Akbari Elected Senate Democratic Leader in Tennessee
The Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus chose Raumesh Akbari as leader and London Lamar as chairwoman for the 115th General Assembly.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Political Parties
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The Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus elected Raumesh Akbari as Senate Democratic leader and London Lamar as caucus chairwoman at a leadership meeting on Thursday. Both leaders were first elected to their caucus roles in 2022.
Why it matters
The leadership election sets the caucus's direction for the 115th General Assembly as Democrats look to make gains after 15 years of Republican control of the Tennessee legislature. Senate District 31's special election results suggest the seat is winnable for Democrats.
Akbari and Lamar were both first elected to their caucus roles in 2022, and the 115th General Assembly convenes January 12, 2027. Results of the Senate District 31 special election, which Democrats view as winnable, remain to be determined.
The players
Raumesh Akbari
Akbari is a Memphis Democrat who was first elected Senate Democratic caucus leader in 2022 and now leads the caucus for the 115th General Assembly.
London Lamar
Lamar is a Memphis Democrat who was first elected Senate Democratic caucus chairwoman in 2022 and continues in that role for the 115th General Assembly.
Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus
The caucus is the Democratic caucus of the Tennessee State Senate, responsible for setting its legislative agenda and leadership.
The details
Akbari, of Memphis, will lead the Senate Democratic caucus, while Lamar, also of Memphis, will serve as caucus chairwoman. Lamar said Senate Democrats will be united in fighting for working families when the General Assembly convenes.
Timeline
Tuesday, before Nov. 5, 2026: Special election results in Senate District 31 showed the race is winnable.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026: Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus held its leadership election meeting.
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2027: The 115th General Assembly convenes.
Political Context
Democrats have held no working legislative majority in Tennessee's legislature for 15 years, and the caucus's new leadership comes as it targets seats such as Senate District 31. The special election there is being watched as a test of whether Democrats can win ground in the chamber.
Tennesseans in Senate District 31 will see the outcome of the special election shape who represents them in the chamber. Caucus leadership sets priorities for bills that affect working families across the state.
The takeaway
Leadership changes within a legislative caucus can signal shifts in priorities well before votes are cast, so watching who holds these posts offers early insight into the next session's agenda.
What happens next
The 115th General Assembly convenes on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2027, when the new caucus leadership takes up its agenda.
Further reading
For more on the caucus shaping Democratic strategy, see Political Parties coverage across Tennessee.
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Do you think Tennessee is heading in the right direction under current state leadership?
