{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTina Graham Targonski is a candidate for Anderson County Commission District 2 on the Aug. 6, 2026 general election ballot. She initially filed to run as a Republican, then changed her petition to run as an independent [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nTargonski is an Army veteran and former law enforcement officer who moved to Anderson County 13 years ago so her son could attend the county's public schools [3]. She served eight years as an Army intelligence specialist with the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment \u2014 recruited by current Anderson County Veterans Service Officer Scott Nation \u2014 and later attended the Knoxville Police Academy while serving in the Tennessee National Guard [3].\n\n## Career\nTargonski works as a hotel manager in downtown Knoxville and has been active as a community volunteer [3]. She says her campaign is grounded in \"a belief that local government should be responsive, compassionate, and grounded in real-world experience,\" adding, \"my life has been shaped by service \u2014 from my time serving in the military to the years I've spent volunteering for my neighbors and local animal shelters\" [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Update: More candidates file for Anderson County races \u2013 The Courier News](https://www.mycouriernews.com/articles/2026/01/10600/update-more-candidates-file-for-anderson-county-races) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Election field taking shape \u2013 The Courier News](https://www.mycouriernews.com/articles/2026/02/10707/election-field-taking-shape) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Targonski seeks District 2 commissioner seat \u2013 The Courier News](https://mycouriernews.com/articles/2026/01/10627/targonski-seeks-district-2-commissioner-seat) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","county":"Anderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commission District 2"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Tina","fullname":"Tina Graham Targonski","lastname":"Targonski","middlename":"Graham","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2","county":"Anderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2","county":"Anderson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"I","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":"County Commission District 2","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Army veteran and former Knoxville-area law enforcement officer running as an independent for Anderson County Commission District 2 in the Aug. 6, 2026 general election.","terms":[],"token":"UmVx4HgpDf"}