Tharon Chandler

Current office and 2026 campaign

William Tharon Chandler is an independent candidate running for election to the United States Senate from Tennessee in 2026 ¹. He appears on the ballot for the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026 ¹. The race is part of the broader 2026 United States Senate election in Tennessee, which will also include a primary election on August 6, 2026 ².

Chandler, who identifies as an independent, has filed with the Federal Election Commission under candidate ID S4TN00583 ³. He is a farmer from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, and has previously sought statewide office as both an independent and a Democratic candidate ⁸. His prior political history includes four runs for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee since 2002, one run in Missouri in 2008, and a bid for the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2000 ⁶. In 2016, he ran as a Democrat against Marsha Blackburn for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District ⁸.

For the 2026 Senate race, Chandler has not provided positions on key issues covered by Vote Smart's Political Courage Test ⁵. The general election will feature incumbent Senator Bill Hagerty, who is seeking a second term ⁴.

Background and education

William Tharon Chandler was born on September 14, 1967, in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee ⁶. He identifies as a Baptist ⁶. Chandler attended Lawrence County High School, where he earned his high school diploma ¹. He later received a bachelor's degree in German and economics from Memphis State University in 1994 ¹⁸.

Chandler also completed graduate-level coursework in education at the University of Tennessee at Martin, the University of North Alabama, and Middle Tennessee State University ¹. Additionally, he attended the University of North Alabama for his undergraduate studies, where he studied German and economics ⁶.

Career

William Tharon Chandler was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee ¹. He attended Lawrence County High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Memphis State University in 1994 with a major in German and economics ¹⁶. He also completed graduate-level coursework and studied education at the University of Tennessee at Martin, the University of North Alabama, and Middle Tennessee State University ¹.

Chandler served in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1991 ¹. Professionally, he self-describes as a farmer based in Lawrenceburg ⁸⁹.

Office history

Tharon Chandler has not held any elected or appointed public office ¹. He served in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1991 ¹.

Chandler has run for numerous offices but has not won any elections. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives, District 70 ⁶. In 2002, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District ⁶. In 2008, he was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Missouri’s 7th Congressional District ⁶. He ran again for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District in 2022 ⁶. In 2016, Chandler ran as a Democrat for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District ⁷⁸. He also ran for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 2020 and 2024 ⁶.

Chandler is currently an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate (Class 2) in Tennessee ¹. The general election for this seat is scheduled for November 3, 2026 ²⁴.

Business interests and wealth source

Tharon Chandler self-describes as a farmer based in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee ⁸. He holds a bachelor’s degree in German and economics from Memphis State University, completed in 1994 ⁶. Public records indicate he served in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1991 ¹.

Specific details regarding Chandler's business ownership stakes, sales of agricultural assets, or the specific sources of family wealth are not provided in the available public records ¹. Financial disclosure filings for the 2023–2024 period have not been processed or made publicly available by the Federal Election Commission at this time ³.

Sources