Chris Hurt

Current office and 2026 campaign

Chris Hurt is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 82, having assumed office on November 6, 2018 ²⁹. His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ². The district he represents includes parts of Lauderdale, Haywood, and Crockett counties ¹, though redistricting will expand the boundaries to include all of Lauderdale and Crockett counties along with portions of Gibson and Obion counties ⁴.

Hurt is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 82 in the upcoming 2026 cycle ²¹¹. He is listed as a candidate on the ballot for the Republican primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 ²¹¹. As an incumbent, Hurt continues to serve on several legislative committees, including the Transportation Committee and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee ⁴.

During his tenure, Hurt has sponsored various pieces of legislation, including Tennessee House Joint Resolution 807 regarding professional achievements for Joan Smith, which was signed into law in May 2025 ⁸. He has also been active on issues such as sports gaming and business protections, with legislative scorecards noting his support for measures like the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the Business Protection Act ⁷. In recent public statements, Hurt has highlighted local concerns, such as faculty resignations at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's Occupational Therapy program ⁶.

Background and education

Chris Hurt was born on July 5, 1972 ¹⁵. He resides in Halls, Tennessee ⁵. Hurt identifies as Baptist and is married to Dawn; they have five children ⁵.

Hurt earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness from Lambuth University between 1992 and 1995 ⁵.

Career

Before entering politics, Chris Hurt worked as a real estate broker ³. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness from Lambuth University, which he attended between 1992 and 1995 ⁵.

Hurt is a resident of Halls, Tennessee, where he maintains a home office at 514 West Tigrett Street ⁵. He identifies as a Baptist and has five children with his wife, Dawn ⁵.

Office history

Chris Hurt was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2018, assuming office on November 6, 2018 ²⁹. He represents District 82, which includes parts of Lauderdale, Haywood, and Crockett counties ¹⁴. During his tenure, he has served as a Republican member of the chamber ⁹. In his first term, Hurt served as the assistant majority whip for the Republican Caucus ⁴.

Committee assignments have varied during his service. For the 2023–2024 session, Hurt was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Education Administration Committee, and the State Government Committee ². His campaign materials also note service on the Transportation Committee and the Ag and Natural Resources Committee ⁴.

Hurt has run for other offices in addition to his current state house seat. He is listed as a candidate for the Tennessee State Senate, District 82, in 2020 ⁵. Vote Smart records also list him as a candidate for the Tennessee State House of Representatives, District 82, in both 2024 and 2026 ⁵. He is currently on the ballot for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 82, in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ²¹¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

During his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives, Hurt has served on several key committees. In the 2023-2024 session, he was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Education Administration Committee, and the State Government Committee ². More recently, his committee assignments have included the Transportation Committee, alongside Agriculture and Natural Resources ⁴.

Hurt has sponsored legislation addressing local interests and broader policy issues. In February 2026, he sponsored Tennessee House Joint Resolution 807, a memorial for Joan Smith, which was signed into law by the Governor in May 2025 ⁸. He also sponsored Tennessee House Bill 1423, which provides for foal-related provisions in Lauderdale County subject to local approval; this bill was also signed into law in May 2025 ⁸.

On major policy votes, Hurt supported the Global Entities Ban (SB 263), which prohibits state and local government entities from enforcing mandates from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum ¹². He voted in favor of SB 207, which creates a $25 million Farmland Preservation Fund managed by the Department of Agriculture ¹². Hurt also supported HB 1237, which ends the ability of state regulatory and health agencies to require race-based membership for licensing or certification ¹².

According to the Family Action Council of Tennessee, Hurt’s legislative record includes support for SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 364/HB 563 (Business Protection Act), and SB 1257/HB 1029 (Human Life Protection Act) ⁷. He also supported SB 1297/HB 1151 regarding indecent exposure laws in single-sex restrooms, SB 1304/HB 836 concerning conscience provisions for child-placing agencies, and SB 1373/HB 307 allowing elective religious courses for credit ⁷. His record includes support for SB 1499/HB 1274 (School Protection Act), SB 1736/HB 1689 (Single-Sex Student Athletics), and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) ⁷. He also supported SB 2465/HB 2568, which mandates chemical abortion reversal information, and HJR 17, acknowledging God as the source of liberties ⁷.

Hurt has been involved in public discussions regarding administrative issues at state institutions. He stated that multiple faculty members in the Occupational Therapy program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) resigned due to leadership failures and the behavior of one professor ⁶.

Documented disputes and controversies

In October 2023, Representative Hurt alleged that the behavior of a single professor and the subsequent inaction by University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) leadership contributed to the resignation of five faculty members from the Occupational Therapy program ⁶. Hurt stated that his sister, a former chair of the program, brought the issue to his attention, noting that less than 10 faculty members remained at that time ⁶.

During the 2025 legislative session, Hurt sponsored and voted for Tennessee House Joint Resolution 807, which banned state and local government entities from enforcing or recognizing mandates from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum ¹². He also supported legislation ending the ability of state regulatory and health agencies to require race-based membership in professional organizations ¹².

Hurt has received a perfect score from the Family Action Council of Tennessee for his legislative record, including votes on bills such as the Human Life Protection Act and the Single-Sex Student Athletics bill ⁷. The Freedom Index also recorded his support for HB1237, which prohibited race-based membership requirements for state regulatory and health agencies ¹².

Business interests and wealth source

Chris Hurt works as a real estate broker ³. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness from Lambuth University, which he completed between 1992 and 1995 ⁵. His professional background is rooted in the real estate industry, a field in which he has been active prior to and during his legislative service ³.

Specific details regarding his family wealth source, ownership stakes in businesses, or the sales of any enterprises are not provided in the available records. While financial disclosures are tracked by legislative monitoring services such as LegiStorm, the specific contents of Hurt’s personal financial disclosure reports are not included in the sourced material ¹⁰. Consequently, no further details on his net worth or specific business holdings can be confirmed from these sources.

Family

Chris Hurt is married to Dawn ⁵. The couple has five children ⁵.

Sources