Karen Camper

Current office and 2026 campaign

Karen Camper is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 87, having assumed office in March 2008 ¹⁴. Her current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ¹. Camper serves as the Minority Leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives, a position she first assumed in January 2019 ⁴. She is also the chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation ¹⁰.

Camper is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 87 ¹. She is scheduled to appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary election on August 6, 2026 ¹.

Background and education

Karen Camper was born on January 15, 1958, in Memphis, Tennessee ³¹⁸. Her family relocated to Chicago, Illinois, shortly after her birth, where she resided for the first ten years of her life before returning to the Memphis area as a teenager ¹⁸. She attended Southside High School in Memphis ⁶¹⁸.

Camper’s higher education includes attendance at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and the State University of New York at Albany, where she earned an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree ¹³⁴⁶¹⁸. She is also a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program and the Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills ³.

Career

Karen Camper spent 21 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer after serving in Intelligence ³⁶¹¹. Her military service earned her several decorations, including a Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, an Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, an Army Achievement Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal ⁶. She is also a charter member of Women in Military Service for America ⁶.

Prior to her legislative career, Camper operated Key II Entertainment as a business owner ³. She has also worked as a substitute teacher in the Memphis City School system ³.

Office history

Karen Camper was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in a special election held on March 31, 2008, succeeding Gary Rowe⁴. She represents District 87, which covers parts of Memphis in Shelby County¹². Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits². Camper assumed office on that date and has been re-elected in subsequent general elections to continue representing the district¹¹⁶.

In 2018, Camper was elected as the Minority Leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives, succeeding Craig Fitzhugh⁴. She became the first African American to serve as a party leader on Tennessee’s Capitol Hill¹³. As Minority Leader, she oversees the Democratic caucus and serves as the chief spokesperson for the minority party in the chamber⁴¹¹. Her tenure in this leadership role began in January 2019⁴.

In November 2022, Camper announced her candidacy for Mayor of Memphis, launching a bid to succeed the incumbent mayor⁷¹⁴. She campaigned as the sitting State House Minority Leader and District 87 Representative¹⁴. The sources do not provide information on the outcome of this mayoral race.

In addition to her legislative service, Camper has held leadership roles within her delegation. In 2025, she was elected chairman of the Shelby County state legislative delegation, succeeding Sen. Reginald Tate¹⁰. In this capacity, she represents the interests of Memphis-area legislators in Nashville¹⁰.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Karen Camper has served in the Tennessee House of Representatives since assuming office on March 31, 2008 ¹⁴. She represents District 87, which covers parts of Memphis and Shelby County ². During her tenure, she became the first African American to serve as a party leader on Tennessee’s Capitol Hill when she began serving as state House minority leader in 2018 ⁴¹¹. Camper succeeded Craig Fitzhugh in this leadership role ⁴.

As Minority Leader, Camper has taken prominent positions on key legislative issues. In 2020, she criticized House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s plans to reduce the autonomy of Shelby County’s Health Department during the COVID-19 pandemic ⁸. She also protested Republican redistricting efforts that aimed to redraw the state’s congressional map, which would have removed Tennessee’s only Democratic voice in Washington, D.C. ¹². In January 2025, Camper expressed dissatisfaction with a special legislative session called by Governor Bill Lee, arguing that combining school voucher debates with Hurricane Helene disaster relief required a more comprehensive review ⁹.

Camper has been recognized for her advocacy on behalf of educators and public schools. The Professional Educators of Tennessee maintains a profile for her, noting her engagement with the organization’s legislative priorities ¹⁷. In 2024, she hosted a "State to the Streets" event in Memphis to help residents access state resources, including those related to justice and government services ⁵.

In addition to her leadership role, Camper serves as chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation, a position she was elected to by her colleagues within the delegation ¹⁰. She is also a member of the Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus and the Shelby County Delegation ³. Her committee assignments are not detailed in the provided sources. While she sponsored legislation during her time in office, specific bill numbers for bills she sponsored are not included in the available records ¹⁶.

Documented disputes and controversies

In April 2020, House Minority Leader Karen Camper publicly criticized House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s proposal to eliminate the independence of Shelby County’s Health Department during the COVID-19 pandemic ⁸.

In November 2022, Camper announced her candidacy for Mayor of Memphis, launching her campaign from the front porch of her grandmother’s home in the Longview Heights neighborhood ⁷¹⁵. She stated that she sought the office to address local issues such as street maintenance and public safety ⁷. Her bid placed her against other candidates including Shelby County Sheriff Jim Strickland, former Judge Joe Brown, and Downtown Memphis Commission President Paul Young ¹⁴¹⁵.

In 2022, Camper joined U.S. Representative Steve Cohen in protesting Republican redistricting plans at the Tennessee State Capitol, actions that effectively removed the state’s sole Democratic voice from the U.S. House of Representatives ¹².

In January 2025, Camper expressed dissatisfaction with Governor Bill Lee’s call for a special legislative session, arguing that combining discussions on the Education Freedom Act (school vouchers) and immigration policy with Hurricane Helene disaster relief was inappropriate ⁹.

Business interests and wealth source

Camper has identified herself as a small business owner ⁶. In 2007, she co-founded the Humble Hearts Foundation, Inc., serving as its executive director, and was a co-owner and chief financial officer of Key II Entertainment ¹⁹. The Tennessee General Assembly’s official member profile lists her occupation as "Business Owner" ³.

Specific details regarding her family wealth source, ownership stakes in other entities, sales of businesses, or significant financial-disclosure facts are not provided in the available sources.

Family

Karen Camper is divorced and has one child, Bruce Jr.³ She is also a small business owner⁶.

Sources