{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nGary W. Hicks Jr. is the Republican incumbent representing Tennessee House of Representatives District 9, covering Hancock County and portions of Claiborne and Hawkins counties. First appointed on December 21, 2015, he is seeking re-election in 2026 and ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He chairs the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee.\n\nHicks describes himself as pro-Second Amendment, supportive of less government, and committed to traditional values. His legislative focus centers on fiscal conservatism, rural healthcare infrastructure, and government technology modernization.\n\n## Background and education\nHicks was born and raised in Rogersville, Tennessee. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from East Tennessee State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.\n\n## Career\nBefore entering elected office, Hicks worked as a network administrator for Rural Health Services and later became Technology Director for Rogersville City Schools. He served as a Hawkins County Commissioner from 2006 to 2015, including terms as Commission Pro Tempore and Budget Committee Chairman. Since joining the Tennessee House in 2015, he has chaired the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee. In 2022, he led passage of $300 million in tax relief including a month-long grocery sales tax holiday. In 2026, he guided a $57.9 billion state budget through the House.\n\nHicks is a member of Shepard's Chapel Baptist Church. He participates in the Tennessee Educational Technology Association and serves with the Hawkins County Imagination Library. He received the 2021 Hospital Hero award from the Tennessee Hospital Association.\n\n## Family\nHicks is married to Laura and they have two daughters, Madelyn and Caroline. The family resides in Rogersville, Tennessee.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Gary Hicks (politician) \u2013 Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hicks_(politician))\n- [2] [Representative Gary Hicks \u2013 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-gary-hicks/)\n- [3] [Rep. Gary Hicks to chair House Finance Committee \u2013 Rogersville Review](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/news/local/article_11ba713c-d6be-11ef-8c0f-f3fbf49baee0.html)\n- [4] [Finance Chair Gary Hicks guides $57.9 billion budget through House \u2013 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2026/02/finance-chair-gary-hicks-guides-57-9-billion-budget-through-house/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_009","county":"Claiborne","county_count":3,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"TN House District 9"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Gary W Hicks","fullname":"Gary W Hicks Jr","lastname":"Jr","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_009","contest_title":"TN House District 9","county":"Claiborne","county_count":3,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house_009","office_title":"State Representative District 9","party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"R","primary":{"contest":"state_house_009","contest_title":"TN House District 9","county":"Claiborne","county_count":3,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house_009","office_title":"State Representative District 9","party":"R","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house_009","office_title":"State Representative District 9","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"terms":[],"token":"zSPIGzzZRp"}