Jesse Chism

Current office and 2026 campaign

Jesse Chism is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 85, having assumed office on November 6, 2018 ¹³. His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ¹. Chism is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 85 and appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

As of May 2026, Chism has not received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations for his campaign ⁵. During the previous legislative session, he served on the Education Instruction Committee, Senate Government Operations Committee, and State Government Committee ¹. In recent political developments, Chism opposed the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis without local police command, urging Governor Bill Lee to place the troops under the direction of the local police chief rather than allowing them to operate as an occupying force ⁶¹⁰.

Background and education

Jesse Chism was born on March 4, 1980, in Memphis, Tennessee ³⁴. He attended Overton High School before pursuing higher education at Morehouse College and Union University ³⁸. Chism earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and economics from Morehouse College between 1998 and 2003 ⁴. He subsequently completed a Master of Arts in education at Union University, graduating in 2012 ⁴.

Career

Before entering politics, Chism worked as a high school teacher for Memphis City Schools ⁴. He also served as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants ⁸.

Chism earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and economics from Morehouse College between 1998 and 2003 ⁴. He later obtained a Master of Arts in education from Union University, completing his studies there between 2010 and 2012 ⁴.

Office history

Jesse Chism served as a high school teacher for Memphis City Schools prior to his election to public office ⁴. He also worked as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants ⁸.

Chism was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2018, assuming office on November 6, 2018, representing District 85 ¹³. Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms ². During his tenure, he has been assigned to committees including Education Instruction, Senate Government Operations, State Government, and Government Operations ¹. In September 2025, Chism urged Governor Bill Lee to place National Guard troops deployed to Memphis under the command of the local police chief rather than operating as an occupying force ¹⁰.

Chism is currently serving his term in office, which ends on November 3, 2026 ¹. He is running for re-election to represent District 85 and appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Jesse Chism has served on the Education Instruction Committee and the State Government Committee during his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives ¹. He was also previously assigned to the Senate Government Operations Committee and the Government Operations Committee ¹. As a member of the Democratic Party, Chism represents District 85, which includes parts of Memphis ².

Chism has sponsored legislation focused on public health and criminal justice reform. In collaboration with another lawmaker, he supported measures requiring the Department of Health to make blood lead level tests available to children and pregnant women in Memphis ⁶. He also introduced HB0173, a bill that would have required county election commissions to include non-binding questions regarding the legalization of marijuana on the November 2024 ballot ¹². Additionally, Chism sponsored HB0309, which sought to decriminalize the possession of certain amounts of marijuana by classifying it as a civil violation punishable by a fine or community service ¹².

On policy positions, Chism has expressed opposition to the deployment of National Guard troops on Memphis streets without local police command, arguing that such forces should complement rather than occupy local law enforcement ⁶¹⁰. His legislative voting record includes support for HB173 (the Sports Gaming Act) and HB563 (the Business Protection Act), while he opposed SB1257/HB1029 (the Human Life Protection Act) and SB1297/HB1151 (regarding single-sex restroom access) ¹¹. Chism also voted against SB1499/HB1274 (the School Protection Act) and SB1736/HB1689 (regarding single-sex student athletics) ¹¹.

Documented disputes and controversies

In September 2025, Representative Chism publicly opposed the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis, urging Governor Bill Lee to place the forces under the "direct leadership" of the local police chief rather than allowing them to operate as an occupying force ¹⁰. This position drew a sharp rebuke from Republican colleagues on the House floor, where jeers and shouts erupted as a resolution honoring the Governor’s deployment moved forward without discussion ⁶.

Regarding the 2026 redistricting process, Chism rejected the notion that the new maps reflected the "will of voters," stating his disagreement with the outcome amid the release of the new boundaries ⁷.

Chism has faced criticism from conservative advocacy groups for his legislative voting record. The Family Action Council of Tennessee included him on its scorecard, highlighting his opposition to measures such as SB 16/HB 1 (the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act) and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) ¹¹. Additionally, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws noted Chism’s sponsorship of HB0173, which sought to place non-binding questions on marijuana legalization on the November 2024 ballot, and his introduction of HB0309 to decriminalize possession of certain amounts of marijuana ¹².

Chism has not received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations in recent cycles, a gap noted by the Blue Voter Guide which assists voters in identifying pro-democracy choices ⁵.

Business interests and wealth source

Jesse Chism’s professional background includes work as a former high school teacher for Memphis City Schools ⁴. Prior to his political career, he served as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants ⁸. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Economics from Morehouse College and a Master of Arts in Education from Union University ⁴.

Publicly available sources do not contain specific details regarding Chism’s personal wealth source, family wealth, ownership stakes in private businesses, or significant financial-disclosure facts. While legislative tracking services note the existence of personal financial disclosures for state representatives ⁹, the provided materials do not list the contents of these reports or identify specific assets or income sources beyond his role as a legislator and former educator.

Sources