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Elections, ads and a cyber-attack: 2018 in politics

With three election days and hundreds of candidates across East Tennessee, the year in politics was a busy one.

The Republican party dominated Tennessee politics when 2018 began and 365 days, millions of dollars, three elections and a cyber-attack later, the GOP will retain its control over the Volunteer State into 2019. 

But the battle was hard-fought and created more than its fair share of political headlines. 

First, the Knox County mayoral primary proved to be a squeaker. 

Commissioner Brad Anders lost to businessman and WWE wrestler Glenn Jacobs by just 23 votes

Mostly because of Jacobs' fame from the ring, the race got national attention. 

He went on to win the general election in August and since taking office has taken on a legal battle over the county's pensions--as well as several opponents on the WWE circuit.  

At his swearing in, Jacobs got some advice from outgoing mayor Tim Burchett. 

"If I leave Glenn with anything, it would be three words: don't wreck it," he told 10News.  

Burchett won his race for Congress, first beating Jimmy Matlock in the republican primary and then Rene Hoyos in November. 

"It's magic, it really is," Burchett said at his victory party. "I guess it's just the realization that it's a lot of hard work from a lot of good people paid off." 

He kept up his Twitter habits in Washington and caused a bit of a stir in his signature jacket, wearing his Carthartt on the White House lawn. 

Burchett represents the first time in fifty years someone in the Duncan family hasn't held the Second Congressional seat.

The face of Knox County law enforcement changed too. Tom Spangler beat Chief Deputy Lee Tramel and took the sheriff's badge. 

"It's absolutely a fresh start," the new sheriff said. "I think the people of Knoxville and Knox county have spoken. And saying we want to see a change and I think it's coming."  

A cyber-attack on the Knox County Election Commission's computers jolted the May primary election, but officials said it didn't impact votes. 

"Every vote that needed to be counted was counted and we had a fair and free election in Knox county," Election Commission employee Bob Bowman said.  

Statewide, two high profile races were hard-fought. 

In the race for governor, Bill Lee rose to the top in the Republican primary. 

He beat Knoxville businessmen Randy Boyd, house speaker Beth Harwell and Congressman Diane Black in August. 

By November, he had a steady lead in the polls over Democrat Karl Dean whom he beat easily in the general election. 

"It is quite humbling, it's quite an honor," he said at a news conference with outgoing governor Bill Haslam. "It feels very historic" 

Haslam will leave the Governor's Mansion in January 

"“I’m about to lose my lease. I figured I would have as many people over before they kicked me out,” laughed Haslam in an exit interview with WBIR. 

On the Senate side more than $93 million was spent trying to get Marsha Blackburn or Phil Bredesen elected to retiring senator Bob Corker’s seat.

And that meant ads, of sometimes dubious accuracy.  

The race got nasty, especially as the polls narrowed. President Trump and Vice President Pence both came to East Tennessee to stump for Blackburn.

In the end, she won and became the first female senator from the state. 

"We are really so grateful," she said. "So grateful to the people of this state for believing in me."  

One of the only races that changed parties in East Tennessee: the State House race between Gloria Johnson and Eddie Smith. 

On Election Day, Johnson beat Smith changing the seat from red to blue. 

It's among the only flipped seats in a year that saw new faces, but the same party dominating Tennessee. 

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