John Rose

Current office and 2026 campaign

U.S. Representative John Rose is currently serving Tennessee's 6th Congressional District, a seat he has held since January 3, 2019 ¹. His current term in the House of Representatives concludes on January 3, 2027 ¹. A member of the Republican Party, Rose is seeking the office of Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election cycle ¹.

Rose has positioned himself as a conservative outsider and lifelong Tennessean who self-describes as an unapologetic supporter of President Donald J. Trump ⁹¹¹. He characterizes the role of governor as akin to being the "CEO of Tennessee" and states that he is running to protect the state's values of faith, family, and freedom ⁸¹¹. Rose resides on his family’s generational farm in Cookeville with his wife Chelsea and their sons ³⁹.

The Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee is scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. Rose is competing for the party's nomination alongside other candidates, including U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn ⁷. His campaign committee, "John Rose for Tennessee," has reported total receipts of $77,993.26 and total individual contributions of $47,993.26 ⁴. In early 2026, Rose participated in party events such as the Shelby County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Gala, where he addressed voters separately from his primary rivals ⁷.

Background and education

John Williams Rose was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, on February 23, 1965 ⁵. He is a lifelong Tennessean who was raised in Cookeville and grew up working with his father on the family’s multi-generational farm in the Temperance Hall and Lancaster communities of DeKalb and Smith Counties ³⁹. Rose identifies as a dedicated Christian ¹¹.

Rose graduated from Cookeville High School before attending Tennessee Technological University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agribusiness economics in 1988 ¹⁶⁹. He subsequently obtained a master's degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University ¹.

Career

Rose grew up working with his father on a family farm that has been in operation for more than 230 years in the Temperance Hall and Lancaster communities of DeKalb and Smith Counties ³. He is the eighth generation to live and farm in these areas, having started work on the property as a child ⁹. He continues to operate this generational farm today ³.

Rose earned a bachelor's degree in agribusiness economics from Tennessee Technological University in 1988 and a master's degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University ¹. He is a licensed attorney ³. In addition to his work as a farmer and lawyer, he has operated various small businesses ³.

Rose served as the 33rd Agriculture Commissioner of Tennessee under Governor Don Sundquist from August 1, 2002, to January 18, 2003 ⁵. He preceded Dan Wheeler in this role and was succeeded by Ken Givens ⁵.

Office history

John Rose served as the 33rd Agriculture Commissioner of Tennessee from August 1, 2002, to January 18, 2003, under Governor Don Sundquist ⁵. He succeeded Dan Wheeler in the role and was succeeded by Ken Givens ⁶.

Rose was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, assuming office on January 3, 2019, to represent Tennessee's 6th Congressional District ¹. He defeated incumbent Diane Black to win the seat ⁵. As of 2026, he is serving his fourth term in Congress, with his current term ending on January 3, 2027 ¹. In this capacity, he serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Financial Services Committee ³.

Rose is currently running for Governor of Tennessee as a Republican candidate ¹. He is on the ballot for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. This race includes U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn as another prominent contender for the nomination ⁷. Rose has described the governorship as akin to being the "CEO of Tennessee" ⁸.

Legislative record and accomplishments

John Rose serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Financial Services Committee ³. His legislative priorities are rooted in his background as a farmer and small business owner, with a stated goal of protecting Tennessee’s values of faith, family, and freedom while opposing what he describes as "the woke mob" ¹¹. He self-describes as an "unapologetic supporter of President Donald J. Trump" and characterizes the governorship as akin to being the "CEO of Tennessee" ⁸¹¹.

In March 2026, Rose participated in a roundtable in Memphis, highlighting his engagement with constituents across the state during his gubernatorial campaign ². Earlier that year, in February 2026, he celebrated the repeal of a provision that would have allowed Senators to sue the government for actions taken by the Department of Justice under the Biden Administration ². In December 2025, Rose announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved full federal funding for the establishment of a new Upper Cumberland State Veterans Cemetery in Cookeville ².

Business interests and wealth source

Rose’s financial foundation is rooted in agriculture and law. He was raised working on a family farm that has been in his lineage for more than 230 years ³. He self-describes as an eighth-generation farmer living on the Generational Rose family farm in the Temperance Hall and Lancaster communities of DeKalb and Smith Counties ⁹. Rose holds degrees in agribusiness economics from Tennessee Technological University and agricultural economics from Purdue University, and he is a licensed attorney ¹.

In addition to farming, Rose operates as a small business owner ³. Specific details regarding the names, ownership stakes, or sales of these businesses are not provided in the available sources. His professional background is characterized by his roles as a farmer, attorney, and small business owner ³.

Financial disclosure records for Rose are maintained through LegiStorm, which tracks personal financial disclosures for public officials ¹⁰. As a candidate for governor, he has established the principal campaign committee "John Rose for Tennessee" ⁴. FEC data indicates that as of the reporting period ending in early 2026, the committee had raised $77,993.26, with total individual contributions amounting to $47,993.26 ⁴.

Family

John Rose is married to Chelsea Doss, whom he wed in 2011 ⁵. The couple resides on their family farm and has three sons, including Guy and Sam ³⁵. Rose identifies as the eighth generation of his family to live and work on the generational farm in the Temperance Hall and Lancaster communities of DeKalb and Smith Counties ⁹. He states that he is raising his family there because Tennessee is his home ⁹.

Sources