JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — State Sen. Rusty Crowe has won re-election in Tennessee Senate District 3.
Voters picked the Johnson City Republican over Democrat Kate Craig, the first challenger Crowe has faced in over a decade.
According to vote totals posted Tuesday night, Crowe won 75% of the vote compared to 25% for Craig.
Crowe, who is 75 years old, was first elected to the Senate in 1990 and has won every election since, making him the second longest-serving active member of the Senate behind Lt. Gov. Randy McNally.
In a News Channel 11 questionnaire, Crowe wrote that if re-elected, his top priorities in his next term would be workforce development, improving adoption and foster care programs, and continuing “tough-on-crime” criminal justice reforms.
Crowe, who chairs the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, will also push to ban gender-affirming procedures for minors.
Over the summer, the senator said Tennessee’s total abortion ban, which he voted for, may need to be “fine-tuned.” The law bans doctors from performing abortions with no exceptions for rape, incest, or sex trafficking. Crowe said medical professionals and organizations want the law to be more clear in order to “make sure that we don’t get our docs in trouble when they’re trying to follow the law.”
After redistricting, the redrawn Senate District 3 includes all of Carter, Johnson, and Washington counties. Previously, the district spanned most of Carter and all of Unicoi and Washington counties.
The General Assembly will reconvene on Jan. 10.
News Channel 11 is Your Local Election Headquarters. For in-depth coverage of the races and election news, head to the Your Local Election HQ page.
