Richie Mercado

Richie Mercado is a Democratic candidate in Wilson County, Tennessee, running for two positions in the 2026 election cycle: Wilson County Commission District 1 and Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committeeman District 17 [4]. He filed petitions to run for Wilson County Commission District 1, joining a field of Democratic candidates for county seats that saw significant activity following the party's return to partisan elections in the county [11]. Mercado is also listed as a candidate for TNDP Executive Committeeman District 17 on the Wilson County Democratic Party’s candidate roster [12].

Mercado describes himself as a "servant leader" and a proud husband and father [4]. His professional background includes service as a former Army helicopter pilot and his current role as a commercial airline captain [4]. He has stated that he intends to use his years of service and leadership to work for neighbors in Wilson County, aiming to bring accountable and sustainable progress to the community [6].

Mercado’s campaign has received support from Fuerza Democrats Tennessee, an organization dedicated to supporting Latino democratic candidacy in the state. Fuerza endorsed Mercado for both his county commission and party executive committee bids, citing his commitment to engaging with neighbors and strengthening communities [4], [9]. The Wilson County Democratic Party lists him as a candidate for District 1 of the County Commission [12].

Sources

• [1] Financials - 1764011493 - Mercado David County Commission District 1 ...
• [2] Candidate Directory - List View - Tennessee Voter Guide
• [4] Instagram
• [6] Richie 4 TN
• [9] About — Fuerza Democrats Tennessee
• [10] Tennessee's 2026 candidate lists finalized for state and federal races
• [11] More than 50 candidates get petitions for Wilson County 2026 races
• [12] Candidates — Wilson County Democratic Party

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 “Mercado”, 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 (“Mercado”).

Tennessee — statement of interest

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