Randy Tyree

Randell "Randy" Tyree (born 1940) is a Tennessee politician who served as mayor of Knoxville from 1976 to 1983 and was the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1982.

Tyree was born in Carthage, Tennessee, in 1940.^[1] 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.^[2] Tyree, now divorced, was married to the former Mary Pat Dukas. The couple has four children.^[2]

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.^[3][4]

He was elected mayor of Knoxville at age 34 in 1975, the city's youngest candidate ever to hold that office, defeating Republican incumbent Kyle Testerman. He took office the following year.^[5] In 1979 he won re-election to a second four-year term, and presided over the city during the 1982 World's Fair.^[5]

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,^[6] but lost to Republican incumbent governor Lamar Alexander in the November general election.^[5]

Tyree unsuccessfully sought to again become mayor in the 1987 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.^[4][7][8] In 2008 he won the Democratic primary held in February, but lost to J.J. Jones in the August general election.^[9]

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