{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nClay Faircloth ran as a Democrat for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District in both 2022 and 2024. In the August 2024 Democratic primary he was defeated by Lore Bergman.\n\nHis campaigns focused on abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, and the economic needs of working people. He positioned himself as a moderate voice in Democratic primaries.\n\n## Background and education\nFaircloth was born and raised in Middle Tennessee, east of Nashville, and attended McGavock High School. He began college as a political science major and later earned a Master of Arts in counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2013.\n\n## Career\nFaircloth worked for a period at a Nissan manufacturing plant in Smyrna before leaving to pursue pastoral ministry. He served as pastor of Shelby Avenue Baptist Church in East Nashville for four years, then was called to serve as pastor of Faith Church in Mt. Juliet. He also works as a career coach at the American Job Center of Middle Tennessee, assisting at-risk families.\n\n## Family\nHe is married to Candace Faircloth. The family has lived on her grandparents' property in Donelson for more than 21 years.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Clay Faircloth announces run for 6th District U.S. House seat \u2013 Smith County Insider](https://smithcountyinsider.com/home-page-featured/clay-faircloth-announces-run-for-6th-district-u-s-house-seat/)\n- [2] [Democrat Clay Faircloth runs for 6th Congressional District \u2013 Nashville Banner](https://nashvillebanner.com/2024/07/20/clay-faircloth-congressional-candidate/)\n- [3] [Clay Faircloth \u2013 LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/clay-faircloth-99b54bb/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_4","county":"Bedford","county_count":31,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"US House District 4"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Clay","fullname":"Clay Faircloth","lastname":"Faircloth","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_4","contest_title":"US House District 4","county":"Bedford","county_count":31,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_4","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"I","primary":{"contest":"us_house_4","contest_title":"US House District 4","county":"Bedford","county_count":31,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house_4","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"us_house_4","office_title":"US House District 4","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"terms":[],"token":"YqoeGoR3ig"}