Tennessee Senate District 17
August 6, 2026 · State Senate District 17; Tennessee · State senate district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 5 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 226,475 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(228,447 ÷ 226,475) ÷ ln(228,447 ÷ 197,150) = 5.88, comparing state senate districts in TN (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Joni Cochran
Democratic · declared
Joni Cochran is a Democratic candidate for Tennessee Senate District 17. Her campaign biography describes her as a Wilson County resident since 2002, businesswoman, community volunteer, podcaster, mother, and grandmother. She has served on the boards of the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Wilson, and Habitat for Humanity; currently serves on the NAACP executive committee; and holds a University of Louisville bachelor's degree in English and a Strayer University MBA.
Records: Civil Rights 2 for, Environment and Public Health 1 for, Gun Control 1 for, Public Education Quality 3 for, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 for
Lindsey Patrick-Wright
Democratic · declared
Lindsey Patrick-Wright is a Democratic candidate for Tennessee Senate District 17. Her campaign describes her as a Wilson County parent, librarian, and longtime public servant with 20 years of public-library work supporting literacy, education, families, and access to community resources. Her issue biography also describes sustainability leadership in Nashville public libraries, work on LEED-certified facilities, anti-racist library training, and advocacy with labor, reproductive-rights, equality, and gun-safety organizations.
Records: Civil Rights 3 for, Corporate Accountability 1 for, Environment and Public Health 1 for, Gun Control 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 1 for, Housing Affordability 1 for, Public Education Quality 3 for, Reduce Wealth Gap 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 1 for, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 for
Mark Pody
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Mark Pody is the Republican Tennessee state senator for District 17 and vice-chair of the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee. The General Assembly lists him as a Senate member from the 110th through 114th General Assemblies after House service in the 107th through 110th General Assemblies. He also serves on the Senate Education, Energy/Agriculture/Natural Resources, and Judiciary committees and has an insurance and small-business background.
Records: Civil Rights 2 for, 1 against, Corporate Accountability 2 against, Environment and Public Health 1 for, Government Efficiency 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 1 for, Personal Income Tax Reduction 1 for, Public Education Quality 4 for, Public Infrastructure 3 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 against
Theodore (Butch) Baker
Republican · declared
Theodore "Butch" Baker is a Republican candidate for Tennessee Senate District 17. His campaign biography says he has lived, worked, and served in Wilson County for more than four decades; attended Tennessee Military Institute, U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, and the University of Tennessee; works as a city and police chaplain in Berry Hill; and has 46 years of music-industry experience as a recording artist, songwriter, producer, publishing executive, and mentor. He is senior vice president at HoriGlobal Entertainment.
Records: Government Spending Reduction 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 1 for, Personal Income Tax Reduction 1 for, Public Education Quality 1 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for
Election sources
Source: nashville.gov
Source: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com
Source: wilsontnvotes.gov