Weston Wamp

Weston Wamp is the current County Mayor of Hamilton County, Tennessee, a position he holds as a Republican [2]. He was first elected to the office in 2022 and is currently running for re-election in the Republican primary scheduled for May 5, 2026 [10]. As County Mayor, Wamp serves as the chief fiscal officer, overseeing the preparation of official budgets and financial reports, while managing the daily operations of county general government [2]. He also holds authority to negotiate loans and enter into contracts on behalf of Hamilton County [2].

Born on March 26, 1987, Wamp graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 2009 with a degree in communication studies [4][8]. Following his graduation, he helped launch Lamp Post Group, described as a venture incubator providing capital and mentorship to startups, where he served as a founding director and later as director of communications [1][8]. He is also the president and managing partner of Wamp Strategy, a role he has held since 2010 [8]. Wamp is the son of Zach Wamp, who served as a U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District from 1995 to 2011 [8].

Before his tenure as mayor, Wamp sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives twice. In 2012, he ran in the Republican primary for Tennessee's 3rd District but was defeated by incumbent Charles J. Fleischmann [1]. He ran again in 2014, receiving 49.2% of the vote (45,082 votes) against Fleischmann’s 50.8% (46,556 votes) in a primary decided by less than 1,500 votes [1]. During his 2014 campaign, Wamp faced controversy after it was revealed he secretly recorded a conversation with dairy magnate Scottie Mayfield prior to Mayfield’s endorsement of Fleischmann [1].

Wamp entered the Hamilton County mayoral race in 2022. He won the Republican primary by a narrow margin, defeating two other candidates with only 321 more votes than his closest competitor [13][15]. In his victory speech, he pledged to focus on public education and workforce development [15]. As mayor, Wamp has emphasized career and technical education, citing a $15 million project for a Future Ready Center aimed at helping students with college and career readiness [11]. He also highlighted a 50% increase in students feeling prepared for their future paths since shifting focus to this area five years prior [11].

In his third State of the County address in April 2025, Wamp outlined a vision including new partnerships with smaller communities and the potential establishment of a Hamilton County History Museum [9][11]. He has also spoken publicly about supporting small towns like East Ridge to ensure they receive similar attention to Chattanooga [11]. During his 2022 campaign, Wamp faced criticism from the Hamilton County Democratic Party chair regarding past business dealings with the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball organization and allegations of inappropriate comments made during job interviews [14]. Despite these controversies, he secured re-election in 2022 and is seeking a second term in 2026 [10].

Sources

• [1] Weston Wamp - Ballotpedia
• [2] Mayor Weston Wamp, Hamilton County Government
• [4] Hamilton County WWTA, TN | Official Website
• [8] Weston Wamp's Biography
• [9] Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp highlights small communities in annual speech | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [10] Weston Wamp talks growth in Hamilton County at Pachyderm Club meeting | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [11] Interview: Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp speaks on his 3rd state of the county address
• [12] Opinion: Let's not nationalize Hamilton County mayoral race | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [13] Weston Wamp's Bio - And Response - Chattanoogan.com
• [14] County Democratic Party Chair Says Weston Wamp "Not Qualified To Be County Mayor"; Trimble Backs GOP Slate - Chattanoogan.com
• [15] Republican Hamilton County mayor candidate Wamp pledges to focus on education in primary victory speech | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [20] Weston Wamp (@westonwamp) · Twitter