Brent Taylor

Current office and 2026 campaign

Brent Taylor is a Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate representing District 31, having assumed office on January 9, 2023 ². His current term ends on November 3, 2026 ¹. Taylor is running for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 31 and appears on the ballot in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

On May 7, 2026, Taylor announced his intent to run for Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District following the passage of legislation redrawing the state's congressional maps ¹⁰¹¹. The new district configuration covers the southern portion of Shelby County and parts of Fayette County ¹⁰. Taylor stated that he aims to "cement Tennessee's conservative legacy" in Washington, D.C. ⁹. He received endorsements from U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for the congressional race ¹³.

Background and education

Brent Taylor was born on August 9, 1968 ²¹⁵. He was born and raised in rural North Mississippi ⁵¹⁵. Taylor identifies as a Baptist ⁴¹⁶. He earned an Associate of Science degree in mortuary science from Northwest Mississippi Community College ¹²⁴.

Career

Brent Taylor was born and raised in rural North Mississippi ²¹⁵. He earned an associate degree in mortuary science from Northwest Mississippi Community College ¹²⁴. Following his education, he moved to Memphis to work as a funeral director ⁵¹⁵. In 2004, Taylor and his wife, Kimberly, purchased their first funeral home, eventually acquiring additional area locations to build the largest family-owned funeral operation in the Mid-South ⁵.

Taylor began his public service career in 1995 when he was elected to the Memphis City Council at age 27, becoming the youngest person ever to hold that office ⁵¹⁵. He served as Chairman of the Shelby County Commission and later as a member of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners ⁴⁵.

Office history

Brent Taylor began his public service career in 1995 when he was elected to the Memphis City Council at age 27, becoming the youngest person ever elected to that body ⁵. He served as Chairman of the council and self-describes himself as a leading conservative voice who never voted for a tax increase ⁵.

In 2022, Taylor ran for the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 31 ⁴. He won the election and assumed office on November 8, 2022, with his term officially beginning on January 9, 2023 ¹². As a state senator, he serves a four-year term and represents parts of Memphis and its eastern suburbs, including most of Germantown and Collierville ¹⁶. Taylor is currently serving in this role, which ends on November 3, 2026 ¹.

Taylor has also run for other offices. He announced a campaign for Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District in May 2026, following the passage of new congressional district maps ¹⁰¹¹. This race is scheduled for the general election later in 2026, and its outcome is not yet known ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

During his tenure in the Tennessee Senate, Taylor has self-described his legislative priority as fighting crime ³. He states that he sponsored laws to strengthen the state's bail system and voted to hire more State Troopers ³. Additionally, he supported legislation prohibiting local governments from banning routine traffic stops by police officers ³.

Taylor’s policy positions include holding judges and District Attorneys accountable for their conduct. His efforts in this area reportedly led to the early retirements of two judges identified as "soft-on-crime" ³. He has filed multiple ethics complaints against Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, alleging issues with case resolutions and other professional conduct ⁶⁸. In December 2023, Taylor asked the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct and the Board of Professional Responsibility to investigate Judge Paula Skahan and the DA’s office regarding alleged "illegal restorative justice schemes" in specific cases ⁷. The Board of Professional Responsibility dismissed his complaint against Mulroy after a review, closing the matter without further action ⁸⁶.

Legislative tracking data from the Tennessee Legislative Research Center (TLRC) indicates that Taylor holds a lifetime vote score of 73 and a leadership grade of A as of the current reporting period ¹⁴. He serves in District 31, which includes parts of Memphis and its eastern suburbs such as Germantown and Collierville ¹⁶¹⁵.

Documented disputes and controversies

State Senator Brent Taylor has engaged in a series of public disputes with Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy, filing multiple ethics complaints that were ultimately dismissed. In December 2023, Taylor sent a complaint to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct and the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, alleging "illegal restorative justice schemes" by Mulroy’s office and Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan in specific cases ⁷. The Tennessee Supreme Court's Board of Professional Responsibility reviewed the matter and dismissed the complaint without further action ⁶⁸. Following this dismissal, District Attorney Mulroy stated that Taylor had filed five complaints against him, noting that he was "0 for 5" on these ethics filings ⁶.

Taylor’s political activities have included high-profile challenges to incumbent officials in federal races. On May 7, 2026, following the passage of a bill redrawing Tennessee’s congressional maps, Taylor announced his intent to run for the newly configured Ninth Congressional District ¹⁰¹¹. The new district boundaries cover the southern portion of Shelby County and parts of Fayette County, replacing the previous configuration that included Congressman Steve Cohen ¹⁰¹³. Taylor received endorsements from U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for this campaign ¹³. Congressman Cohen responded to the announcement, though specific details of his rebuttal are not provided in the available sources ⁹¹².

Business interests and wealth source

Taylor’s primary source of wealth and professional background is in the funeral industry. After earning a degree in mortuary science from Northwest Mississippi Community College, he moved to Memphis to work as a funeral director ¹²⁵. In 2004, Taylor and his wife, Kimberly, purchased their first funeral home, subsequently acquiring additional area locations to build what self-describes as the largest family-owned funeral operation in the Mid-South ⁵.

Taylor’s political career began in 1995 when he was elected to the Memphis City Council at age 27, becoming the youngest person ever elected to that body ⁴⁵. He later served as Chairman of the Shelby County Commission before being elected to the Tennessee State Senate in 2022 ⁴⁵. Taylor resides in Eads, Tennessee, and lists his home city as Memphis in official candidate filings ¹⁴.

Family

Brent Taylor is married to Kimberly ²⁴. The couple has two children, Gage and Molly ⁴. Taylor states that he and his wife purchased their first funeral home in 2004, eventually building a family-owned business into the largest of its kind in the Mid-South ⁵.

Sources