{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAndrew J. Swafford is a candidate in the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 31 [1]. The filing deadline for this race was March 10, 2026 [3]. Swafford qualified for the ballot during the qualifying period that concluded on that date [3].\n\nSwafford is scheduled to appear on the August 6, 2026 primary ballot alongside other Republican candidates for the district [2]. The general election for this seat is scheduled for November 3, 2026 [1]. As of May 11, 2026, the outcome of the primary and general elections remains unknown.\n\n## Background and education\n\nAndrew J. Swafford is an associate professor of theology at Benedictine College [5]. He previously played football for the Auburn Tigers during the 1994 and 1995 seasons [4][6]. He shares his professional life with his wife, Sarah [5].\n\n## Career\n\nAndrew Swafford is a professor of theology at Benedictine College [5]. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and a master\u2019s degree [9]. As an academic, he has served as a contributor to various publications and media outlets, including Prime Matters [10] and Benedictine College Media & Culture [9].\n\nSwafford is an author who has written several books on Catholic theology and relationships. He is the author of *Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism with C.S. Lewis\u2019s Mere Christianity* [7]. He also coauthored *A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament*, *A Catholic Guide to the New Testament*, and *Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships* with his wife, Sarah Swafford [9]. Additionally, he coauthored *What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith* with Marcellino D\u2019Ambrosio [7].\n\nIn addition to his academic work, Swafford is a national speaker on topics including Sacred Scripture, St. John Paul II, and the moral life [8]. He frequently speaks alongside his wife on dating, marriage, and family life across the United States and internationally [11]. Together, they co-hosted Ascension\u2019s video series *What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith*, which was filmed at 30 holy sites in Rome [12].\n\nSwafford played football for the Auburn Tigers during his college years [4]. He is also listed as a contributor to sports-related theological content, discussing themes such as athletics and identity [10]. There is no information in the provided sources regarding military service, business ownership, or professional licenses outside of his academic and publishing career.\n\n## Family\n\nAndrew Swafford is married to Sarah Swafford [5]. The couple serves as keynote speakers on marriage and family life, drawing from their personal experiences to discuss communication and unity [5].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2026)\n[2] [Republican Party primaries in Tennessee, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Republican_Party_primaries_in_Tennessee,_2026)\n[3] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n[4] [Andy Swafford - Football 1994 - Auburn Tigers - Official Athletics Website](https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/player/andy-swafford)\n[5] [Sarah & Andy Swafford: Keynote Speakers \u2014 Marriages of Grace Philadelphia](https://phi.marriagesofgrace.org/speakers/swafford)\n[6] [Andy Swafford - Football 1995 - Auburn Tigers - Official Athletics Website](https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/season/1995/player/andy-swafford)\n[7] [Dr. Andrew Swafford | Benedictine College](https://www.benedictine.edu/person/swafford-andrew)\n[8] [Dr. Andrew Swafford \u2013 Ascension](https://ascensionpress.com/pages/person/andrew-swafford)\n[9] [Andrew Swafford \u2013 Benedictine College Media & Culture](https://media.benedictine.edu/contributors/andrew-swafford)\n[10] [Dr. Andrew Swafford | Prime Matters](https://primematters.com/contributors/dr-andrew-swafford)\n[11] [The Swaffords](https://theswaffords.com/)\n[12] [SARAH AND DR. ANDREW SWAFFORD | Good News Cruise Presenter](https://www.goodnewscruise.com/presenters/sarah-swafford)","campaigns":[],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Andy","fullname":"Andy J. Swafford","lastname":"Swafford","middlename":"J.","office_history":[],"summary":"No evidence found linking Andrew Swafford (theology professor) to the Tennessee State House District 311 race; sources identify him as an academic and speaker.","terms":[],"token":"jJLN561gtJ"}