Heather McClendon

Heather McClendon is a Democratic candidate from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who has pursued political office in Hamilton County [6]. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Georgia and an Education Specialist degree in school psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she graduated with a 4.0 grade point average between 2006 and 2010 [6][10]. Professionally, McClendon has worked as a school psychologist since 2001 [6]. She is a mother of three children and identifies as a cancer survivor [8][12].

In the 2024 election cycle, McClendon ran for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 30 seat [3]. She advanced from the Democratic primary on August 1, 2024, receiving 100% of the vote in that contest [3]. On June 22, 2024, she officially launched her campaign at Champy’s in East Ridge, pledging to champion reforms regarding public education, healthcare accessibility, and neighborhood safety [8]. Her platform emphasized opposing policies enacted by the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee General Assembly, specifically calling for expanded Medicaid, full funding for public schools, and reversing laws affecting medical professionals [12]. She received endorsements from organizations including ChangeTN, Gun Sense Voter, the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women [5].

In the November 5, 2024 general election, McClendon challenged incumbent Republican Esther Helton-Haynes [3][7]. Helton-Haynes defeated McClendon with 59.7% of the vote to McClendon's 40.3%, totaling 13,136 votes for McClendon out of 32,609 total votes cast in the race [3].

For the upcoming 2026 election, McClendon is running in the Democratic Primary for Tennessee State Executive Committee Woman District 10 [Prompt]. This jurisdiction covers Hamilton County. The primary election is scheduled for August 6, 2026 [4].

Sources

• [1] Heather McClendon - Ballotpedia
• [2] Tennessee House of Representatives District 30 - Ballotpedia
• [3] Esther Helton - Ballotpedia
• [4] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
• [5] Endorsements for Heather McClendon - Tennessee Democratic Party Candidate
• [6] Heather McClendon's Biography
• [7] Helton-Haynes defeats McClendon in East Hamilton County race | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [8] Heather McClendon Launches Campaign For House District 30 Seat - Chattanoogan.com
• [10] Democrat Heather McClendon challenging state Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes for her statehouse seat | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [11] Early voting open in Tennessee: Here’s how and where to vote in Hamilton County | Chattanooga Times Free Press
• [12] Heather McClendon Hosts General Election Kickoff Event Aug. 22 - Chattanoogan.com

Public filings

Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.

Tennessee — campaign finance

• State offices (Governor, US Senate, US Rep, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee) — Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “McClendon”, and submit.
• Shelby County and municipal offices (County Mayor, Commissioner, Sheriff, School Board, court clerks, municipal alderman, etc.) — Shelby County Public Campaign Finance Portal. Select the election year and search by candidate name (“McClendon”).

Tennessee — statement of interest

• Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “McClendon”and, if needed, select the applicable position.