Michele Reneau

Current office and 2026 campaign

Michele Reneau is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 27, having assumed office on November 5, 2024 ¹². She is seeking re-election to the district in the upcoming 2026 general election cycle ¹. Her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹.

Reneau officially announced her bid for a second term during the Make Tennessee Healthy Again Dinner, a grassroots fundraiser held in Chattanooga in December 2025 ¹⁰. In her announcement, she reaffirmed her commitment to defending medical freedom, food freedom, parental rights, and property rights while outlining priorities for the 2026 legislative session ¹⁰. During the current session, Reneau has introduced legislation aligned with the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, including six bills regarding public health and environmental concerns and a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to food ¹¹.

Reneau faces a challenge in the August 6, 2026 Republican primary from Tony Hullender, a former lawyer for the Tennessee Attorney General's Office ¹²¹³. Hullender stated that he was discouraged from running by the Hamilton County Republican Party chair, which he said motivated his candidacy ¹³. The contest follows Reneau’s narrow 2024 victory over incumbent Patsy Hazlewood, a race in which she also faced legal scrutiny regarding campaign mailers; the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance sided with Reneau on a complaint she filed against an attack ad during that prior cycle ¹⁵.

Background and education

Michele Reneau was born in Charleston, South Carolina ⁶. She grew up in a working-class family in South Carolina ⁴¹⁶¹⁸. Her father served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, where he met her mother, a legal immigrant from South Korea who worked as a seamstress in a rug factory ³⁴¹⁶¹⁸. Reneau self-describes herself as faith-driven, noting that her mother showed her the importance of knowing Jesus and that her faith has been a cornerstone of her life ³⁴¹⁶.

Reneau earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the College of Charleston in 1999 ²⁵⁶. She later obtained a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2003 ²⁵⁶. She was the first in her family to graduate college, doing so debt-free ³⁴¹⁸.

Career

Michele Reneau grew up in a working-class family in South Carolina ¹⁶. Her father served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, where he met her mother, a legal immigrant from South Korea who worked as a seamstress in a rug factory ³⁴¹⁸. Reneau became the first in her family to graduate college debt-free ³. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the College of Charleston in 1999 and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2003 ⁵⁶.

Before entering elected office, Reneau worked as a small business owner in real estate ¹³. She has also held leadership roles in community organizations, serving as the Chattanooga Chapter Leader for the Weston A Price Foundation and as Corresponding Secretary for the Chattanooga Republican Women ⁵.

Office history

Michele Reneau first ran for the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2022 but did not secure the nomination.⁶ In 2024, she declared her candidacy as a conservative Republican to challenge incumbent Patsy Hazlewood in District 27, citing concerns over Hazlewood’s voting record on issues such as immigration and medical freedom⁸. Reneau defeated Hazlewood in the Republican primary and subsequently won the general election against Democrat Kathy Lennon by fewer than 150 votes⁷⁹. She assumed office on November 5, 2024, serving a two-year term that concludes on November 3, 2026¹². As a member of the Tennessee House, she represents District 27, which includes portions of Hamilton County such as Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and Hixson³¹⁹.

During her first term, Reneau has focused on policy areas including medical freedom and food rights, aligning with the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda¹⁰. In February 2026, she introduced six pieces of legislation related to public health and environmental concerns, including a joint resolution to amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to food¹¹. She also voted "present not voting" on Tennessee’s controversial redistricting plan during a special session, citing concerns about the timing and process of the legislation¹⁴. Additionally, Reneau filed a complaint regarding a multimedia attack during her 2024 primary campaign; in July 2025, the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance sided with her, rejecting a settlement offer¹⁵.

Reneau is currently an incumbent running for re-election to represent District 27 in the 2026 Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026¹. She officially announced her re-election campaign in December 2025 at a fundraiser focused on defending medical freedom and parental rights¹⁰. Her opponent in the upcoming primary is Tony Hullender, a former lawyer who challenged Reneau’s status as an incumbent and noted that the Hamilton County Republican Party chair had discouraged his candidacy¹²¹³.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Representative Michele Reneau serves on the Government Operations committee ⁶. During her first term, she voted “present not voting” on Tennessee’s controversial redistricting plan during a special session, citing concerns regarding the timing and process of the legislation ¹⁴. Legislative tracking data indicates she holds a 95 percent lifetime vote score with an A leadership grade from the Tennessee Legislative Report Card ¹⁷.

In February 2026, Reneau introduced six pieces of legislation aligned with the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, focusing on public health and environmental issues ¹¹. These measures included House Joint Resolution 0780, which proposes amending the state constitution to guarantee the right to food ¹¹. She has stated that her legislative priorities include defending medical freedom, food freedom, parental rights, property rights, and limited government ¹⁰.

Reneau self-describes as a conservative advocate for Tennessee’s food-freedom laws and an opponent of what she characterizes as left-leaning policies on immigration, medical freedom, and transparency ³⁸. In 2024, she filed a complaint with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance regarding a multimedia attack during the primary; the registry sided with her in July 2025, rejecting a settlement offer ¹⁵.

Documented disputes and controversies

In the 2024 Republican primary for District 27, Michele Reneau defeated five-term incumbent Patsy Hazlewood by fewer than 150 votes ⁷. During that campaign, Reneau characterized Hazlewood as a "left-leaning candidate" who frequently voted with Democrats and opposed conservative legislation on issues such as illegal immigration and medical freedom ⁸. Hazlewood had previously received the "RINO of the Year Award" from the Tennessee Conservative News, a designation Reneau cited to contrast her own conservative record ⁸.

During the 2024 primary cycle, Reneau filed a complaint with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance regarding a multimedia attack launched against her ¹⁵. The Registry sided with Reneau in July 2025 by rejecting a $2,500 settlement offer she had submitted, leaving the subject of the complaint potentially liable for up to $10,000 per violation depending on the board's final decision ¹⁵.

In February 2026, Tony Hullender announced his candidacy for District 27, challenging Reneau in the upcoming August primary ¹². Hullender stated that Hamilton County Republican Party Chair Gail Greene had discouraged him from running, a move he claimed only strengthened his resolve to seek the nomination ¹³.

Reneau voted "present not voting" on Tennessee’s controversial congressional redistricting plan during a special session in 2025 ¹⁴. In a subsequent statement, she explained that her decision reflected serious concerns regarding the timing and process of the legislation, as well as events that occurred inside the Capitol ¹⁴.

Business interests and wealth source

Reneau self-describes as a former small business owner who started and ran a successful enterprise in real estate ³. She states that she became the first in her family to graduate college debt-free before launching her career in business ¹³. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Charleston and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Carolina ¹²⁵.

Regarding her family's financial history, Reneau reports growing up in a working-class family in South Carolina ⁴¹⁶¹⁸. Her father served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, and her mother worked as a seamstress in a rug factory before immigrating from South Korea ⁴¹⁶¹⁸.

Specific details regarding her current business ownership stakes, sales of businesses, or significant financial-disclosure facts are not provided in the available sources ¹⁵⁶.

Family

Reneau is married to Chris and is a mother of five children ⁶. She describes herself as a "family-focused mom" who was raised in South Carolina by her father, an Army Vietnam veteran, and her mother, a legal immigrant from South Korea ³⁴.

Sources