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State Senator, 31st District

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on Tennessee laws and the state budget in the General Assembly.

Brent Taylor, the incumbent, is also the Republican nominee for U.S. House District 9 on this ballot: the Shelby County Election Commission's official November 3, 2026 sample ballot lists him in both races.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

Public safety

  • David WeatherspoonDemocratic

    • Supports background checks on private and gun-show sales.

  • Brent TaylorRepublican

    • Supports finishing the border wall and ending sanctuary policies.
    • Sponsored a new criminal offense of human smuggling.In office
    • Sponsored a law requiring agencies to honor immigration detainers.In office

Education

  • David WeatherspoonDemocratic

    • Opposes the private school voucher program.
    • Opposes a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
    • Supports expanding pre-K and raising teacher pay.

  • Brent TaylorRepublican

    • Sponsored state oversight boards for struggling school districts.In office

Roads & infrastructure

  • David WeatherspoonDemocratic

    No documented position found.

  • Brent TaylorRepublican

    • Sponsored a law barring utilities from subsidizing data center hookups.In office

Health & human services

Courts & justice

  • David WeatherspoonDemocratic

    • Proposes more state prosecutors and a Memphis crime lab.

  • Brent TaylorRepublican

    • Supports long sentences for repeat violent offenders.
    • Sponsored a presumption against no-bail release for violent felonies.In office

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.