Riley Carlisle Darnell (May 13, 1940 – October 2, 2020) was an American politician and lawyer who served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 67th district, Tennessee Senate from the 22nd district, Majority Leader of the Tennessee Senate, and as Tennessee Secretary of State as a member of the Democratic Party. Darnell was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, and educated at Clarksville High School, Austin Peay State University, and Vanderbilt University Law School. In 1970, he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives with the Democratic nomination and during his tenure in the House of Representatives he served on the Judicial, Finance, and Fiscal Review committees. In 1980, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate and during his tenure in the Senate he served on the Transportation, Ethics, Finance Ways and Means, Fiscal Review, and the Children and Youth committees. Darnell unsuccessfully sought the position of Speaker of the Senate against incumbent John Shelton Wilder in 1986. In 1989, he was selected to serve as Majority Leader of the Tennessee Senate. He lost reelection in 1992, but successfully defeated incumbent Secretary of State Bryant Millsaps and served in that position until 2009. Early life Riley Carlisle Darnell was born on May 13, 1940, in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Elliot S. Darnell and Mary Anita Whitefield. Riley graduated from Clarksville High School in 1958, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Austin Peay State University in 1962, and graduated with a juris doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1965. He was accepted into the Tennessee State Bar in 1965. From 1966 to 1969, he served in the United States Air Force. He married Penny Corckarell, with whom he had five children. Career Tennessee House of Representatives Riley announced in 1970 that he would seek the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 67th district to succeed Frank J. Runyon. He won the Democratic nomination and faced no opposition in the general election. He was reelected in 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1978. During the 1976 presidential election Riley supported and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for Jimmy Carter from the 6th congressional district during the Democratic presidential primaries. Riley was appointed to serve on the Judicial and Finance committees in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1971. In 1975, Riley was selected over state Senator Doug Henry to