Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty with Rep. John Gillespie, a Memphis Republican, on election day, November 5, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Tennessee Lookout/Karen Pulfer Focht)
A contested race for Memphis’ District 97 state House seat has drawn the attention of Republicans and Democrats alike.
U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty arrived at one polling place to encourage voters to keep John Gillespie, the district’s two-term Republican incumbent, in the legislature. His challenger, Memphis business owner Jesse Huseth, has received support from a national Democratic fundraising committee.
Huseth visited the poll at One City Church Tuesday after working from 4 a.m. to 7: 30 a.m. that morning. He and his supporters knocked on doors until 5 p.m. Monday night, he said.
“We have folks on phones right now calling folks to get out to vote,” he said, pausing to greet and thank a voter exiting the poll for voting. “We’re just going to meet folks at the polls and thank them for doing their civic duty.”