{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nCraig Garton currently serves as Secretary of the Republican Party of Sumner County, a position he was elected to in April 2025 [4]. He is also a candidate for the Tennessee State Executive Committee, running in the Republican primary for District 18 during the 2026 election cycle [1].\n\nGarton previously announced a bid for Alderman of Ward 5 in Hendersonville, Tennessee, stating that his ambition was to serve the community rather than govern over it [2]. He has self-described himself as a Navy veteran who has been part of the Hendersonville community for many years and seeks to make it a better place [3].\n\n## Background and education\n\nCraig Garton served in the United States Navy [3]. He resides in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and has been a long-time member of that community [3]. Garton self-describes as having come home to heal after his military service and expresses a desire to give back by serving the community through local government [2].\n\nGarton attended school in Sumner County, Tennessee. He was elected Secretary of the Republican Party of Sumner County on April 1, 2025 [4].\n\n## Career\n\nCraig Garton served in the United States Navy [3]. He has worked to improve his community and self-describes as having served honorably in the military before returning home [2][3]. Garton is a candidate for Republican State Executive Committee, 18th Representative District Primary, appearing on the official candidate lists released by the Tennessee Secretary of State following the March 10, 2026 qualifying deadline [1].\n\nPrior to his current political activities, Garton served as Secretary of the Republican Party of Sumner County after being elected to the position in April [4]. He also previously sought election as Alderman for Ward 5 in Hendersonville, Tennessee, stating that he had been part of the community for many years and worked tirelessly to make it a better place [3].\n\n## Office history\n\nCraig Garton served as Secretary of the Republican Party of Sumner County, elected to the position on April 1 [4]. The party holds executive committee officer elections every odd-numbered year in accordance with Tennessee Republican Party bylaws [4].\n\nGarton announced a bid for the office of Alderman for Ward 5 in Hendersonville, Tennessee [2]. In this campaign, he self-describes as a Navy veteran seeking to serve the community through local government [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n[2] [Garton announces election bid | News | hendersonvillestandard.com](https://www.hendersonvillestandard.com/news/garton-announces-election-bid/article_1fa1bb3e-0f44-11eb-b6bf-534af02090f2.html)\n[3] [Craig Garton For Alderman Ward 5 - Hendersonville, TN - Nextdoor](https://nextdoor.com/pages/craig-garton-for-alderman-ward-5-hendersonville-tn/)\n[4] [Sumner Republican Party elects new officers - Main Street Media of Tennessee](https://mainstreetmediatn.com/articles/hendersonvillestandard/sumner-republican-party-elects-new-officers/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","county":"Sumner","county_count":2,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"TN State Executive Committeeman District 18"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Craig","fullname":"Craig Garton","lastname":"Garton","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","contest_title":"TN State Executive Committeeman District 18","county":"Sumner","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"R","primary":{"contest":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","contest_title":"TN State Executive Committeeman District 18","county":"Sumner","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"tn_exec_committeeman_18","office_title":"TN State Executive Committeeman District 18","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Craig Garton, a former Navy veteran and Sumner County Republican Party Secretary, is running for Tennessee State Executive Committee in the 18th Representative District Primary.","terms":[],"token":"whUItqKfpT"}