{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoey Mehlhorn is one of two Weakley County commissioners representing District 6 and is a candidate on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [2].\n\n## Background and education\nMehlhorn holds a bachelor's degree in agribusiness economics from Tennessee Technological University and both master's and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University [1].\n\n## Career\nMehlhorn joined the University of Tennessee at Martin faculty in 2003 and reached the rank of full professor in 2008 [1]. He holds the Gilbert Parker Chair of Excellence in Agriculture and Natural Resources and was named dean of graduate studies in July 2021 after serving as interim dean from 2019 [1]. He has also chaired the Department of Agriculture, Geosciences and Natural Resources and directed the Tennessee Governor's School for the Agricultural Sciences [1].\n\n## Office history\nAs a District 6 commissioner, Mehlhorn serves on the Health, Education and Economic Development Committee and the Public Safety Committee [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Mehlhorn named dean of graduate studies - UT Martin News](https://news.utm.edu/2021/09/07/mehlhorn-named-dean-of-graduate-studies/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Weakley County Commissioner Joey Mehlhorn](https://www.weakleycountytn.gov/briandonavant.html) - accessed 2026-07-23","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_6","county":"Weakley","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commissioner District 6"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Joey","fullname":"Joey Mehlhorn","lastname":"Mehlhorn","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_6","contest_title":"County Commissioner District 6","county":"Weakley","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_6","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_6","contest_title":"County Commissioner District 6","county":"Weakley","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_6","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_district_6","office_title":"County Commissioner District 6","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"UT Martin dean of graduate studies and agricultural-economics professor, serving as Weakley County commissioner for District 6.","terms":[],"token":"A8QkLyOKNS"}