Dolores Gresham
Dolores Gresham was a Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 26. She was first elected to the chamber in 2008, assuming office in 2009. Gresham left office on November 3, 2020. She did not file for re-election in 2020.[1]
Gresham served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008.
Biography
Gresham earned a bachelor's degree from the University of the Incarnate Word and earned master's degrees from George Washington University and Loyola-Maryland. She is a small business owner and a retired member of the United States Marine Corps.
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Gresham was assigned to the following committees:
- Commerce and Labor Committee
- Senate Education Committee, Chair
- Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Labor |
| • Education, Chair |
| • Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Gresham served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Labor |
| • Education, Chair |
| • Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Gresham served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Labor |
| • Education, Chair |
| • Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Gresham served on these committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Commerce, Labor and Agriculture |
| • Education, Chair |
| • Transportation |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Gresham served on these committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Education, Chair |
| • Transportation |
| • Education Oversight, Chair |
| • Veterans Affairs |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2020
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2020
Dolores Gresham did not file to run for re-election.
2016
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Tennessee State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 4, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 7, 2016.
Incumbent Dolores Gresham ran unopposed in the Tennessee State Senate District 26 general election.[2][3]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 26 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican |  Dolores Gresham Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State | ||
Incumbent Dolores Gresham defeated Bob Shutt in the Tennessee State Senate District 26 Republican primary.[4][5]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 26 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Dolores Gresham Incumbent |
52.78% | 9,936 | |
| Republican | Bob Shutt | 47.22% | 8,889 | |
| Total Votes | 18,825 | |||
Endorsements
In 2016, Gresham's endorsements included the following:[6]
- National Federation of Independent Business
- StudentsFirst
- Tennessee Right To Life
- National Rifle Association
2012
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2012
Gresham won re-election in the 2012 election for Tennessee State Senate District 26. Gresham ran unopposed in the August 2 Republican primary and defeated Meryl Rice (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dolores Gresham Incumbent |
60.4% | 42,990 | |
| Democratic | Meryl Rice | 39.6% | 28,131 | |
| Total Votes | 71,121 | |||
2008
On Nov. 4, 2008, Gresham won election to the 26th District Seat in the Tennessee State Senate, defeating opponent Randy Camp (D).[8]
Gresham raised $505,899 for her campaign while Camp raised $475,401.[9]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 26 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Dolores Gresham (R)
|
37,186 | |||
| Randy Camp (D) | 32,165 | |||
Campaign themes
2016
Gresham's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[10]
| “ | My top priority in the state Senate has been creating a favorable climate for private sector job growth. I voted to cut red tape on small businesses and make real cuts in state spending. I voted to lower the sales tax on food and abolish the death tax. I’ve led efforts to reform public schools by setting higher standards for teachers and providing parents and students with more choice in education. I’m running for re-election to continue these efforts.[11] | ” |
| —Dolores Gresham | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2020.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on social issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2018.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on social issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry — Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2017.
- Family Action of Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Tennesseans for Student Success — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry — Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2016.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on fiscal legislation.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce on "issues in the chamber’s four key policy baskets: Business-friendly environment, workforce development, quality of life and regional efforts to encourage economic prosperity."
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2015.
- Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee — Legislators are scored on their votes on fiscal legislation.
- Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce on "issues in the chamber’s four key policy baskets: Business-friendly environment, workforce development, quality of life and regional efforts to encourage economic prosperity."
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2014.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2013.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2012.
- Tennessee Right to Life — Legislators were scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2011.
- Tennessee Conservation Voters — Legislators were scored on their votes relating to conservation and environmental issues.
- Tennessee Right to Life — Legislators were scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Dolores and her husband, Will, reside in Somerville, Tennessee.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Official campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002
- Voting record from Tennessee Votes.org
Footnotes
- ↑ Jackson Sun, "Dolores Gresham not seeking re-election for State Senate," March 5, 2020
- ↑ The New York Times, "Election 2016," accessed November 11, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2016 general election results - Tennessee State Senate," accessed January 19, 2017
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 8, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 11, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 4, 2016 Unofficial Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
- ↑ Senator Dolores Gresham, "Issues," accessed July 7, 2016
- ↑ Tennessee Department of State - Elections, "List of 2012 Candidates," accessed July 5, 2012
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2008 Tennessee General election results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "General Election Results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Senator Dolores Gresham, "Issues," accessed July 7, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Wilder |
Tennessee Senate District 26 2009-2020 |
Succeeded by Page Walley (R) |
