Jesse Huseth

Current office and 2026 campaign

Jesse Huseth is a Democratic candidate running for election to the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent District 97 ¹. He appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. The general election for this seat is set to occur on November 3, 2026 ¹.

As of May 2026, Huseth has not received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations ². He previously served as the Democratic nominee in District 97 during the 2024 election cycle, where he faced incumbent Republican John Gillespie ⁴. In that prior contest, Gillespie retained the seat after Huseth conceded defeat ⁴.

Background and education

Jesse Huseth is a native of Memphis ⁸. He self-describes as a lifelong Memphian and family man ⁹. Professionally, he is a small business owner with a background in public education ³. Prior to his political campaigns, Huseth worked as a teacher for Shelby County Schools ⁸.

Specific details regarding his birth year, religious affiliation, or the specific institutions from which he earned degrees are not provided in the available sources.

Career

Jesse Huseth is a small business owner and former educator ³. He owns JH Snacks LLC, a Memphis-based business that he describes as a testament to his work in entrepreneurship and business management ¹⁴¹⁵. Prior to his business career, Huseth worked for several automotive dealerships, including Jim Keras Chevrolet and Roadshow BMW/Mini, and held positions at Youth Villages ¹⁵.

Huseth also has a background in public education, having served as a teacher in Shelby County Schools ³⁸. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on technical writing and editing from the University of Memphis, which he earned between 2005 and 2011 ¹⁵.

Office history

Jesse Huseth served as a teacher in Shelby County Schools prior to entering electoral politics ⁸. He is a small business owner by profession ³.

In the 2024 general election for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 97, Huseth ran as the Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican Representative John Gillespie ⁵⁷. The district covers parts of East Memphis, Bartlett, and Cordova ¹¹. On November 5, 2024, Gillespie defeated Huseth to retain the seat ⁴⁶.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Jesse Huseth has not held elected office prior to his 2026 campaign for Tennessee House District 97 ¹. Consequently, he does not have a legislative record of sponsored bills, votes, or committee assignments in the Tennessee General Assembly. His policy positions are defined by his platform as a candidate rather than enacted legislation.

Huseth self-describes as a small business owner and former educator who advocates for increased funding and resources for teachers and students ³. He states that he champions women's healthcare rights and supports ensuring access to affordable healthcare for all residents ³. Regarding public safety, Huseth emphasizes the importance of state government promoting effective measures that prioritize local autonomy and practical solutions ³.

During his 2024 campaign for District 97, Huseth pledged a "pragmatic" approach to statehouse politics in contrast to incumbent John Gillespie’s focus on fighting crime ⁷. He was identified as a candidate targeted by national and state Democrats who sought to dent the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee General Assembly ⁵. Huseth received an endorsement from Future 901, which cited his background as a teacher at Shelby County Schools and a small business owner as qualifications for looking out for working families ⁹. He was also designated as a DLCC Spotlight candidate during that cycle ¹⁰.

Documented disputes and controversies

During the 2024 general election for Tennessee House District 97, incumbent Republican Rep. John Gillespie defeated Democratic challenger Jesse Huseth ⁴. The race was characterized by contrasting platforms, with Gillespie focusing on "fighting crime" and Huseth pledging a "pragmatic" approach to statehouse politics while emphasizing support for working families and public education funding ⁷⁸. Gillespie retained the seat in this contest ⁶.

In October 2024, blogger Brian Hornback published an article on his site titled "Lawless Jesse Huseth," alleging that Huseth was exempt from Tennessee election laws regarding campaign finance disclosures ¹². The post cited Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-19-120 and argued that Huseth’s expenditures for communications advocating his election violated state statutes ¹².

Also in 2024, a website titled "Anti-Cop Jesse Huseth" was established to oppose Huseth’s candidacy, describing him as funded by individuals supportive of "defunding the police" and gender reassignment surgery for minors ¹³. The site cited an Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweet retweeted by Huseth, an endorsement from The Equity Alliance, and campaign finance records as evidence of his support base ¹³.

Business interests and wealth source

Jesse Huseth self-describes as a small business owner and lifelong Memphian ³⁹. He has worked in public education as a former teacher for Shelby County Schools ³⁸. The Tennessee Lookout identifies him as a businessman during his 2024 campaign for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 97 seat ⁷⁸.

Specific details regarding Huseth’s business interests, such as the names of his companies, ownership stakes, or sources of personal wealth, are not provided in the available sources. There is no information in the source material regarding sales of businesses or significant financial-disclosure facts beyond his general professional background ¹³⁸.

Sources