Tina J. Benkiser

Tina J. Benkiser is an attorney and political activist running for Tennessee State Executive Committeewoman District 11 in the Republican primary [11]. She is licensed to practice law in both Tennessee and Texas and has served as in-house corporate counsel for an international energy company, counsel at an international intellectual property law firm, and in private practice [11]. Currently, she lectures and coordinates business law and ethics classes at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga [11]. Benkiser holds a Juris Doctor from The University of Alabama, where she was Co-Editor of the Journal of the Legal Profession and clerked for Justice Samuel Beatty, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Physical Science with an Economics minor from Mississippi University for Women [11]. She resides in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, with her husband Eric [11].

Benkiser has held significant leadership roles within the Republican Party. From 2003 to 2009, she served as the state chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, succeeding Susan Weddington [5]. In 2009, she resigned from that post to serve as a senior adviser in Governor Rick Perry’s gubernatorial campaign [5]. She also served as a member of the Republican National Committee and was considered for RNC Co-Chair in 2008 alongside Mike Blackwell [5].

In Tennessee, Benkiser is actively involved in conservative policy organizations. She serves on the board of directors for the Beacon Center of Tennessee, a nonprofit research institution focused on free-market solutions [1]. She is also a founding member of Hamilton Flourishing, a group formed to influence local public policy and respond to education advocacy efforts in Hamilton County [7]. Additionally, she holds the position of State Executive Committeewoman for District 11 of the Tennessee Republican Party [11].

Sources

• [1] Beacon Center of Tennessee - Ballotpedia
• [2] Tennessee elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
• [3] Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2026 - Ballotpedia
• [4] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
• [5] Tina Benkiser - Wikipedia
• [6] 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee - Wikipedia
• [7] New conservative groups take aim at education in Hamilton County ahead of budget season, elections | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [8] Tennessee casts its 11 Electoral College votes for President Donald Trump | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [9] Conservative think tank Hamilton Flourishing launched to help nudge Chattanooga area public policy toward right | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [11] Tina Benkiser

Public filings

Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.

Tennessee — campaign finance

• State offices (Governor, US Senate, US Rep, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee) — Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Benkiser”, and submit.
• Shelby County and municipal offices (County Mayor, Commissioner, Sheriff, School Board, court clerks, municipal alderman, etc.) — Shelby County Public Campaign Finance Portal. Select the election year and search by candidate name (“Benkiser”).

Tennessee — statement of interest

• Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Benkiser”and, if needed, select the applicable position.