Iris Rudder

Current office and 2026 campaign

Iris Rudder is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 39, having assumed office on November 6, 2018 ¹⁴. Her current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ¹. She is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 39 and appears on the ballot in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. Rudder qualified for this race by meeting the March 10, 2026, deadline set by the Tennessee Secretary of State ³.

During the 114th General Assembly, Rudder was reappointed by Speaker Cameron Sexton to serve as chairwoman of the House Public Service Subcommittee ¹⁰. She also serves on the Health Committee and the State & Local Government Committee ⁹. In March 2026, she introduced House Bill 1757, legislation that would create a Class A misdemeanor for recklessly firing a gun at public gatherings of 25 or more people ¹⁴. Earlier in her tenure, she was recognized by the Tennessee Hospital Association as a 2025 Hospital Hero for her support of hospital-related policy issues ¹¹.

Background and education

Iris Rudder was born on November 11, 1960 ⁴. She resides in Winchester, Tennessee, with her husband, Michael, and their two children, Emily and Graham ⁵⁹. Rudder self-describes as Christian ⁵⁹.

Regarding her education, Rudder attended North Alabama Community College and the Alabama Real Estate School ⁵⁹.

Career

Iris Rudder is a small business owner who attended Northern Alabama Community College and completed studies at the Alabama Real Estate School ⁵¹⁶. She self-describes as a Christian and resides in Winchester, Tennessee, with her husband, Michael, and their two children, Emily and Graham ⁴⁹¹⁶.

Prior to her election to the state legislature, Rudder served on the Franklin County Commission and was a representative for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce ⁵¹⁰. She also served on the board for the South Central Human Resource Agency ¹⁰.

Office history

Iris Rudder was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2018, assuming office on November 6, 2018 ¹⁴. She represents District 39, which includes Moore County along with parts of Franklin and Marion Counties ⁸. Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms ². Rudder is a Republican and is currently serving her fourth term, which ends on November 3, 2026 ¹¹⁰.

Before entering the state legislature, Rudder served on the Franklin County Commission and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce ¹⁰. She also served on the board for the South Central Human Resource Agency ¹⁰.

During her tenure in the State House, Rudder has held various committee assignments. For the 2021-2022 session, she was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee ¹. In subsequent years, she served on the Health Committee, the Population Health Subcommittee, the Public Service Subcommittee, and the State & Local Government Committee ⁹. In February 2025, Speaker Cameron Sexton reappointed Rudder as chairwoman of the House Public Service Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly ¹⁰.

Rudder is on the ballot for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. The qualifying deadline for this election was March 10, 2026 ³.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Representative Rudder serves on the Health Committee, where she chairs the Population Health Subcommittee and the Public Service Subcommittee ⁹. For the 114th General Assembly, Speaker Cameron Sexton reappointed her as chairwoman of the Public Service Subcommittee, a role she has held since first being appointed to it in a previous term ¹⁰. Her committee assignments have also included the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Calendar Committee ¹.

In the 2025 legislative session, Rudder sponsored House Bill 1757, which seeks to criminalize the reckless firing of guns in crowded areas by creating a Class A misdemeanor for such acts at public gatherings of 25 or more people ¹⁴. The legislation aims to address safety concerns related to celebratory gunfire, with Rudder stating that the measure sends a clear message that careless discharge of firearms will not be tolerated ¹⁴.

Rudder has secured state funding for her district through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. In July 2025, she announced $175,000 in grants awarded to the City of Whitwell and the Town of Decherd via the Local Parks and Recreation Fund and the Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program, which were approved in the 2025-26 state budget ¹². These funds supported park improvements in Whitwell and helped Decherd launch a new department ¹⁵.

On policy issues, Rudder has been recognized by the Tennessee Hospital Association as a 2025 Hospital Hero for her support of hospital-related policy issues ¹¹. Her legislative record includes voting in favor of several conservative priorities identified by the Family Action Council of Tennessee, such as SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 1257/HB 1029 (Human Life Protection Act), and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) ⁶. She also voted in support of HB 1, which codified access to fertility treatments and birth control, making Tennessee the first state in the South to enact such protections ¹³.

Business interests and wealth source

Iris Rudder self-describes as a small business owner ⁹. Her educational background includes attendance at Alabama Real Estate School and North Alabama Community College ⁵⁹. She is a member of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce ⁵.

Public financial disclosure records are maintained for Representative Rudder, with updates to her personal financial disclosures noted in legislative tracking databases ⁷. Specific details regarding her business ownership stakes, sales of businesses, or the specific sources of her wealth are not detailed in the available source materials.

Family

Iris Rudder is married to Michael T. Rudder ⁴. The couple has two children, Emily and Graham ⁴. Rudder self-describes as Christian ⁹.

Sources