Tennessee polls close for GOP House fight, Dem gov primary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Polls have closed in a Tennessee primary election that will settle a nine-way Republican fight in a reconfigured Nashville congressional district that the GOP hopes to flip. The longtime Democratic incumbent, Rep. Jim Cooper, is retiring after GOP state lawmakers carved the city into three districts, favoring their party in each seat. Also Thursday, Democrats will choose their nominee for governor in a potentially history-making bid to topple Republican Gov. Bill Lee. Either JB Smiley Jr. or Carnita Atwater would be the state’s first Black nominee for the office if either wins. It will be an uphill battle, however, because Tennessee hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2006.