{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nVan Hilleary is a Republican candidate seeking to represent Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives [5]. He launched his campaign on July 11, 2025, with an event in Gallatin, aiming to succeed outgoing Representative John Rose, who vacated the seat to run for governor [5][10]. Hilleary previously served as a Republican member of the U.S. House from Tennessee\u2019s 4th District from 1995 to 2003 [2][8].\n\nIn his campaign materials, Hilleary self-describes as a \"fighter for Trump\" and emphasizes his background as a veteran who flew combat missions during the Gulf War [3][4]. He states that he is running to ensure President Trump has supporters in Congress who will \"back him up\" rather than obstruct his agenda [4]. Hilleary also served as chief of staff to John Rose from 2019 to 2025 before leaving that role to run for office [13].\n\nCampaign finance data indicates that Hilleary\u2019s committee raised $52,876.63 in total receipts during the reporting period ending September 30, 2026 [1][6]. The funds included $24,757.63 in individual contributions and $3,000.00 from other committees [1]. As of May 2026, Hilleary remains on the ballot for the upcoming general election [6].\n\n## Background and education\n\nWilliam Vanderpool Hilleary was born on June 20, 1959, in Dayton, Tennessee [2]. He grew up in Rhea County, Tennessee [3].\n\nHilleary attended the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree while receiving an Air Force ROTC scholarship [2][3]. He subsequently earned his Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law [7]. Note that Wikipedia lists his law school as Samford University [2], but campaign materials and other sources identify it as Cumberland [7].\n\n## Career\n\nWilliam Vanderpool Hilleary was born in Dayton, Tennessee [2]. He attended the University of Tennessee on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from that institution [3]. He subsequently received his Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University [7].\n\nHilleary served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1984 on active duty, followed by service in the Air Force Reserve from 1984 to 1995 [2]. During his active service, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and flew 24 combat and combat support missions as a C-130 navigator during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm [3]. He self-describes as a veteran who has been on the \"front lines of the fight for freedom\" [4].\n\nFollowing his military service, Hilleary served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 4th district from 1995 to 2003 [2]. After leaving Congress, he worked as a lobbyist and legal professional. He served as a lobbyist for Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal from 2004 to 2008 [11]. He later held the position of Of Counsel at SNR Denton in 2004 [11] and worked as a lobbyist for Dentons US between 2012 and 2015 [11].\n\nIn 2019, Hilleary returned to Capitol Hill as the chief of staff to Representative John W. Rose [13]. He left this role in 2025 to launch his campaign for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District [5].\n\n## Office history\n\nVan Hilleary served as a U.S. Representative for Tennessee\u2019s 4th District from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2003 [2]. During his tenure, he was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Budget Committee [11]. He left office after losing the 2002 Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee to Democrat Phil Bredesen [13].\n\nFollowing his congressional service, Hilleary worked as a lobbyist for Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal from 1999 to 2008 and later for Dentons US from 2012 to 2015 [11]. He also served as Of Counsel at SNR Denton in 2004 [11]. In 2006, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate [13].\n\nIn December 2018, Hilleary returned to Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff to Rep.-elect John W. Rose [13]. He subsequently launched a campaign for Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District in July 2025, seeking to succeed Rose, who was vacating the seat to run for governor [5]. As of May 2026, Hilleary remains a candidate in the Republican primary for this upcoming election [6].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nDuring his tenure as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee\u2019s 4th District from 1995 to 2003, Hilleary served on the House Budget Committee and the House Armed Services Committee [2][11]. GovTrack.us characterizes his legislative ideology during this period as conservative, noting his position in the rightmost tier of its ideology-leadership chart based on bills sponsored and cosponsored between 1997 and 2002 [8].\n\nHilleary\u2019s voting record includes repeated opposition to congressional pay raises; he and Representative Ed Bryant were cited by Senate candidate Bob Corker for consistently voting against such increases, contradicting accusations that they voted to raise their own pay [12]. In the context of his current campaign for Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District, Hilleary self-describes as a \"fighter\" who will cast \"hard votes\" and support President Trump without compromising or making backroom deals [3][4]. He states that he is prepared to protect shared Tennessee values in Washington D.C. [10].