Jim Tracy (politician)

Among legislation Tracy sponsored was a bill that would ban smoking in indoor public places, places owned or operated by the state, and enclosed areas of employment. The bill passed the State and Local Government Committee with five senators in favor and two against. It passed in May 2007 and took effect on October 1, 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/state/statewide-smoking-ban-goes-into-effect-today-ep-412613983-360148981.html|title=Statewide smoking ban goes into effect today|last=Humphrey|first=Tom|date=2007-10-01|website=Knoxvillenews.com|publisher=Knoxville News-Sentinel|access-date=2016-08-19}}

Tracy was the Assistant Floor Leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, the Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and a member of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

Before his election to the Senate, Tracy graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a Bachelor of Science degree and worked as an insurance agent.

{{main|United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2010}}

In December 2009, after incumbent U.S. Representative Bart Gordon decided to retire, Tracy announced that he would run in the Republican primaries for the state's 6th Congressional district.{{cite news |url=http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/12/tracy-to-enter-race-to-replace.html |title=Tracy to Enter Race to Replace Gordon |first=John |last=McArdle |date=December 14, 2009 |work=CQ politics |access-date=December 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216230058/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/12/tracy-to-enter-race-to-replace.html |archive-date=February 16, 2010 |url-status=dead }} It was one of the few districts in which John McCain's margin of victory (25 percentage points) in the 2008 presidential election was larger than George W. Bush's in 2004 (20 points).{{cite web |url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-2010-TN-06 |date=Dec 21, 2009 |title=Tennessee - 6th District |work=CQ Politics |accessdate=4 February 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119224857/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-2010-TN-06 |archive-date=19 January 2013 |url-status=dead }} Among the possible candidates mentioned by insiders were state Representatives Henry Fincher and Mike McDonald, both Democrats who declined to run.{{cite news |url=http://www.t-g.com/blogs/davidmelson/entry/32410/ |title=Ruling: Only for the rich? |date=January 8, 2010 |work=Shelbyville Times-Gazette |access-date=February 4, 2010 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716183520/http://www.t-g.com/blogs/davidmelson/entry/32410/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.tennessean.com/politics/2009/mike-mcdonald-wont-seek-gordons-seat/ |title=Mike McDonald won't seek Gordon's seat |first=Chas |last=Sisk |date=December 28, 2009 |work=The Tennessean}} Tracy's biggest competition in the Republican primary came from state Senator Diane Black and former Rutherford County GOP chairwoman Lou Ann Zelenik. Newt Gingrich endorsed Tracy.{{cite news|url=http://www.mtsusidelines.com/news/gingrich-endorses-tracy-in-gop-congressional-primary-race-1.1502145 |work=The Sidelines |title=Gingrich endorses Tracy in GOP congressional primary race |date=August 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714131622/http://www.mtsusidelines.com/news/gingrich-endorses-tracy-in-gop-congressional-primary-race-1.1502145 |archivedate=July 14, 2011 }} He finished third in the primary.

{{main|United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2014}}

Tracy announced that he would challenge Representative Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee's 4th congressional district in the 2014 Republican primary.{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/jan/03/tracy-kicks-off-campaign-to-take-on/|title=Tracy kicks off campaign to take on DesJarlais|date=January 3, 2013|accessdate=January 6, 2013|work=Chattanooga Times Free Press|first=Andy|last=Sher}} By the end of June 2013, he had raised nearly $750,000.{{cite web|url=http://atr.rollcall.com/desjarlais-challenger-posts-major-fundraising-haul/|title=DesJarlais Challenger Posts Big Fundraising Haul #TN04|date=July 10, 2013|accessdate=July 11, 2013|work=Roll Call|first=Kyle|last=Trygstad}} DesJarlais won the Republican primary by a mere 38 votes before going on to win the general election handily.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/home/scott-desjarlais-jim-tracy-concedes|title=DesJarlais Wins by 38 Votes, Jim Tracy Concedes (Video)|last=Cahn|first=Emily|date=2014-08-26|website=Roll Call|publisher=|access-date=2016-08-19}}

In 2017, Tracy was appointed Tennessee state director of USDA Rural Development.{{cite news|url=https://www.murfreesborovoice.com/article/428/jim-tracy-named-as-state-director-of-rural-development-resigns-from-state-senate|last=Willard|first=Michelle|title=Jim Tracy named as state director of Rural Development, resigns from state senate|date=November 6, 2017|newspaper=Murfreesboro Voice|accessdate=June 18, 2019}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060505032858/http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/Senate/Members/s16.htm Jim Tracy's profile at the Tennessee General Assembly Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100220104151/http://www.jimtracy08.com/ State Senate Campaign Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100127230829/http://www.jimtracyforcongress.com/ Defunct Congressional Campaign Website]
• [http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/235105 An article from the Associated Press, mirrored by The Daily Times] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523225721/http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/235105 |date=2011-05-23 }}
• [http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BillCompanionInfo.aspx?billnumber=HB3732 The bill at the Website of the Tennessee General Assembly]
• {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=48973 | fec=H0TN06240 | congress= }}
• [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?cycle=2010&id=TN06 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org

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Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party Tennessee state senators

Category:1956 births

Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly

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