Rick Eldridge
{{short description|American politician (born 1957)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Rick Eldridge
| state_house = Tennessee
| district = 10th
| term_start = January 8, 2019{{cite web |title=Rick Eldridge |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Rick_Eldridge |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=27 June 2020}}
| predecessor = Tilman Goins
| party = Republican
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|07|12}}{{cite web |title=Representative Rick Eldridge |url=http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/h10.html |website=Tennessee General Assembly |access-date=27 June 2020}}
| residence = Morristown, Tennessee{{cite web |title=Rick Eldridge's Biography |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/133773/rick-eldridge |website=Vote Smart |access-date=27 June 2020}}
| image = File:Rick Eldridge.jpg
| nationality = American
}}
Rick Eldridge (born July 12, 1957) is an American politician. He is a Republican representing Tennessee's 10th House District, which solely encompasses the Western portion of Hamblen County and Grainger County, in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Political career
Eldridge served as a Hamblen County commissioner for eight years, including two terms as chairman.{{cite news |last1=Hightower |first1=Cliff |title=Hamblen County goes to the polls, backs Republican ticket |url=https://www.citizentribune.com/news/election_2018/hamblen-county-goes-to-the-polls-backs-republican-ticket/article_587da6b6-e372-11e8-9e19-17e836827b27.html |access-date=27 June 2020 |work=Citizen Tribune |date=7 November 2018}}
In 2018, Eldridge ran for election to the District 10 seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which was being vacated by Tilman Goins.{{cite news |title=Eldridge to run for State Rep. |url=https://www.citizentribune.com/news/local/eldridge-to-run-for-state-rep/article_794d1416-209b-11e8-b7e3-7fe12ddd3e2b.html |access-date=27 June 2020 |work=Citizen Tribune |date=5 November 2018}} He defeated Tommy Pedigo in the Republican primary, and Democrat Barbara Simmons in the general election.
In 2020, Eldridge ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election, being re-elected on November 3, 2020 with 17,133 votes.
In August 2021, Eldridge joined all the state house Republicans in signing a letter to call for a special session to take action against schools requiring masks.{{cite web|title=All Tennessee House Republicans ask Gov. Bill Lee to call a special session as school mask debates intensify|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/11/tennessee-house-gop-ask-gov-bill-lee-call-special-session-masks-schools/5569248001/|author=Allison, Natalie|website=Tennessean.com|date=August 11, 2021|access-date=December 29, 2021}} Governor Bill Lee issued an executive order allowing parents to opt students out of school mask mandates instead of calling the special session.{{cite web|title=Lee issues order allowing parents to opt students out of school mask mandates|url=https://www.citizentribune.com/education/lee-issues-order-allowing-parents-to-opt-students-out-of-school-mask-mandates/article_ec85561a-ff71-11eb-b09f-db2dca1756a2.html|author=Hightower, Cliff|website=CitizenTribune.com|date=August 17, 2021|access-date=December 29, 2021}} In October 2021, Eldridge voted in favor of a bill allowing partisan elections for school boards, which have traditionally been nonpartisan in Tennessee.{{cite web|title=Officials to consider primaries for school board election|url=https://www.citizentribune.com/education/officials-to-consider-primaries-for-school-board-election/article_47008478-463c-11ec-877e-bffd726b0cc3.html|author=Hightower, Cliff|website=CitizenTribune.com|date=November 15, 2021|access-date=December 29, 2021}} In December 2021, Eldridge voiced his opposition to the state's new redistricting plan that would split Hamblen County in half with District 10 in the west and District 11 in the east. He stated he would vote no on the plan.{{cite web|title=Eldridge: Redistricting plan would split Hamblen County|url=https://www.citizentribune.com/news/local/eldridge-redistricting-plan-would-split-hamblen-county/article_dd7775a4-68c6-11ec-9fda-4f8a366af981.html|author=Hightower, Cliff|website=CitizenTribune.com|date=December 29, 2021|access-date=December 29, 2021}}
In 2023, Eldridge supported a resolution to expel Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules. The expulsion was widely characterized as unprecedented.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/us/tennessee-democrats-office-removal-voteindex.html|title=Tennessee's Republican-led House expels 2 Democratic lawmakers over gun reform protest, fails in bid to oust a third|last1=Andone|first1=Dakin|last2=Young|first2=Ryan|last3=Simonson|first3=Amy|last4=Almasy|first4=Steve|website=CNN|language=en|access-date=2023-04-07}}
Current committees
Electoral record
{{Election box begin no change|title=2018 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=4,435|percentage=62.8%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Tommy Pedigo|votes=2,532|percentage=37.2%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2018 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=12,941|percentage=75.4%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Barbara Simmons|votes=4,214|percentage=24.6%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=3,967|percentage=100.0%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=17,156|percentage=100.0%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=3,203|percentage=74.7%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Donel Shelton|votes=1,085|percentage=25.3%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=12,258|percentage=99.0%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=3,197|percentage=100.0%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Rick Eldridge|votes=22,293|percentage=99.1%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Independent (US)|candidate=Nathan Dressel|votes=212|percentage=0.9%}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Tennessee House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eldridge, Rick}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly
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