William Lamberth

Current office and 2026 campaign

William Lamberth is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 44 ¹. He assumed office on January 8, 2013, and currently serves as the House majority leader, a position he has held since 2019 ³. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹.

Lamberth is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 44 in the upcoming 2026 cycle ¹. He is listed as a candidate on the ballot for the Republican primary election, which is scheduled to take place on August 6, 2026 ¹. As of May 2026, the outcome of this primary election has not yet been determined.

Background and education

William Gary Lamberth was born on December 5, 1977, in Bowling Green, Kentucky ³⁹. He self-describes as having been raised on a farm in Sumner County, Tennessee, where his family operated tobacco farms and cultivated row crops ¹⁰. This upbringing instilled in him a strong work ethic, with parents who emphasized purposeful action and delegated responsibilities beyond typical expectations for his age ¹⁰. Lamberth attended Portland High School in Portland, Tennessee ¹⁰.

Lamberth earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville ³⁵. He subsequently received his Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary ³⁵.

Career

William Lamberth was raised on a farm in Sumner County, Tennessee, where his family operated tobacco farms and cultivated row crops ¹⁰. He self-describes this upbringing as instilling in him a strong work ethic and a sense of duty, noting that his parents delegated responsibilities to him beyond typical expectations for his age ⁴¹⁰. Lamberth attended Portland High School in Portland, Tennessee ¹⁰.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary ³⁵. Following his education, he worked as an attorney and served as faculty at the Tennessee Bar Association ⁵. Outside of his professional and political life, Lamberth maintains a personal zoo in Sumner County that includes chickens, peacocks, a duck, rabbits, and a dog ¹³.

Office history

William Lamberth was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2012, representing District 44, and assumed office on January 8, 2013 ¹³. He succeeded Mike McDonald in the seat ³. As a member of the Tennessee House, he serves two-year terms without term limits ². The district encompasses portions of Sumner County, including Hendersonville, Gallatin, Portland, Westmoreland, and New Deal ⁵.

In 2016, Lamberth won re-election for District 44, defeating Democrat Lloyd Dunn with 76.1% of the vote ¹⁴. He has since been elected to multiple subsequent terms, with his current term ending on November 3, 2026 ¹.

Lamberth began serving as House Majority Leader in 2018, assuming the role officially on January 8, 2019, after being preceded by Glen Casada ¹³. In this leadership capacity, he serves as a key figure in the Tennessee House Republican Caucus ⁷.

During the 2023-2024 legislative session, Lamberth held committee assignments including the Calendar and Rules Committee, the Civil Justice Committee, the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee, the Government Operations Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Select Committee on Rules ¹⁷.

Lamberth is currently running for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

William Lamberth has served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 44 since January 8, 2013 ¹³. He assumed the role of House Majority Leader in 2018, succeeding Glen Casada ¹³. In this leadership capacity, he helped shepherd legislation such as SB 16/HB 1, the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, and SB 1297/HB 1151, which addressed indecent exposure laws in single-sex restrooms ⁸. Lamberth also played a key role in passing SB 1499/HB 1274, known as the School Protection Act, and SB 2196/HB 2263, referred to as Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill ⁸.

Lamberth’s committee assignments include service on the Calendar and Rules Committee, the Civil Justice Committee, the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee, the Government Operations Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Select Committee on Rules ¹⁷. His legislative record includes support for SB 364/HB 563, the Business Protection Act, and SB 1257/HB 1029, the Human Life Protection Act ⁸. He also supported SB 1304/HB 836, which provided conscience provisions for child-placing agencies, and SB 1373/HB 307, allowing elective religious courses for credit ⁸.

In recent legislative sessions, Lamberth co-sponsored legislation with Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson requiring new citizenship vetting for voters if a federal national database becomes available ¹¹. He also supported SB 1736/HB 1689 regarding single-sex student athletics and SB 2465/HB 2568, which mandated chemical abortion reversal information ⁸. Additionally, he backed HJR 17, acknowledging God as the source of liberties ⁸. Lamberth’s voting record has earned him a perfect score from the Family Action Council of Tennessee in recent assessments ⁸.

Business interests and wealth source

William Lamberth’s professional background includes work as a lawyer and faculty member at the Tennessee Bar Association’s College of Legal Education ³⁵. He is an attorney who earned his Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee ³⁵.

Lamberth describes growing up on a farm in Sumner County, Tennessee, where family members operated tobacco farms and cultivated row crops ⁴¹⁰. He states that this agricultural upbringing instilled in him a strong work ethic and a belief in self-reliance, noting that his parents taught him that "if you don't do the work, the bills don't get paid" ⁴.

Outside of his legislative duties, Lamberth owns and operates a private zoo on his property in Sumner County ¹³. He has stated that he keeps approximately 50 chickens, four peacocks, a duck, and four rabbits at his home ¹³. While public financial disclosure reports are tracked by LegiStorm, specific details regarding the value of his business interests or wealth sources are not detailed in the provided source material ⁶¹².

Family

William Lamberth is married to Lauren Lamberth and they have two children ³. He was raised on a farm in Sumner County, Tennessee, where his family operated tobacco farms and cultivated row crops ¹⁰.

Sources