Richard M. Briggs

Current office and 2026 campaign

Richard M. Briggs is a Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate representing the 7th district, which covers part of Knox County. He was first elected in 2014 and has been re-elected multiple times. He serves as Chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and also sits on the Rules Committee and Transportation & Safety Committee.

Briggs has advocated for medical exceptions to Tennessee's abortion ban. In 2020, he was the only one of 24 Republican state senators to decline to sign a letter supporting overturning the presidential election results. In 2026 he partnered with a Democratic colleague to reform book-ban procedures by establishing clearer appeals processes.

Background and education

Briggs was born on December 7, 1952, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He earned his B.S. from Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and his M.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He completed surgical residency and a cardiothoracic fellowship at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Career

Briggs is a cardiothoracic surgeon who has practiced heart and lung surgery for more than 30 years in Knoxville. He has held academic appointments at the University of Texas–San Antonio, the University of Louisville, and the University of Tennessee–Knoxville. He served in the U.S. Army as a cardiothoracic and trauma surgeon, deploying during Operation Desert Storm and later to Afghanistan and Iraq. He retired from the Army with the rank of colonel. Before his Senate election, he served on the Knox County Commission beginning in 2008.

Family

He is married to Stephanie Briggs. He is a member of the Methodist church.

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