{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDarden Copeland ran in the Democratic primary for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election held on October 7, 2025, to replace retiring Congressman Mark Green. He lost to state Representative Aftyn Behn by approximately 933 votes. He has since filed to run again for the same seat in the 2026 election cycle.\n\nCopeland has emphasized banning stock trading by members of Congress, refusing corporate PAC money, and focusing on accountability over partisanship. He ran as a business-minded outsider distinct from the state legislators in the field.\n\n## Background and education\nCopeland was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and grew up in Culpeper, Virginia, in a working-class household where his father owned an industrial uniform company. He attended the University of Richmond on student loans and multiple jobs, earning degrees in Political Science and Leadership Studies with a minor in Communications.\n\n## Career\nAfter college, Copeland spent his early career working to elect Democrats nationally on congressional and presidential campaigns. In 2005 he moved into public affairs and entrepreneurship, founding Calvert Street Group, a national public affairs firm headquartered in Nashville. The firm has operated campaigns across 46 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, specializing in land use, energy infrastructure, and issue advocacy. He moved to Nashville in 2008. He has also purchased and renovated several historic properties in downtown Nashville.\n\nHe serves on the boards of Historic Nashville, Inc. and the Nashville Wine Auction, which supports local cancer charities. He is an Elder at Woodmont Christian Church.\n\n## Family\nHe is married to Natalie Copeland. They have two children and a rescue dog named Kathy. He enjoys live music, stand-up comedy, and coaching youth sports.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Meet Darden \u2013 Darden Copeland For Congress](https://www.dardenforcongress.com/meetdarden)\n- [2] [Nashville businessman Darden Copeland enters Democratic primary in Congressional District 7 \u2013 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/briefs/nashville-businessman-darden-copeland-enters-democratic-primary-in-congressional-district-7/)\n- [3] [Copeland's Stance on Economy, Immigration, and Education \u2013 Nashville Banner](https://nashvillebanner.com/2025/09/10/darden-copeland-democrat-district7/)\n- [4] [Darden Copeland \u2013 Historic Nashville, Inc.](https://www.historicnashvilleinc.org/board-members/darden-copeland/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_7","county":"Benton","county_count":22,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"US House District 7"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Darden","fullname":"Darden Copeland","lastname":"Copeland","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_7","contest_title":"US House District 7","county":"Benton","county_count":22,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_7","office_title":null,"party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"D","primary":{"contest":"us_house_7","contest_title":"US House District 7","county":"Benton","county_count":22,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_7","office_title":null,"party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"us_house_7","office_title":"US House District 7","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"terms":[],"token":"3QcGD293l1"}