Cameron Speaker Sexton

Current office and 2026 campaign

Cameron Sexton is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 25, which includes Cumberland and Van Buren Counties, as well as the City of Monterey in Putnam County³. He assumed office on January 11, 2011, and his current term ends on November 3, 2026¹⁴. Sexton also serves as the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, a position he was first elected to on August 23, 2019, after replacing Glen Casada¹³. He has been reelected to continue serving in this leadership role³.

Sexton is running for reelection in the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee House District 25⁵. As of May 2026, he remains an active legislator and party leader, having previously initiated reviews of judicial conduct and explored impeachment proceedings against local officials during his tenure as Speaker⁶⁷. He has also advocated for state intervention in local school systems, such as proposing a takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools following the dismissal of its superintendent⁸. Sexton self-describes as a pragmatic conservative and an eighth-generation Tennessean³.

Background and education

Cameron Allen Sexton was born on November 11, 1970, in Lake City, Tennessee, which is located in Scott County ¹⁴⁹. He spent his childhood and early teenage years in Farragut, a suburb west of Knoxville, where his family resided during that period ⁹. Sexton grew up as the son of two educators; his father, Dwight Sexton, taught chemistry and biology at Farragut High School in the early 1980s, while his mother also worked as a teacher ⁹. He was raised in a Baptist household ⁹⁵.

Sexton attended the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration between 1989 and 1994 ¹⁵.

Career

Cameron Sexton received a degree in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee in 1994 ¹². Prior to his entry into elected office, he worked at Cumberland County Bank, where he was involved in business development and served on the bank's board of directors ¹. He has also been identified as having lived in Cumberland County since the late 1990s ¹².

Sexton is an eighth-generation Tennessean who was born in Lake City, Tennessee, on November 11, 1970 ¹⁴. He spent his childhood and early teenage years in Farragut, where his father taught chemistry and biology at Farragut High School and his mother worked as a teacher ⁹. He is married to Lacey McRae and has three children: Nathaniel, Olivia, and Greer ⁵. Sexton identifies as Baptist ⁵.

Office history

Cameron Sexton was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2010, assuming office on January 11, 2011, following the resignation of his predecessor Eric Swafford ⁴. He represents District 25, which includes Cumberland and Van Buren Counties as well as the City of Monterey in Putnam County ³. Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms without term limits ². Sexton has been re-elected to this seat multiple times; he is currently serving his sixth term, with his current term ending on November 3, 2026 ¹.

In August 2019, Sexton was elected as the 83rd Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, replacing Glen Casada who had resigned from the position ¹. He assumed the speakership on August 23, 2019, and has been reelected to continue serving in this role ³. As Speaker, Sexton exercises significant legislative authority, including instructing staff to review judicial cases and exploring impeachment proceedings against local officials such as a Shelby County judge and district attorney ⁶⁷. He also publicly stated that the state would take over Memphis-Shelby County Schools following the termination of its superintendent ⁸.

Prior to becoming Speaker, Sexton served as House Republican Caucus Chairman for the first half of the 111th General Assembly, a role in which he expanded conservative initiatives ³. His legislative career has been characterized by his work on issues such as sports gaming, business protection, and pro-life legislation, earning him high scores from conservative advocacy groups like the Family Action Council of Tennessee ¹¹. Sexton self-describes as a pragmatic conservative and an eighth-generation Tennessean ³.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Cameron Sexton has served in the Tennessee House of Representatives since January 11, 2011, representing District 25 ¹. On August 23, 2019, he was elected as the 83rd Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, succeeding Glen Casada after Casada resigned ¹. Sexton has been reelected to continue serving in this leadership role ³. Prior to becoming speaker, he served as House Republican Caucus Chairman for the first half of the 111th General Assembly, where he expanded conservative initiatives ³.

As a legislator, Sexton is identified with conservative policy positions. The Family Action Council of Tennessee’s scorecard highlights his support for several key measures, including SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 364/HB 563 (Business Protection Act), and SB 1257/HB 1029 (Human Life Protection Act) ¹¹. His legislative record also includes support for SB 1297/HB 1151 regarding single-sex restroom laws, SB 1304/HB 836 concerning conscience provisions for child-placing agencies, and SB 1373/HB 307 on elective religious courses ¹¹. Additionally, he supported SB 1499/HB 1274 (School Protection Act), SB 1736/HB 1689 on single-sex student athletics, and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) ¹¹.

In his capacity as Speaker, Sexton has engaged in significant oversight actions. In November 2023, he instructed staff to review all criminal cases handled by Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Bill Anderson following controversial bail decisions ⁶. Later that year, in October 2023, Sexton explored the possibility of impeaching Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy due to disagreements over juvenile crime policies ⁷. In January 2024, he stated that the state planned to take over Memphis-Shelby County Schools after the board fired superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins, proposing a new board of individuals from Shelby County to oversee the system ⁸.

Documented disputes and controversies

In November 2019, Sexton instructed his staff to review all criminal cases handled by Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Bill Anderson following controversial bail decisions that drew criticism from Republican leadership and community members ⁶. Sexton publicly criticized Anderson on social media, stating the judge "stands with violent criminals rather than law enforcement, victims, families and pr[obably]..." ⁶.

In October 2023, Sexton explored the possibility of impeaching Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy due to disagreements over decreasing juvenile crime at the state level ⁷. Sexton first discussed this idea during a telephone town hall in August 2023 and reiterated it days before the WMC News report ⁷. The Tennessee Lookout reported that any impeachment charges would need to be brought by the Tennessee Attorney General ⁷.

In January 2024, following the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board's termination of superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins, Sexton stated on KWAM’s "Wake Up Memphis" program that the state planned to take over the school system ⁸. He proposed placing a new board made up of Shelby County individuals to oversee the schools or hiring a new director to restore control ⁸.

Business interests and wealth source

Cameron Sexton’s professional background includes work in business development at Cumberland County Bank, where he also served on the bank's board of directors ¹. He holds a degree in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, which he received in 1994 ¹². Sexton is an eighth-generation Tennessean and describes himself as a pragmatic conservative ³.

Public financial disclosure records for Tennessee legislators are maintained by LegiStorm, which tracks personal financial disclosures for Sexton ¹⁰. However, the specific details of his wealth sources, business ownership stakes, or significant asset sales are not provided in the available source material.

Family

Cameron Sexton is married to Lacey McRae⁴. The couple has three children: Nathaniel, Olivia, and Greer⁵. Sexton describes himself as an eighth-generation Tennessean³. He was raised in a Baptist household⁹.

Sources