Davis contests election results
Davis announced Thursday, May 21, he will appeal the Primary results under state law. Davis and his attorney, Lance K. Baker, appeared before the Knox County Election Commission to inform Election Commissioners about Davis’s plans.
“Mr. Mike Davis is appealing the results of the Knox County Republican Primary Election for sheriff to the Tennessee Republican Party,” Election administrator Chris Davis confirmed.
“The Tennessee Republican Party chair will render a decision, presumably in the near future, on Davis’ appeal.
Regarding that timeline, “I have no idea,”
the Election administrator added.
Meanwhile, “the Election Commission conducts business as usual — having certified the election — and we are preparing for the Aug. 6 County General, State/ Federal Primary and Town of Farragut Municipal Elections,” the administrator said.
Early voting begins July 17.
“The Republican Primary for sheriff was severely tainted and the election’s basic integrity was undermined. This needs to be remedied by a rerun of the primary election for sheriff,” Baker stated in a press release.
The attorney specifically pointed to former sheriff candidates, David Amburn and JJ Jones, who were indicted by the state just days after the election.
“Amburn and Jones received 18,567 votes – 41.66 percent of all lawful ballots cast – for sheriff,” Baker stated. “Davis received 6,330 votes, or 14.20 percent. Brent Gibson received 19,672 votes, or 44.14 percent.
“A substantial number of voters would likely have voted differently had they received the critical information about the investigations and indictments,” Baker stated.
He added the state and federal joint investigation began in 2019.
“In 2022, chief of the KCSO Narcotics Unit, David Henderson, was the first sheriff’s employee to be indicted
during the investigation and pled guilty in August 2025,” Baker stated. “By November 2025, the state had presented its findings to [District Attorney] Charme Allen, who
recused herself, after which a DA pro tem, Stephen D. Crump, was appointed to prosecute.
“In February 2026, Amburn and Jones filed their qualifying petitions in order to be placed on the ballot,” he stated. “Election day was May 5, with Gibson receiving a plurality of the vote. Then, eight days later, the Knox County Grand Jury returned indictments against Amburn, Jones and nine others for three counts of felony theft.
According to Baker, “when nearly half of the electorate cast votes for candidates who are revealed to be under indictment, public confidence in the process is understandably shaken.
“In Forbes v. Bell, 816 S.W.2d 716 (Tenn. 1991), the Tennessee Supreme Court recognized that an election may be set aside where fraud, illegality
or irregularity so permeates the election process that the true outcome becomes ‘incurably uncertain,’ even where individual ballots
themselves are lawful,” Baker cited.
Baker stated, “what happened on May 5 was grossly unfair to Knox County voters. I believe the State Republican Party should have a great interest in setting things right for Knox County citizens and that’s exactly what we’re going to request them to do.”
