Gov. Bill Lee at the Factory in Franklin, Tenn., the night before the 2022 election on Nov. 7, 2022. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Throughout the 2022 election cycle in Tennessee, photojournalists John Partipilo and Karen Pulfer Focht documented candidates — and incumbents — debating, speaking at rallies and working polls, culminating on the Nov. 8 Election Day. The pair, with an Election Day assist from Nick Fantasia, captured the stress, excitement and tension of campaigning.
The thrill of victory
Democrat Caleb Hemmer with his wife and children celebrating his win in Tennessee House District 59 on Nov. 8, 2022. (Photo: Dulce Torres Guzman)
U.S. Rep. Mark Green got to celebrate not only reelection to his third term in Congress but his birthday on Nov. 8, 2022. (Photo: Nick Fantasia)
Joined by his wife and daughter, U.S. Rep. Mark Green addresses the crowd at his victory party at the Millennium Maxwell House in Nashville. (Photo: Nick Fantasia)
U.S. Rep.-elect Andy Ogles, surrounded by friends and family, won every county in the new 5th Congressional District except Davidson. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Andrew Towle prayed for strength to be given to Gov. Bill Lee on Nov. 7, 2022. Lee won reelection by an almost 40% margin of victory.(Photo: John Partipilo)
Charlane Oliver, Democratic nominee for State Senate District 19, said “It shouldn’t be this hard to vote in Tennessee,” at a November 2 press conference to protest a voting snafu in Davidson County that led to voters getting the wrong ballots. Oliver won on Tuesday. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Election Day
Odessa Kelly, Democratic nominee for U.S. House District 5, with a young supporter at the Germantown Pub on Nov. 8, 2022. (Photo: Lookout Staff)
Andy Ogles consults with campaign manager Grant Henry at the former's election might watch party. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland finishes casting his vote on Tuesday. Politicians and voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (Photo By Karen Pulfer Focht/ Tennessee Lookout)
Dr. Jason Martin, the Democratic nominee for governor, made a last pitch for votes in Memphis the morning of Nov. 8, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (Photo By Karen Pulfer Focht/ Tennessee Lookout)
Toniko Harris, Democratic candidate for State House 97 in Memphis on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. Harris was defeated by incumbent Rep. John Gillespie, R-Cordova.(Photo By Karen Pulfer Focht/ Tennessee Lookout)
Businessman Eddie Naeman won a rancorous race to become mayor of tiny Mason. Tenn. In Tipton County. Mason has made the news this year after the Tennessee Comptroller threatened to take the town over. Naeman, who says he’s cooperated with the comptroller, will need to navigate the town’s dealing with the nearby multi-billion dollar Ford Blue Oval City. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Tennessee primaries and campaigns
Sen. Heidi Campbell, the Democratic nominee for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, outside a poll on Primary Election Day 2022.(Photo: John Partipilo)
Andy Ogles, center, with his wife, Monica, and political advisor Steve Gill, react to news Ogles won the Republican nomination for the 5th Congressional District. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Candidates for the Democratic nomination for governor, from left, Dr. Jason Martin, Carnita Atwater, Ph.D. and Memphis Councilman JB Smiley, Jr. at a June debate hosted by the Tennessee Democratic Party. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Odessa Kelly, Democratic nominee for Congress in District 7, speaking at a Nashville rally on June 24 after the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back federal protection for abortion rights. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Democrat Justin Jones at the polls on August 4. Jones, who was arrested 14 times while protesting at the Tennessee Capitol over the course of two years, won the primary for House District 52 in N and was unopposed in the general election. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Editorial cartoonist John Cole put his spin on Tennessee’s low, low voter turnout.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
Working as a photojournalist for 40 years, Partipilo has won awards such as NPPA Best of Photojournalism and nominated for two Pulitzers. His photography has also been featured in national and international publications. Most importantly Partipilo’s work is about people — people in their different environments and people in their different stages of life. That’s the heart of his work. To him people are so important, because they all have a unique story.
Karen Pulfer Focht is a freelance photojournalist in Memphis, Tennessee who has won numerous awards in her career, many for in-depth projects about children and families. Her work is regularly published in newspapers and magazines around the world.
