{"county":null,"description":"The Tennessee State Senate is the upper chamber of the state legislature, with 33 members elected from single-member districts to four-year terms. Seats are staggered so roughly half are on the ballot every two years. Senators pass state laws, approve the state budget, confirm gubernatorial appointments, and \u2014 together with the House \u2014 propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 30 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least seven years, and district residents for at least one year.","district":"033","districtgroup":"state_senate","id":348,"key":"state_senate_033","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_senate","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":4,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"London Lamar","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nLondon Lamar is a Democratic member of the Tennessee State Senate representing District 33 [1]. She assumed office on March 3, 2022, after being appointed by the Shelby County Commission to fill the vacancy left by expelled Senator Katrina Robinson [3]. Her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1].\n\nLamar is seeking re-election to the Tennessee State Senate for District 33 as a Democrat [1]. She is listed on the ballot for the Democratic primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nLondon Lamar was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 29, 1990 [2][11]. She self-describes as a third-generation resident of Tennessee\u2019s 33rd District [9].\n\nLamar graduated from Central \"The\" High School in Memphis in 2009, where she finished at the top of her class [9]. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with minors in Sociology and Intercultural Studies from Saint Mary's College in May 2013 [2][9].\n\n## Career\n\nLondon Lamar graduated from Central High School in Memphis in 2009, where she finished at the top of her class [9]. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with minors in Sociology and Intercultural Studies from Saint Mary's College in May 2013 [9].\n\nPrior to her legislative career, Lamar served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 91 from November 6, 2018, until March 8, 2022 [2]. She resigned from the House to accept an appointment to the Tennessee State Senate [1]. In March 2022, the Shelby County Commission voted 9-4 to select Lamar as the interim senator for District 33, filling the vacancy left by expelled Senator Katrina Robinson [4][6]. This appointment required her to vacate her House seat immediately [6].\n\nLamar later won election to complete the remainder of the Senate term and has continued to serve in that role [2]. As of 2026, she is on the ballot for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate in the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Office history\n\nLondon Lamar served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from November 6, 2018, to March 8, 2022, representing District 91 [2][13]. She was elected to this seat in 2018, succeeding Raumesh Akbari [2]. During her tenure in the House, she advocated for voter registration and other legislative priorities [5].\n\nIn March 2022, Lamar was appointed by the Shelby County Commission as Interim Senator for Tennessee State Senate District 33 to fill the vacancy left by expelled Senator Katrina Robinson [3][4][6][12]. The commission selected her in a 9-4 vote after interviewing multiple candidates [4][12]. She resigned from the House of Representatives upon assuming this appointed role, which began on March 3, 2022 [1][2]. As interim senator, she served until the conclusion of the term in November 2022 [6].\n\nLamar was subsequently elected to Tennessee State Senate District 33 in the 2022 general election, succeeding Katrina Robinson [1][2]. She assumed office on March 8, 2022, following her appointment, and her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1][2]. In this role, she serves as Chair of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus and sits on the Judiciary Committee and the Finance, Ways and Means Committee [8]. She self-describes as the youngest woman and youngest African American to serve in the Tennessee State Senate history [8][10].\n\nLamar is currently running for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 33 [1]. She is on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1]. The outcome of this upcoming election has not yet occurred as of May 11, 2026.\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nLondon Lamar serves on the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee and the Finance, Ways and Means Committee [8]. She also holds a position on the Joint Ways and Means Committee [8]. In the chamber, she currently serves as Chair of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus [8].\n\nDuring her tenure in the General Assembly, Lamar has sponsored legislation advancing maternal health, human trafficking prevention, criminal justice reform, and voting rights [10]. Prior to her appointment to the Senate, she served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022, where she advocated for voter registration initiatives in Shelby County [5].\n\nLamar\u2019s legislative career began after she was appointed by the Shelby County Commission in March 2022 to fill the vacancy in State Senate District 33 left by expelled Senator Katrina Robinson [3][4][6]. She resigned from her House seat to assume the Senate role, making history as the youngest woman and youngest African American to serve in the Tennessee State Senate at that time [2][8].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nLondon Lamar\u2019s entry into the Tennessee Senate was precipitated by the expulsion of her predecessor, Katrina Robinson, who was removed from office in February 2022 following a federal fraud conviction and a recommendation by the Senate Ethics Committee [3]. Following Robinson's ejection, the Shelby County Commission held a special called meeting that lasted over three hours and involved eight rounds of voting before selecting Lamar to fill the vacancy [3][12]. The commission interviewed six candidates before voting 9-4 in favor of Lamar, who resigned from her seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives to assume the interim Senate role [4][6].\n\nDuring her appointment process and early tenure, Lamar faced a legislative environment marked by the ethical violations that led to Robinson's expulsion. The Senate Ethics Committee had previously determined that Robinson violated the Senate's code of ethics, leading to her removal before Lamar took office in March 2022 [3]. Lamar has not been cited as a subject of similar ethics complaints or legal actions in the provided sources; instead, her public record during this period focused on addressing community concerns such as gun violence and youth crime through initiatives like the \"Root Cause of Youth Crime\" symposium at LeMoyne-Owen College [7].\n\nNo other documented disputes, feuds with named officials, or withdrawn endorsements are recorded in the provided sources for London Lamar. The available documentation focuses on her legislative service, appointment history, and policy advocacy regarding maternal health, human trafficking, and voting rights [8][10].\n\n## Family\n\nLondon Lamar self-describes as a third-generation resident of Tennessee\u2019s 33rd District [9]. She states that she is committed to serving families and communities within the region [10].\n\nThe provided sources do not contain publicly notable information regarding her spouse, children, or other family members in politics.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [London Lamar - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/London_Lamar)\n[2] [London Lamar - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Lamar)\n[3] [Shelby County officials select London Lamar as Interim Senator to replace Katrina Robinson | News | fox13memphis.com](https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/shelby-county-officials-select-london-lamar-as-interim-senator-to-replace-katrina-robinson/article_8f7321ea-8152-5ecb-9083-5f508c7f86f0.html)\n[4] [Rep. London Lamar appointed to fill Katrina Robinson\u2019s Senate seat](https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/03/04/rep-london-lamar-appointed-fill-katrina-robinsons-senate-seat/)\n[5] [Rep. London Lamar pushes for voter registration in Shelby County](https://www.actionnews5.com/2020/01/31/rep-london-lamar-pushes-voter-registration-shelby-county/)\n[6] [London Lamar appointed interim state senator, Dist. 33](https://wreg.com/news/local/london-lamar-appointed-interim-state-senator-dist-33/)\n[7] [Senator London Lamar shares her plans for District 33](https://wreg.com/news/local/sen-london-lamar-shares-her-plans-for-district-33/)\n[8] [About London Lamar 2022](https://www.londonlamar.com/about-london-lamar)\n[9] [About | Sen. London Lamar](https://www.londonlamar.com/aboutlondon)\n[10] [London for State Senator 2025](https://www.londonlamar.com/)\n[11] [Contact Senator London Lamar \u2013 SenGov](https://sengov.com/states/tennessee/london-lamar/)\n[12] [Lamar tapped for Shelby County vacancy in Senate \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2022/03/04/lamar-tapped-for-shelby-county-vacancy-in-senate/)\n[13] [State Senator London Lamar | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/22917)","firstname":"London","lastname":"Lamar","token":"UPbRHAt6Vq"},"term_end":"2026-11-03","term_start":"2022-11-08"}],"title":"State Senate District 33","type":"legislative","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}