Monty Fritts

Current office and 2026 campaign

Monty Fritts is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 32, having assumed office on November 8, 2022 ¹. His current term in the state legislature ends on November 3, 2026 ¹. In the 2026 gubernatorial election, Fritts is seeking the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee ¹. The general election for governor is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with the primary elections taking place on August 6, 2026 ³.

Fritts announced his candidacy for governor on September 5, 2025, describing himself as a constitutionalist and Christian ⁸. He entered the race to challenge the state's political "establishment" in Nashville, aiming to cut spending and end government "overreach" ¹². Fritts states that he wants to "recalibrate Tennessee towards liberty" and promote a platform of "liberty and less government" ⁷. His campaign emphasizes Godly values and grassroots support from the state's counties ²⁰.

Fritts is competing in the Republican primary against several other candidates, including U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Representative John Rose, and Cito Pellegra ²⁰. Political observers have considered Fritts a long shot in the primary due to his lack of statewide name recognition at the time of entry ¹⁸. He has built a coalition of supporters while campaigning on issues such as lowering taxes, reducing government spending, eliminating the sales tax on groceries, and opposing school vouchers ¹⁹. Fritts asserts that he expects to win the primary, arguing that his message differs from other congressional members who have embraced expanding budgets ²².

Background and education

Monty Fritts was born on December 10, 1963, in Rockwood, Tennessee ²¹⁶²¹. He identifies as a Baptist and states that he is a Christian ⁵¹¹. Fritts grew up in a working-class family and has described himself as being proud of his roots and the legacy of Tennesseans who fought for freedom ⁹¹⁴.

Fritts graduated from Roane County High School in 1982 ²⁵¹¹. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a multidisciplinary focus on Business and Chemistry from Liberty University ²⁵¹¹. He earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University in 2014 and a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2011 ⁴⁵. Additionally, Fritts obtained a Certificate in Operations Excellence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016 ⁴.

Career

Monty Fritts was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, to a working-class family ⁹. He graduated from Roane County High School in 1982 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business & Chemistry and a Master of Arts from Liberty University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee ²⁵. He also earned a certificate in Operations Excellence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ⁴.

Fritts served in the U.S. Army as a Sergeant First Class (SSG) during two periods: 1983–1993 and 2003–2006 ⁴. Professionally, he is a licensed carpenter who enjoys working on antique automobiles and motorcycles ¹¹. He has also completed various leadership development courses ¹¹.

Fritts is a member of the National Rifle Association, the Tennessee Firearms Association, the National Association of Gun Rights, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion ⁴.

Office history

Monty Fritts was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in November 2022, representing District 32, which covers a portion of Loudon County and most of Roane County ¹²⁵¹³. He assumed office on November 8, 2022, succeeding Kent Calfee ¹². His term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹. As a state representative, Fritts serves on the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and its subcommittee, as well as the Government Operations Committee and the Naming & Designating Committee ¹¹.

Fritts announced his candidacy for Governor of Tennessee on September 5, 2025 ⁸¹²²⁰. He is running in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026, with a general election appearance on November 3, 2026 ¹³. Fritts has stated that he expects to win the primary against opponents including U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. John Rose ²⁰²². He will not appear on the ballot for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2026 ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Monty Fritts represents Tennessee House District 32, which includes portions of Loudon County and most of Roane County ¹¹³. He assumed office on November 8, 2022, succeeding Kent Calfee ¹². During his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Fritts has served on the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, the Government Operations Committee, and the Naming & Designating Committee ¹¹.

Fritts is a self-described constitutionalist who advocates for "liberty and less government" as a central tenet of his legislative philosophy ⁷¹². He identifies as a Christian nationalist and states that he leans heavily on his faith in his political approach ¹⁹. His policy positions include opposing school vouchers, which he argues provide taxpayer dollars for private school attendance, and supporting the elimination of the sales tax on groceries ¹⁹. Fritts has also criticized government overreach and expressed frustration with the state's budgeting practices, stating that taxpayers deserve accountability for where their money is spent ¹²¹⁸.

In terms of legislative performance, Fritts holds a 99% vote score and a 95% lifetime score according to the Tennessee Legislative Report Card, receiving an A+ leadership grade ¹⁵. He is a life member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the Tennessee Firearms Association and the National Association of Gun Rights ⁴.

Documented disputes and controversies

In September 2025, Fritts announced his candidacy for governor by criticizing the state attorney general’s appeal of a court ruling and positioning himself as an outsider seeking to topple the "Nashville establishment" ¹². He described his platform as one of "liberty and less government," contrasting his approach with what he characterized as the "every-growing budge[t]" embraced by most congressional members in Nashville ²².

Fritts has drawn criticism for his self-identification as a "Christian Nationalist," a label that critics argue goes against the separation of church and state ¹⁹. This stance was highlighted in an opinion piece published by The Tennessean, which argued that his "Christ-first platform" ignores religious freedom and the need to serve all Tennesseans, not just Christians ⁶.

Social media commentary regarding Fritts’ policy positions has included allegations that he supports the death penalty for women who have abortions, a claim presented in social media posts questioning the legal implications of such a stance ¹⁰. Fritts has also stated that he opposes school vouchers, arguing against providing taxpayer dollars for students to attend private schools ¹⁹.

Business interests and wealth source

Fritts identifies as a carpenter by trade and has stated that he enjoys working on antique automobiles and motorcycles ¹¹. He was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, to a working-class family ⁹¹⁴. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business and Chemistry from Liberty University, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville ²⁵⁴. He also holds a certificate in Operations Excellence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ⁴.

Specific details regarding his business ownership stakes, sales of businesses, or the specific source of family wealth are not provided in the available sources. Public financial disclosure records for Fritts have been noted as being added to legislative tracking databases, but the specific contents of these disclosures are not detailed in the provided text ¹⁷.

Regarding his current campaign finances, Fritts entered the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary with $11,000 in his campaign account ¹⁸. He has described his candidacy as relying on strong grassroots support from counties rather than personal fortune or establishment backing ¹⁴¹⁸.

Family

Fritts is married and has children and grandchildren ⁵¹¹. He identifies as a Christian and Baptist ⁵¹¹. Fritts was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, to a working-class family ⁹¹⁴.

Sources