← Back to Shelby County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for Tennessee House District 86
State House District 86
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 86
About this office
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and — together with the Senate — confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least three years, and district residents for at least one year.
Term length: 2 years.
This role calls for
- Integrity — Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.
- Understanding of the constituency — Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents — safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
- Persuasion — Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.
- Legislative craft — Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.
- Coalition-building — Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Democratic Primary
2 candidates
Justin J. Pearson
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The candidate served on the Education Instruction, Local Government, State Government, Transportation, and Agriculture committees during the 1st Extraordinary Session. This legislative experience addresses requirements for drafting bills, committee work, and policy judgment on education, transportation, and agriculture. Bio does not indicate budget literacy, constituent relations in a district of 65,000 residents, or coordination with county officials and suburban governments.
David Page
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Page identifies juvenile and adult crime as a primary motivation for his candidacy, aiming to address safety concerns in District 86. He proposes fostering collaboration among city and county officials, working-class residents, and retirees to develop comprehensive strategies. This approach suggests an intent to coordinate with local government entities and engage constituents on community-specific issues. However, the biography provides no evidence of prior legislative experience, budget literacy, or familiarity with Tennessee statutory law. It does not indicate policy judgment on statewide matters, committee work experience, or specific background in criminal justice administration.
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