{"county":null,"description":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 together with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least three years, and district residents for at least one year.","district":"018","districtgroup":"state_house","id":238,"key":"state_house_018","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_house","partisan":1,"party":null,"qualities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"tn","term_end":null,"term_start":null,"term_years":2,"terms":[{"current":0,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"Elaine Davis","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nElaine Davis is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 18 in parts of western and southern Knox County [3]. She assumed office on January 10, 2023, following her initial election to replace departing Representative Eddie Mannis [3]. Her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1].\n\nDavis is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 18 as a Republican candidate [1]. She appears on the ballot for the Republican primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1]. During her tenure, she has focused on issues including infrastructure, public safety, education, and healthcare [4]. In April 2026, Davis issued a Capitol Report highlighting legislative activities such as the passage of House Bill 1649, which bans kratom [11].\n\n## Background and education\n\nElaine Davis was born on July 25, 1967 [3]. She is a native of Knox County, Tennessee [7]. Davis graduated from Farragut High School in 1985 [1]. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Tennessee in 1997 [1][3].\n\nDavis previously held political affiliation with the Democratic Party, having run for Knox County Commission as a Democrat in 2006 before switching her party affiliation to the Republican Party [7].\n\n## Career\n\nElaine Davis graduated from Farragut High School in 1985 and earned a B.A. in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Tennessee in 1997 [1][3]. Prior to her legislative service, she ran for Knox County Commission as a Democrat in 2006 before switching her party affiliation to Republican [7].\n\nDavis self-describes having a \"proven track record of effective leadership\" and states that her professional background includes advocacy for infrastructure, public safety, education, healthcare, job creation, and lowering the cost to do business [4]. Specific details regarding non-political employment history, businesses owned, or military service are not provided in the available sources.\n\n## Office history\n\nDavis ran for Knox County Commission as a Democrat in 2006 [7]. She later switched her party affiliation to Republican [7].\n\nIn 2022, Davis was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 18 as a Republican, defeating Democrat Greg Kaplan with 54.10% of the vote [8]. She assumed office on November 8, 2022, or January 10, 2023, succeeding Eddie Mannis [1][3]. The district encompasses parts of western and southern Knox County [3]. Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms with no term limits [2].\n\nDavis was re-elected in 2024, defeating Democrat Bryan Goldberg [6][7]. Her current term ends on November 3, 2026 [1]. She is running for re-election to represent District 18 in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nElaine Davis serves on the Tennessee House of Representatives District 18, having assumed office in January 2023 after defeating Democrat Greg Kaplan in the November 2022 general election [3][8]. She is currently seeking re-election in the August 6, 2026 Republican primary [1].\n\nDavis self-describes as a steadfast advocate for infrastructure, public safety, education, healthcare, low taxes, election integrity, job creation, and lowering the cost of doing business [4]. Her legislative priorities include eliminating Tennessee\u2019s grocery tax without shifting costs to taxpayers or stores, while allowing for a local option to manage revenue [5].\n\nThe Tennessee Legislative Research Center tracks Davis\u2019s voting record, assigning her a lifetime vote score of 80 and a leadership grade of C as of April 2026 [10]. Specific legislative activity includes support for House Bill 1649, known as Matthew Davenport\u2019s Law, which bans the use, sale, and distribution of kratom by establishing new criminal penalties [11].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nDuring the 2022 general election for Tennessee House District 18, Davis\u2019s campaign was marked by allegations of antisemitism leveled against her opponent, Democrat Greg Kaplan [8]. Davis defeated Kaplan to retain the Republican-held seat, receiving 54.10% of the vote compared to Kaplan\u2019s 45.90% [8].\n\nIn the 2024 general election, Davis faced Democratic challenger Bryan Goldberg in what was described as Knox County\u2019s most closely watched legislative race [6]. The contest focused on differing priorities, with Davis emphasizing crime and public safety while Goldberg committed to health care reform and public education [9]. Davis won re-election to a second term [7].\n\nDavis has engaged in public policy disputes regarding state taxation, specifically urging the elimination of Tennessee\u2019s grocery tax without shifting costs to taxpayers or stores [5]. She advocated for allowing a local option to manage such changes while maintaining low taxes and lowering the cost to do business [4].\n\n## Family\n\nElaine Davis has three children [3]. She graduated from Farragut High School in 1985 and earned a B.A. in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Tennessee in 1997 [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Elaine Davis - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elaine_Davis)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 18 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_18)\n[3] [Elaine Davis (politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Davis_(politician))\n[4] [Re Elect Elaine Davis | Proudly Serving the Residents of TN House District 18](https://electelainedavis.com/)\n[5] [Rep. Elaine Davis urges eliminating Tennessee's gro](https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/posts/opinion-rep-elaine-davis-urges-eliminating-tennessees-grocery-tax-without-shifti/1365597912270017/)\n[6] [Election 2024: State House District 18 - Compass | Knoxville](https://compassknox.com/2024/09/26/election-2024-state-house-district-18/)\n[7] [State House District 18 (2024-Election Voter Guide) \u2013 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/race-details/state-house-district-18/)\n[8] [Knoxville Republican Davis wins House race marked by allegations of antisemitism \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2022/11/09/knoxville-republican-davis-wins-house-race-marked-by-allegations-of-antisemitism/)\n[9] [In Knoxville, a closely-watched race between a Republican incumbent and Democratic newcomer \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/10/28/in-knoxville-a-closely-watched-race-between-a-republican-incumbent-and-democratic-newcomer/)\n[10] [Tennessee House District 18 - Davis - TLRC](https://tnreportcard.org/representatives/tn-hd18-davis/)\n[11] [State Rep. Elaine Davis's Capitol Report | April 10, 2026 \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/member-newsroom/2026/04/state-rep-elaine-daviss-capitol-report/)","firstname":"Elaine","lastname":"Davis","token":"MEoG2aFJOU"},"term_end":"2024-12-31","term_start":"2023-01-01"}],"title":"State Representative District 18","type":"legislative","url":"https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H18","whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}