Gino Bulso

Current office and 2026 campaign

Gino Bulso is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 61, a seat he has held since assuming office on November 8, 2022 ¹⁴. His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ¹. Bulso is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 61 and appears on the ballot in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹¹⁷.

Prior to this upcoming cycle, Bulso ran in a special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in 2025. He finished third in the Republican primary for that race, receiving 10.9% of the vote behind winner Matt Van Epps ². The general election for that congressional seat was held on December 2, 2025 ².

For his 2026 state house campaign, Bulso has raised $833,756.18, which includes $750,000 in loans received and $18,972.22 contributed by himself ³. He describes himself as a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment conservative who advocates for limited government ⁶. His campaign platform highlights his support for school safety grants and legislation protecting girls' sports participation ⁶. Bulso has engaged in campaign activities such as town halls in Robertson County ⁸ and has expressed pride in the grassroots effort of his previous congressional bid ⁹.

Background and education

Gino Bulso was born on December 25, 1961, in Tampa, Florida ⁴¹³. He was raised in Tampa by his parents, Eugene and Virginia Bulso ⁵. Bulso attended local schools in the area, including Tampa Bay Technical Vocational High School ⁵¹³. His family has Italian heritage, with grandparents who immigrated from Italy; he has noted that they were first cousins ¹³. He was raised in a Catholic household ¹³.

Bulso earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in philosophy from Cornell College in 1983 ¹⁴⁷. He subsequently received his Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1986 ¹⁴⁷.

Career

Gino Bulso is an attorney who has practiced law for 38 years ⁵. He is the founder and a managing partner of Bulso, PLC, a law firm based in Brentwood, Tennessee ⁴⁵. During his legal career, Bulso has litigated civil cases in state and federal courts across Tennessee and other states, having been admitted pro hac vice in over twenty different federal district courts ¹⁰. He self-describes as having tried over 150 cases to verdict, recovering multi-million-dollar awards in personal-injury and commercial actions ¹⁰. Notable litigation includes obtaining a jury verdict and judgment on behalf of Nissan North America, Inc., in September 2021, for more than $165 million ¹⁰.

Bulso earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Cornell College in 1983 and a juris doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1986 ¹⁴. His professional background also includes his firm receiving nearly $500,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program during the pandemic ¹².

Office history

Gino Bulso first sought elected office in 2018, running for Tennessee House District 61 and finishing second in the Republican primary field of six candidates ¹⁵. He later won election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 61, assuming office on November 8, 2022, following a general election victory over Bob Ravener ¹¹². His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹. As a state representative, Bulso serves as the Chairman of the Naming & Designating Committee and holds membership on the Calendar & Rules, Children & Family Affairs, Education, Judiciary, and K-12 subcommittees ¹¹.

In October 2025, Bulso ran in the special Republican primary for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to fill the vacancy left by Mark Green ². He finished third in that primary with 10.9% of the vote, behind winner Matt Van Epps and second-place finisher Jody Barrett ². Bulso is currently on the ballot for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹¹⁷.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Gino Bulso serves as the Chairman of the Naming & Designating Committee in the Tennessee House of Representatives ¹¹. His committee assignments include membership on the Calendar & Rules, Children & Family Affairs, Education, Judiciary, and K-12 subcommittees ¹¹. Legislative tracking data indicates he holds a lifetime conservative vote score of 84 and an A+ leadership grade from the Tennessee Leadership Rating Committee ¹⁴.

Bulso identifies as a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment conservative who advocates for limited government ⁶. He has highlighted his support for Tennessee’s state grant program funding school resource officers (SROs) in every school and has expressed strong opposition to biological males competing against females in sports ⁶. During his tenure, he has also referenced the historical context of marriage laws, noting that his grandparents were first cousins who immigrated from Italy ¹³.

Prior to his legislative service, Bulso ran for the same House District 61 seat in 2018, where he finished second in a Republican primary field of six candidates ¹⁵. In 2025, he sought the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in a special election triggered by Mark Green’s resignation; he received 10.9% of the vote in the October 7, 2025, primary, finishing behind Matt Van Epps and Jody Barrett ².

Documented disputes and controversies

In 2018, Bulso ran for Tennessee House District 61 and finished second in a Republican primary field of six candidates ¹⁵. He later won the seat in 2022, succeeding Brandon Ogles ⁴.

During his 2022 campaign for State House District 61, Bulso faced scrutiny after it was revealed that his law firm had received nearly $500,000 in Paycheck Protection Program funds while he advocated for limiting federal spending and invoking the 10th Amendment ¹².

In July 2025, Bulso announced a bid for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to replace Mark Green, who resigned from the seat in July 2025 ¹⁶. In the special Republican primary held on October 7, 2025, Bulso finished third with 10.9% of the vote, behind winner Matt Van Epps and second-place finisher Jody Barrett ². Following the loss, Bulso thanked supporters for standing for conservative values ⁹.

Bulso’s campaign finance records for his congressional bid show he raised $833,756.18 in total receipts, including $750,000 in loans received and $18,972.22 in candidate contributions ³.

Business interests and wealth source

Gino Bulso is a trial lawyer and the founder of Bulso PLC, a law firm based in Brentwood, Tennessee ⁴⁵. He serves as a managing partner at the firm, which he established after a legal career spanning 38 years ⁵. During his practice, Bulso has litigated civil cases across state and federal courts, including being admitted pro hac vice in over twenty different federal district courts ¹⁰. He states that he has tried more than 150 cases to verdict, recovering multi-million-dollar awards in personal-injury and commercial actions ¹⁰. Notable litigation includes a September 2021 jury verdict on behalf of Nissan North America, Inc., resulting in a judgment of more than $165 million ¹⁰.

Bulso’s financial disclosures have highlighted the source of his firm's revenue. In August 2022, it was reported that his former law firm received nearly $500,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program during the pandemic ¹². This funding was noted in the context of his campaign platform advocating for limited government and reduced federal spending ¹².

In addition to his legal practice, Bulso has raised significant funds for his political campaigns. Federal Election Commission data indicates that for his bid for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, he received $18,972.72 in candidate contributions and secured $750,000 in loans ³. The total receipts for that campaign period were reported at $833,756.18 ³.

Family

Gino Bulso was born in Tampa, Florida, to Eugene and Virginia Bulso ⁵. He is married to Kathy, whom he has been married to for 36 years as of 2022 ¹⁵. The couple has five children: Andrew, Teresa, Nicholas, Marissa, and Timothy ⁴¹⁵.

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