These are the candidates running in Tennessee's House District 96 primary

Incumbent Rep. Dwayne Thompson is not seeking reelection this year for the Tennessee House District 96 seat. As no Republicans or Independents qualified for the ballot, the next officeholder will be selected Aug. 1 from five Democratic hopefuls.

The long, narrow district stretches east-west through much of Memphis and includes much of Cordova.

Democratic primary

Eric Dunn

Dunn, who has run for local office before, has a background in the funeral home business and education and has served on the boards of several healthcare-focused organizations. The three key issues he outlined as most important to the residents of District 96 were environmental justice, public safety and crime reduction and adequate funding for public schools and teacher salaries.

Telisa Franklin

Franklin's background is as a counselor and community relations specialist and she also serves as president of the Memphis Juneteenth Festival. Franklin said key issues for her, if elected, include raising teacher pay and improving public schools, reducing taxes for families and neighborhood safety.

Gabby Salinas

A pharmaceutical scientist by trade, Salinas has also served as chair of the Shelby County Democratic Party and on the boards of local healthcare-focused organizations and has run for office previously. Salinas told The Commercial Appeal her top three priorities if elected would be public safety, improving access to quality and affordable healthcare for constituents and improving local public schools.

Orrden Williams

Williams has run several times for local office and the state legislature. If elected, he said his top priorities would be curbing crime ― he advocated for curfew enforcement and creating more opportunities for young people ― and investing in environmental programs in the district.

David Winston

Winston has a background in acting and television production as well as experience as a businessman and educator. Major issues for his campaign include enhancing educational opportunities to meet workforce gaps, prioritizing infrastructure funding for things like road re-paving and pursuing policies to curb crime, he said.