Sources: Powerful House committee chairman will not seek re-election

Chief of one of the most influential committees will withdraw, likely luring new names to race

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

Phillip Pinion

State Rep. Phillip Pinion (D-Union City), the chairman of the Tennessee House of Representatives' Transportation Committee, will withdraw from this upcoming election, according to NashvillePost.com sources.

Pinion succeeded current U.S. Congressman John Tanner in the State House.

According to state law, since Pinion is an incumbent withdrawing, qualifying for his district will re-open for seven days once he files papers to remove him name from the ballot. It is NashvillePost.com's understanding that that will occur Thursday morning.

Currently, Democrats Jerry Grady and Ross Dubrule are the only other names on the ballot, but with Pinion withdrawing, it is expected that there will be more individuals filing for the seat once the process restarts.