{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nPaul Burkey, a Republican, is an incumbent Greene County commissioner seeking re-election in County Commission District 7 (three seats) on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [1][2]. He and fellow incumbents Lisa Bowman Anderson and Teddy Lawing won their seats in the May 2026 Republican primary and are unopposed in the general election [3].\n\n## Background and education\nBurkey, 62, graduated from West Greene High School in 1977, earned a bachelor of arts in government from Centre College in 1981, and completed a master's degree in national security affairs in 1987 [1].\n\n## Career\nBurkey retired from the United States Navy as a captain after a 27-year career as a naval intelligence officer [1].\n\n## Office history\nThe county's official listing shows Burkey as a current District 7 commissioner [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [5 Candidates Run For 3 Seats In 7th Commission District - Greeneville Sun](https://www.greenevillesun.com/special_sections/election/5-candidates-run-for-3-seats-in-7th-commission-district/article_5e03a99f-bc8f-5954-8704-2d05c4d0e813.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [My Commissioners - Greene County, TN](https://www.greenecountytngov.com/my-commissioners/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [County Commission Will See New And Familiar Faces After Tuesday's Primary - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/county-commission-will-see-new-and-familiar-faces-after-tuesdays-primary/) - accessed 2026-07-23","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_7","county":"Greene","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commissioner District 7"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Paul","fullname":"Paul Burkey","lastname":"Burkey","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_7","contest_title":"County Commissioner District 7","county":"Greene","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_7","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_7","contest_title":"County Commissioner District 7","county":"Greene","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_7","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_district_7","office_title":"County Commissioner District 7","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Republican incumbent seeking re-election in Greene County Commission District 7; retired U.S. Navy captain and naval intelligence officer.","terms":[],"token":"s8cwpgOdtY"}