Randy Tyree
Encyclopedia
Randall "Randy" Tyree is a Tennessee
politician who served as mayor
of Knoxville
from 1976 to 1983 and was the Democratic
candidate for Governor in 1982.
, in 1940. He received a bachelor's degree
from Middle Tennessee State University
, where his major was political science. Subsequently he earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee
. Tyree is married to the former Mary Pat Dukas. The couple has four children.
For a ten-year period early in his career, he worked in law enforcement
, including a four-year stint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
as well as a period as a police officer
in Knoxville. He also served as a police commissioner in the City of Knoxville.
He was elected mayor of Knoxville in 1975, defeating Republican
incumbent Kyle Testerman
. He took office the following year. In 1979 he won re-election to a second four-year term, and presided over the city during the 1982 World's Fair
.
In 1982 Tyree ran for Governor with support from Jake Butcher
. He won the Democratic nomination by defeating Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
in the primary election
, but lost to Republican incumbent
governor Lamar Alexander
in the November general election.
Tyree was a candidate for sheriff
of Knox County
in 2006 and 2008. In the May 2006 primary
he ran as a write-in candidate
, winning over 5% of the vote and thus earning a place in the August general election, which he lost to Republican incumbent
Tim Hutchison. In 2008 he won the Democratic primary
held in February, but lost to J.J. Jones in the August general election.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
politician who served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
from 1976 to 1983 and was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for Governor in 1982.
Biography
Tyree was born in Carthage, TennesseeCarthage, Tennessee
Carthage is a town in Smith County, Tennessee, United States, and is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,251 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Smith County, and perhaps best known as the hometown of former Vice President Al Gore, and his father,...
, in 1940. He received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
, where his major was political science. Subsequently he earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. Tyree is married to the former Mary Pat Dukas. The couple has four children.
For a ten-year period early in his career, he worked in law enforcement
Law enforcement
Law enforcement broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to promote adherence to the law by discovering and punishing persons who violate the rules and norms governing that society...
, including a four-year stint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
as well as a period as a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
in Knoxville. He also served as a police commissioner in the City of Knoxville.
He was elected mayor of Knoxville in 1975, defeating Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Kyle Testerman
Kyle Testerman
Kyle C. Testerman was mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1972 to 1975, and again from 1984 to 1987. Testerman is a Republican.-First term:...
. He took office the following year. In 1979 he won re-election to a second four-year term, and presided over the city during the 1982 World's Fair
1982 World's Fair
The 1982 World's Fair, formally known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the United States. The theme of the exposition was "Energy Turns the World."...
.
In 1982 Tyree ran for Governor with support from Jake Butcher
Jake Butcher
Jacob Franklin "Jake" Butcher was a U.S. banker and politician who built a financial empire in East Tennessee, was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Tennessee in 1978 and the primary promoter of the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, and who lost his business and his personal...
. He won the Democratic nomination by defeating Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
Anna Belle Clement O'Brien was a Tennessee politician, nicknamed "the first lady of Tennessee politics." She served as the governor's chief of staff from 1963 to 1967, was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 89th General Assembly, from 1975 to 1977, and a Tennessee State...
in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, but lost to Republican incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
governor Lamar Alexander
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
in the November general election.
Tyree was a candidate for sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
in 2006 and 2008. In the May 2006 primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
he ran as a write-in candidate
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
, winning over 5% of the vote and thus earning a place in the August general election, which he lost to Republican incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Tim Hutchison. In 2008 he won the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held in February, but lost to J.J. Jones in the August general election.