hiː wʌz ᵻlˈɛktᵻd æz ɐ dˈɛməkɹˌæt tə ðə θˈɜːɾisˈɛkənd kˈɑːŋɡɹəs baɪ tˌɛnəsˈiːz θˈɜːd kəŋɡɹˈɛʃənəl dˈɪstɹɪkt, ænd ðˈɛn baɪ tˌɛnəsˈiːz sˈɛkənd kəŋɡɹˈɛʃənəl dˈɪstɹɪkt tə ðə θˈɜːɾiθˈɜːd kˈɑːŋɡɹəs ˈæftɚ tˌɛnəsˈiː hæd lˈɔst ɐ dˈɪstɹɪkt θɹuː ɹˌiːɐpˈoːɹʃənmənt.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress by Tennessee's 3rd congressional district, and then by Tennessee's 2nd congressional district to the Thirty-third Congress after Tennessee had lost a district through reapportionment.