By Blake Farmer
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-913254.mp3
Nashville, TN – For more than a century, a Democrat has gone to Washington representing the farm towns and suburbs stretching from Dickson, west to the Mississippi River. Since 1989, Rep. John Tanner has held the 8th Congressional District seat. But he's retiring, and the GOP sees opportunity. Leading the 8th district's first competitive Republican primary in decades are a pair of physicians and a family farmer. WPLN's Blake Farmer reports.
Early voting in the primary starts Friday. Presidential election results show Tennessee's 8th Congressional district has turned more Republican over the last two decades. But the GOP primary winner still has a formidable opponent in the general election - State Senator Roy Herron. He will almost certainly become the Democratic nominee after ditching his bid for governor to run for congress.