{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTheodore \"Butch\" Baker is a Republican candidate for Tennessee State Senate District 17, which covers portions of Davidson and Wilson counties [1][2]. He declared his candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [2], challenging incumbent Senator Mark Pody. Baker's campaign is organized around the themes of faith, family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility [1].\n\nBaker's published campaign priorities include protecting the state constitution, ensuring quality education and safe schools, improving roads and public transportation, maintaining low state taxes, and expanding access to quality healthcare for all Tennesseans [1].\n\n## Background and education\nBaker was raised in Sweetwater, Tennessee. His father served as a Methodist minister for 47 years, and his mother served as a City Commissioner in Sweetwater for more than 12 years [1]. Baker is a graduate of the Tennessee Military Institute and subsequently attended Officer Candidate School with the U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia [1]. He later attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is a graduate of the Leadership Music program in Nashville [1].\n\n## Career\nBaker has spent approximately 46 years working in the music industry as a recording artist, songwriter, producer, and publishing executive [1]. In the 1980s he recorded for Mercury, Arista, Sony, and Warner Brothers, releasing multiple singles and the album \"We Will\" [1]. In the 1990s he transitioned into music publishing, leading Encore Publishing before spending 14 years at HoriPro Publishing, where he served as Senior Vice President of Creative [1]. He remains an active songwriter registered with BMI [1].\n\nBaker currently serves as a chaplain for both the Berry Hill Police Department and the City of Berry Hill [1]. He is a member of the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Butch Baker for TN State Senate \u2013 butchbaker.com](https://butchbaker.com/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_017","county":"Davidson","county_count":2,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"TN Senate District 17"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Theodore (Butch)","fullname":"Theodore (Butch) Baker","lastname":"Baker","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_017","contest_title":"TN Senate District 17","county":"Davidson","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate_017","office_title":"State Senate District 17","party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"R","primary":{"contest":"state_senate_017","contest_title":"TN Senate District 17","county":"Davidson","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate_017","office_title":"State Senate District 17","party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_senate_017","office_title":"State Senate District 17","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"terms":[],"token":"8V33lUtOBa"}