ($1,900); David Martin ($1,900); READY PAC, a committee created by Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell ($1,900); and Mary Sullivan ($1,900).

Davis' top donations came from Tennesseans for Student Success Action ($10,000); Tennessee House Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth's political action committee ($5,000); the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee political action committee ($3,000); the Knox County Republican Party ($2,000); RT Lodge partner David Colquitt ($1,900); Knox County GOP Secretary Martin Ammons' campaign committee ($1,900); state Rep. Clay Doggett ($1,900); and Knox County Chief Operating Officer Doug Harris ($1,900).

Davis also received $1,000 each from fellow Knoxville state Reps. Michele Carringer and Jason Zachary, and state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey.

Here's how much each candidate raised after the primary election

The most recent reporting period runs from July 28-Sept. 30. The primary election was Aug. 6. Money spent and cash on hand can include funds raised in previous reporting periods.

Bryan Goldberg, Democrat