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John Ray Clemmons
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
John Ray Clemmons is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing the 55th district in West Nashville. He was first elected in 2014 by defeating incumbent Gary Odom in the Democratic primary with 54 percent of the vote. He ran unopposed in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections. He has also served as House Democratic Caucus Chair. In 2019 he ran for Nashville mayor, finishing fourth in a ten-candidate field.
Clemmons has focused on public education, affordable housing, and infrastructure. He was rated 92 percent by NORML in 2019. In January 2022 he publicly criticized McMinn County schools' decision to remove the Holocaust novel Maus from curriculum. He serves on and advocates for issues coming before multiple House committees.
Background and education
Clemmons was born on July 14, 1977, in Lebanon, Tennessee, and attended Lebanon High School, graduating with honors in 1995. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Columbia University in 1999, where he competed on the lightweight crew team. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Law School in 2006.
Career
Clemmons is a practicing civil litigation attorney in Nashville.
Family
He is married to Tamara Baxt and they have three children. The family lives in Nashville.
Sources
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 (search)
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State offices (Governor, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee, statewide judiciary) —
Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Clemmons”, and submit.
US House, US Senate, and Presidential candidates file with the FEC — see the federal section below. - County and municipal offices (County Mayor, Commissioner, Sheriff, School Board, court clerks, municipal alderman, etc.) — most major TN counties use the EasyVote portal. Select the relevant county and search by candidate name (“Clemmons”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Clemmons”and, if needed, select the applicable position.