Beau Hawk

Beau Hawk is a Democratic candidate running for Knox County Mayor in the May 5, 2026 primary election [1]. He is currently the President of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Central Labor Council and works as a business representative for the Knoxville Building & Construction Trades Council [8]. A member of Ironworkers Local 384, Hawk was elected president by representatives from over 30 unions comprising thousands of workers, including KAT bus drivers, grocery store employees, and postal workers [3]. He is described as an ironworker and labor leader who rose through union organizing ranks [3].

Hawk grew up in Chattanooga before moving to Knoxville [17]. His campaign biography states he was raised by a single mother who worked as a house cleaner, which instilled in him a belief in the dignity of hard work [3]. He entered the mayoral race on February 12, 2026, becoming the first Democrat to file for the office [17]. At the time of his announcement, he was the only local Democrat to declare his candidacy [8]. The current mayor, Glenn Jacobs, is term-limited after serving since at least 2018 [8].

Hawk’s platform centers on affordability and economic opportunity for working families. He argues that housing costs and rents in Knox County are outpacing income, making the middle-class single-earner household difficult to sustain [14]. To address this, he has committed to raising the minimum wage for Knox County employees to $15 per hour [14]. On public safety, Hawk prioritizes ensuring full pension benefits for Knox County Sheriff’s Office employees, claiming previous attempts to distribute pensions were a "rip off" [14]. He also lists training and equipment as top priorities for public safety [14].

Hawk characterizes himself as not being a career politician, stating that Knox County needs leadership that listens and builds consensus rather than continuing the "good ole boy system" he believes has dominated local government [3]. He criticizes the Republican party for running the county for decades without sharing a sense of duty toward opportunity and affordability [6]. His campaign website is hawkforknox.com [3].

Sources

• [1] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
• [3] Beau Hawk for Knox County Mayor
• [6] Beau Hawk is a labor leader and community advocate ...
• [8] Election 2026: Beau Hawk announces run for Knox County mayor | wbir.com
• [13] Meet your candidates for Knox County Mayor - Knox TN Today
• [14] Knox County Mayoral Candidates on Public Safety, the Economy and Growth | WIVK-FM
• [17] First democratic candidate joins Knox County mayoral race
• [18] Knox County mayoral candidates on public safety, the economy and growth