Rush Bricken

Current office and 2026 campaign

Rush Bricken is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 47, which encompasses Coffee County and portions of Grundy County¹³. He assumed office on November 6, 2018, succeeding Judd Matheny¹². His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026¹.

Bricken is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 2026 cycle¹. He is listed as a candidate for District 47 on the ballot for the Republican primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026¹¹². As an incumbent, he has established a campaign website and volunteer infrastructure to support his bid for another term³⁷.

During his tenure, Bricken has served on several legislative committees, including the Civil Justice Committee, the Commerce Committee where he holds the position of Vice Chair, the State Government Committee, and the Fiscal Review Committee¹. In the 2023-2024 session, he was also assigned to the Business & Utilities Subcommittee, Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee, and the Naming & Designating Committee¹⁵. He has sponsored legislation such as Tennessee House Joint Resolution 1030 regarding academic achievements at Tullahoma High School¹⁴.

Background and education

B. Rush Bricken was born on August 4, 1951 ². He self-describes as coming from a humble background in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he was raised by his mother, a third-grade public school teacher, alongside two brothers and two sisters ⁴¹⁵. His upbringing instilled a foundation of Christian faith and personal responsibility ⁴¹⁵. Bricken began working at age ten delivering newspapers and worked as a grocery clerk from age fifteen through college to pay for his education ⁴.

Bricken earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University ².

Career

B. Rush Bricken is an American banker and politician from Tennessee ². He holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management ²¹⁶. His professional career includes serving as the Chief Financial Officer at First Federal Savings Bank in Tullahoma, Tennessee, from 1975 to 1992 ¹⁶. He has also worked in roles involving commercial banking, credit analysis, and small business lending ¹⁶.

Prior to his election to the state legislature, Bricken served as a Coffee County Commissioner ¹¹¹⁵. He describes coming from a humble background, noting that he was raised by his mother, a third-grade public school teacher, alongside two brothers and two sisters ⁴¹⁵. He states that he began working at age ten delivering newspapers and worked as a grocery clerk from age fifteen through college to pay for his education ⁴.

Office history

Rush Bricken served as a Coffee County Commissioner prior to his election to the state legislature ⁹. He entered the race for Tennessee’s 47th District House of Representatives to succeed Representative Judd Matheny, who was running for the U.S. House ¹¹. Bricken won the general election and assumed office on November 6, 2018 ¹. His current term in the Tennessee House of Representatives is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹.

In the 2022 election cycle, Bricken ran for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 47 as an incumbent ⁶. He is currently listed as a candidate for re-election in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

During his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Bricken has held several committee assignments. In 2023 and 2024, he served on the Civil Justice Committee, the Commerce Committee as Vice Chair, the State Government Committee, and the Fiscal Review Committee ¹. More recently, his committee affiliations have included the Business & Utilities Subcommittee, the Commerce Committee, the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee, the Fiscal Review Committee, the Naming & Designating Committee, and the State & Local Government Committee ¹⁵.

Bricken has sponsored legislation focused on memorials and limited government principles. In early 2026, he sponsored Tennessee House Joint Resolution 1030, which honored Tullahoma High School FBLA national award winners, and House Joint Resolution 758; both measures were passed by the House and signed by the Governor ¹⁴. His legislative record has been tracked by various organizations, with the Institute for Limited Government assigning him a score of 77.65% in 2023 for alignment with limited-government principles ¹³.

On social issues, Bricken has consistently supported pro-life measures and Second Amendment rights ⁵. Scorecards from the Family Action Council of Tennessee indicate his voting record on key bills during the 2020 session, including SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 364/HB 563 (Business Protection Act), and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) ¹⁰. He has also received endorsements from conservative organizations such as the National Rifle Association and Tennessee Right to Life ⁶.

Business interests and wealth source

Rush Bricken is an American banker who holds a Bachelor of Science from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University ². He self-describes his background as humble, stating that he was raised by his mother, a third-grade public school teacher, alongside two brothers and two sisters ⁴¹⁵. Bricken states that he worked delivering newspapers at age ten and as a grocery clerk from age fifteen through college, paying for his own degree ⁴.

Prior to his legislative service, Bricken served as a Coffee County Commissioner ¹¹. He was sworn in as the State Representative for Tennessee’s 47th District on November 6, 2018, succeeding Judd Matheny ¹⁹. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹.

Specific details regarding Bricken’s private business ownership stakes, personal wealth sources, or significant financial-disclosure facts are not provided in the available records. Campaign materials focus on his political platform rather than detailed financial disclosures ³⁸.

Family

Rush Bricken self-describes coming from a humble background and states that he was raised by his mother, a third-grade public school teacher, alongside two brothers and two sisters ⁴. He notes that she instilled in him a foundation of Christian faith and personal responsibility ⁴.

Sources