{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nDr. Robert Vick is an independent candidate running for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election [1]. He resides in White Pine, Jefferson County, and currently serves as the assistant principal and athletic director at Cocke County High School, where he has worked in public education for 40 years [3]. Vick officially declared his candidacy for the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026 [1]. He qualified for the ballot by meeting the state\u2019s qualifying deadline of noon on March 10, 2026 [2].\n\nVick has stated that he opposes Governor Bill Lee\u2019s \u201cEducation Freedom Scholarships\u201d as they are currently designed [3]. The primary election for this race is scheduled to take place on August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nRobert Vick is from White Pine and continues to reside in Jefferson County [3]. He has spent 40 years working in public education [3]. Professionally, he serves as the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for Cocke County High School [3]. Specific details regarding his birth year, upbringing, religious affiliation, or formal academic degrees are not provided in the available sources.\n\n## Career\n\nRobert C. Vick is a resident of Jefferson County who was raised in White Pine, Tennessee [4][7]. He has spent four decades working in public education across East Tennessee, with experience in Hamblen, Jefferson, and Cocke counties [4]. As of the 2025-2026 school year, he serves as the assistant principal and athletic director at Cocke County High School [1][3][6]. In this capacity, he also coaches the school's freshman boys basketball team [5].\n\nVick is a Christian who describes his candidacy as faith-guided [4][6]. He and his wife, Stephanie Bishop Vick, have five grown children and six grandchildren [7].\n\n## Office history\n\nRobert C. Vick has no prior history of holding elected or appointed public office [3]. He states that he has never previously run for political office before announcing his candidacy for Governor of Tennessee in 2026 [6]. Vick describes himself as a Christian Independent candidate running in the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026 [4][6].\n\nPrior to his gubernatorial campaign, Vick spent four decades working in public education in East Tennessee, including tenures in Hamblen, Jefferson, and Cocke Counties [4]. As of 2026, he serves as the assistant principal and athletic director at Cocke County High School [1][3][6]. In this role, he also coaches the school's freshman boys basketball team [5]. Vick resides in White Pine, Jefferson County, with his wife Stephanie Bishop Vick and their family [7].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Robert Vick (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Robert_Vick_(Tennessee))\n[2] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n[3] [Cocke County Educator Announces Run for Governor \u2013 92.3 WNPC](http://923wnpc.com/cocke-county-educator-announces-run-for-governor/)\n[4] [Jefferson County Resident Announces Run For Governor | Local News | greenevillesun.com](https://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/jefferson-county-resident-announces-run-for-governor/article_43c0a985-f3ba-49d4-8ba7-0a8ed59b5c04.html)\n[5] [Vick doubling as AD, coach while leading Cocke County freshmen | Sports | newportplaintalk.com](https://www.newportplaintalk.com/sports/article_1ca40ac6-82f1-11ee-a813-5fe2778a5949.html)\n[6] [2026 STATE ELECTION: White Pine\u2019s Vick campaigns for governor - The Standard Banner](https://www.standardbanner.com/articles/featured-stories/2026-state-election-white-pines-vick-campaigns-for-governor/)\n[7] [Meet Dr. Robet C. Vick](https://www.drvick4tn.com/meet_dr_robert_c)","campaigns":[],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Robert","fullname":"Robert C. Vick","lastname":"Vick","middlename":"C.","office_history":[],"summary":"Robert C. Vick, an independent candidate and Cocke County educator, is running for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election.","terms":[],"token":"xAL2taaI4O"}