Tennessee TN-05 House2020
RACE AT A GLANCE
RACE TYPE
Incumbent running
Jim Cooper (D)
COOK PARTISAN VOTING INDEX
Last updated : Oct 2, 2020Key Dates
Filing Deadline: Apr 2, 2020
Primary Election: Aug 6, 2020
INCUMBENT
Sign in to view
First Elected: Sign in to view
Last General Election: Sign in to view
Last Primary Election: Sign in to view
INCUMBENT
Full Bio:
COOPER, James Hayes Shofner, a Representative from Tennessee; born in Nashville, Davidson County,
Tenn., June 19, 1954; graduated from Groton School, Groton, Mass., 1972; B.A.,
University of North Carolina (Morehead Scholar), Chapel Hill, N.C., 1975; M.A.,
Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar), Oxford, England, 1977; J.D., Harvard
University Law School, Cambridge, Mass., 1980; lawyer, private practice;
adjunct professor, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; elected as a
Democrat to the Ninety-eighth and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3,
1983-January 3, 1995); was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred
Fourth Congress in 1994, but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the
United States Senate; investment banker; elected as a Democrat to the One
Hundred Eighth and to the seven succeeding Congresses (January 3,
2003-present).
Source: Bioguide
CANDIDATES
DISTRICT DATA
Tennessee - 05
West: parts of Memphis and Williamson County
Population Breakdown
Source: American Community Survey 2015
Past Presidential Results from this District
2016 Election Results
Source: Dave's Redistricting/VEST
2012 Election Results
Source:
RACE ANALYSIS
The Bottom Line
Updated: Feb 7, 2020
Cooper, who represented a much more rural district in the 1980s, now represents an increasingly cosmopolitan Nashville seat. He's still a member of the Blue Dog Coalition but hasn't broken with his party on a major vote in years, which has helped him avoid a serious primary challenge from his left. In late 2019, he announced he would support a Green New Deal and vote for impeachment.
This year, Nashville public defender Keeda Haynes, who is African-American, is challenging Cooper from the left in the August 6 primary. But Justice Democrats declined to endorse her or progressive college student Justin Jones, who is also in. The presence of multiple progressive candidates should safeguard Cooper. The only question is whether Republicans decide to radically alter this seat in 2021 redistricting.
Race Analysis
Updated: Jul 27, 2026
RELATED CHARTS
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.