\n\nFollowing his departure from Congress, Hilleary worked as a lobbyist for Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal (later SNR Denton and Dentons US) from 2004 to 2015 [11]. He later returned to Capitol Hill in 2019 as the Chief of Staff for Rep.-elect John W. Rose, bringing prior legislative experience to the role [13][14].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nIn 2006, Van Hilleary ran for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee but lost to incumbent Bob Corker [13]. During that campaign, Corker accused Hilleary and fellow representative Ed Bryant of voting to raise their own pay while in the House [12]. Fact-checking organizations noted that Hilleary and Bryant had repeatedly voted against such raises [12].\n\nHilleary previously ran for Governor of Tennessee but lost to Democrat Phil Bredesen [13]. He later returned to Capitol Hill as chief of staff to Rep.-elect John W. Rose, who was his former boss during Hilleary's tenure in the House [13]. In July 2025, Hilleary announced his candidacy for Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District, seeking to succeed Rose, who was vacating the seat to run for governor [5].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nVan Hilleary\u2019s professional background includes service as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee\u2019s 4th District from 1995 to 2003 [2]. Following his congressional tenure, he worked in the private sector and on Capitol Hill, serving as Of Counsel at SNR Denton starting in 2004 and later as a lobbyist for Dentons US between 2012 and 2015 [11]. He also returned to Washington as Chief of Staff for Rep.-elect John W. Rose, a position he assumed in 2019 [13].\n\nHilleary\u2019s campaign finances for the 2026 election cycle show total receipts of $52,876.63, with $24,757.63 coming from individual contributions and $3,000.00 from other committees [1]. The FEC data indicates that $2,007.63 of these individual contributions were unitemized [1]. As of the September 30, 2026 campaign committee report, OpenSecrets lists total raised, spent, and cash on hand figures as zeroed out or obscured in its summary view for this cycle [6].\n\nHilleary self-describes his career as that of a \"fighter\" and notes his background as a veteran who flew 24 combat missions during the Gulf War [3]. He is a member of the Portland Chamber of Commerce in Tennessee, listed under the category of individual membership for his campaign committee [9].\n\n## Family\n\nVan Hilleary is married to Meredith Hilleary[2]. The couple has four children[2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [HILLEARY, W VAN - Candidate overview - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H4TN04072/)\n[2] [Van Hilleary - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Hilleary)\n[3] [Meet Van \u2013 Van Hilleary for U.S. Congress](https://www.vanfortn.com/about/)\n[4] [Van Hilleary for U.S. Congress](https://www.vanfortn.com/)\n[5] [Former Tennessee congressman Hilleary announces run for 6th Congressional District | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/jul/14/former-tennessee-congressman-hilleary-announces/)\n[6] [Rep. Van Hilleary - Tennessee District 04](https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/van-hilleary/other-data?cid=N00003166&cycle=2002)\n[7] [Van Hilleary](https://www.chairmanbobsutton.com/post/william-vanderpool-van-hilleary)\n[8] [Rep. Van Hilleary [R-TN4, 1995-2002], former Representative for Tennessee's 4th Congressional District - GovTrack.us](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/van_hilleary/400547)\n[9] [Van Hilleary for Tennessee | Individual - Portland Chamber of Commerce - TN, TN](https://www.portlandcofc.com/list/member/van-hilleary-for-tennessee-3617)\n[10] [Former Tennessee Rep. Van Hilleary seeks House comeback \u2013 Roll Call](https://rollcall.com/2025/07/14/van-hilleary-tennessee-midterm-election/)\n[11] [Van Hilleary \u2022 OpenSecrets](https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving-door/hilleary-van/summary?id=28352)\n[12] [van hilleary Archives - FactCheck.org](https://www.factcheck.org/person/van-hilleary/)\n[13] [Former Tennessee Rep. Van Hilleary Returns as Chief of Staff](https://rollcall.com/tag/van-hilleary/)\n[14] [Former Tennessee Rep. Van Hilleary Returns as Chief of Staff \u2013 Roll Call](https://rollcall.com/2018/12/11/former-tennessee-rep-van-hilleary-returns-as-chief-of-staff/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_6","county":"Bledsoe","county_count":28,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"US House District 6"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Van","fullname":"Van Hilleary","lastname":"Hilleary","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_6","contest_title":"US House District 6","county":"Bledsoe","county_count":28,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_6","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"R","primary":{"contest":"us_house_6","contest_title":"US House District 6","county":"Bledsoe","county_count":28,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_6","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"us_house_6","office_title":"US House District 6","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Former Tennessee Congressman Van Hilleary announced his candidacy for the Republican primary in Tennessee's 6th Congressional District in July 2025.","terms":[],"token":"SiaGmXsGKk"}