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Red in, blue out

Tennessee will simultaneously have a Republican governor and majorities in both state legislative bodies. Tuesday night election results confirmed that Republican Bill Haslam was elected governor of Tennessee. The results also indicate Tennessee’s congressional delegation will shift from being a 5-4 Democrat majority to a 7-2 Republican majority.

Once members are sworn into the 112th Congress in January, Tennessee’s Congressional delegation will include the following members: Representative Phil Roe, Republican; Representative John Duncan, Republican; Representative -Elect Chuck Fleischmann, Republican; Representative -Elect Dr. Scott DesJarlais, Republican; Representative Jim Cooper, Democrat; Representative-Elect Diane Black, Republican; Representative Marsha Blackburn, Republican; Representative-Elect Stephen Fincher, Republican; and Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat.

“While the outcome of the election was not what we hoped for, I know without a doubt that I am all the more enriched by the experience,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike McWherter wrote on his blog Wednesday morning.

“Today marks a new day, a time for all of us to put aside political differences and to explore ways in which we can work together across party lines to do what’s best for all Tennesseans,” McWherter continued. “Last night I called Haslam to congratulate him on his victory and to acknowledge that we both share the same desire to do what must be done to get Tennesseans back to work in order to get our state’s economy moving again.”

Haslam will succeed Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen.

“This is truly a historic day,” Chris Devaney, Tennessee Republican Party chairman, said Tuesday. “I also want to thank the thousands of donors, volunteers, and Party leadership members who gave us their support.”

The Republican Governors Association contributed nearly $1.2 million to the Tennessee Republican Party to back the Haslam campaign.