{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMike Akard is the incumbent Republican Blount County Commissioner for District 2, Seat A, and the Republican nominee on the Aug. 6, 2026 general-election ballot, facing Democrat Tracey Farr [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nAkard is a native Blount Countian. His parents are Wayne Akard and Susie (Myers) Bowman, and Jack Bowman, DDS; his grandparents are Herbert (of Cades Cove) and Kathryn Myers. He graduated from Alcoa High School in 1983, attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville from 1983\u20131988, and earned a B.B.A. from East Tennessee State University in 1989 [3].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\nPer his Daily Times candidate profile, Akard founded a company called \"ACT\" in 1993, which he describes as having 48 employees [3].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nAkard says he serves on the Commission's Budget committee and was involved in a 2021 push to maintain the county's tax rate in order to pay down roughly $200 million in debt the county had taken on; per his account, the county has since repaid more than $100 million of that debt [3].\n\n## Family\nAkard married his wife, Donna, in 1996 [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [August 6, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [May 5, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29846/May-5-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [The Daily Times \u2014 Hats in the Ring: County Board of Commissioners Seat 2-A](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/blount-county-board-of-commissioners-seat-2-a/pdf_2af57410-34d8-46a8-9803-d4f0365887b3.html) (Marcus Fitzsimmons, Apr. 20, 2026) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commission District 2, Seat A"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Mike","fullname":"Mike Akard","lastname":"Akard","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2, Seat A","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2, Seat A","county":"Blount","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":"County Commission District 2, Seat A","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Incumbent Republican Blount County Commissioner, District 2, Seat A, seeking reelection against Democrat Tracey Farr; founded a 48-employee local business in 1993.","terms":[],"token":"XPMNhvKMTg"}