A Nashville doctor, Dickerson is known as a soft-spoken Republican who has considerable sway on whether legislation passes. He also represents a district that is much more moderate than other Republicans, leaving him more likely to break from the conservative party line as he heads into a re-election cycle.

“He is well-grounded in his conservative principals, but (he) incorporates common sense solutions into a lot of complex issues,” said Matt King, a former Tennessee GOP executive director who previously worked as a staff member for Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell but is currently a lobbyist.

“He’s made it work in a district that can be very difficult some times.”

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