{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Adam Vanderkin","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":"","party":"I","token":"adam_vanderkin"},{"candidatename":"CHAD FLETCHER","chatgptsummary":"Chad Fletcher's thirty-year education career includes supervising district budgets and coordinating emergency responses with first responders, demonstrating executive management and crisis skills relevant to county operations. His role managing multi-million-dollar federal school funds shows capacity for budget preparation, while his work with local schools suggests intergovernmental coordination experience. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county-government law or direct municipal governance.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nChad Fletcher is the Republican nominee for Bedford County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election, running to succeed retiring two-term Republican mayor Chad Graham [3]. Fletcher won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with 53.0% of the vote in a three-way race, ahead of Ally Puckett (32.48%) and James Sloan (12.40%) [3][2]. He describes himself as a \"citizen leader, not a career politician,\" and organizes his platform around three pillars: \"Smart Growth\" (infrastructure, land-use planning and economic development), \"Safer Communities\" (support for first responders and schools, limited government), and \"Sensible Spending\" (transparent budgets and conservative tax policy) [1].\n\n## Background and education\nFletcher is a lifelong resident of Bedford County [1]. He holds three degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and is completing a doctorate at Rockhurst University (expected May 2026) [1].\n\n## Career\nFletcher has an approximately 30-year career in education, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and district supervisor [1]. He currently serves as Director of School Safety for Bedford County Schools, coordinating emergency-response planning and safety protocols with first responders and School Resource Officers, and has spent nearly a decade managing multi-million-dollar federal school budgets [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Vote for Chad Fletcher](https://votechadfletcher.com/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Fletcher, Hodges, Featherstone and Maddox move past Primaries - Bedford County Post](https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/news/2026/05/07/fletcher-hodges-featherstone-and-maddox-move-past-primaries/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_county_mayoral_elections) - accessed 2026-07-23\n\n## Further candidate material (not accessible for this profile)\n- [Fletcher, Hodges, Featherstone and Maddox move past Primaries - Bedford County Post](https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/news/2026/05/07/fletcher-hodges-featherstone-and-maddox-move-past-primaries/) (paywalled)","firstname":"CHAD","lastname":"FLETCHER","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"D9BtIPUhJ4"},"token":"chad_fletcher"},{"candidatename":"CURT COBB","chatgptsummary":"Curt Cobb's biography shows four terms in the Tennessee House and service as Bedford County Clerk and Master since 2009, demonstrating legislative experience and familiarity with county operations. He chaired a Small Business Subcommittee and served on Commerce and Health committees. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate executive management of multiple departments or direct budget defense before the county commission.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nCurt Cobb is an independent candidate for Bedford County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election [2]. He took part in the mayoral candidates' forum at Normandy Town Hall on April 30, 2026 [3].\n\n## Background and education\nCobb was born December 28, 1971 [1]. He graduated from Shelbyville Central High School and earned an Associate of Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology from ITT Technical Institute [1].\n\n## Career\nCobb worked as a real estate broker and auctioneer, operating Cobb Realty and Auction, LLC until it merged into Rowland & Cobb Realtors [1]. Since 2009 he has served as Bedford County Clerk and Master, the county's chancery-court clerk [1].\n\n## Office history\nCobb served four terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing the 62nd District (Bedford County and parts of Lincoln and Rutherford counties) as a Democrat from January 2003 to June 2009; he chaired the House Small Business Subcommittee and sat on the Commerce and Health and Human Resources committees [1]. He earlier served on the Shelbyville Zoning Commission, and resigned his House seat in 2009 to become Bedford County Clerk and Master [1].\n\n## Family\nCobb is married to Margaret Anne Cobb; they have two children [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Curt Cobb - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Cobb) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_county_mayoral_elections) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Mayoral Aspirants Speak to the People at Normandy Candidates Forum - Bedford County Post](https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/news/2026/05/04/mayoral-aspirants-speak-to-the-people-at-normandy-candidates-forum/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n\n## Further candidate material (not accessible for this profile)\n- [Mayoral Aspirants Speak to the People at Normandy Candidates Forum - Bedford County Post](https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/news/2026/05/04/mayoral-aspirants-speak-to-the-people-at-normandy-candidates-forum/) (paywalled)","firstname":"CURT","lastname":"COBB","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"PwsMnF7WDU"},"token":"curt_cobb"},{"candidatename":"MISTY PELLAR","chatgptsummary":"Misty Pellar's background includes a communications degree and leadership of a nonprofit ministry, suggesting skills in public-facing communication and community coordination relevant to the county mayor role. The biography notes her prior 2022 campaign loss but contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate executive management experience of county departments or budget preparation experience before a county commission.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMisty Pellar, of Unionville, is an independent candidate for Bedford County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election [2]. Her campaign emphasizes \"Respect, Integrity, Transparency and Accountability,\" with priorities including improved care and support for Bedford County veterans, greater government transparency, and financial discipline through controlled spending and tax reduction [1]. In 2022 she also ran for Bedford County Mayor as an independent and was defeated by Chad Graham [3].\n\n## Background and education\nPellar holds a bachelor's degree in communications, a bachelor's degree in mental health and drug/alcohol and abusive-behavioral counseling, and an associate degree in early childhood education [1].\n\n## Career\nPellar runs a nonprofit, There Is Hope Women's Ministry, which supports women in her community [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Misty Pellar: Bedford County Mayor - candidacy announcement (Facebook)](https://www.facebook.com/100079010820464/posts/misty-pellar-of-unionville-tn-has-announced-her-candidacy-for-bedford-county-may/888441170466236/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_county_mayoral_elections) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Tennessee election results: County mayor, sheriff - WKRN](https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/tennessee-election-results-county-mayor-sheriff/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"MISTY","lastname":"PELLAR","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"DRcAz0kRSK"},"token":"misty_pellar"},{"candidatename":"JORDAN MALONE","chatgptsummary":"Jordan Malone's biography shows campaign focus on childcare, housing, and infrastructure but lacks documented executive management of county departments or budget defense before a commission. The record contains no evidence of controversy or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county-government law or intergovernmental coordination with state and federal agencies.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJordan Malone is an independent candidate for Bedford County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election [2]. Running under the slogan \"You're not a number. You're a neighbor,\" his campaign emphasizes childcare, family support and workforce development; housing and growth; infrastructure and basic services; and tourism, recreation and culture [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Jordan Malone for Bedford County Mayor](https://maloneformayor.com/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_county_mayoral_elections) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"JORDAN","lastname":"MALONE","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"5WFYdnPrxA"},"token":"jordan_malone"},{"candidatename":"TROY K. THOMPSON","chatgptsummary":"Troy K. Thompson's biography shows relevant experience as a Bedford County commissioner representing District 3 since 2022, demonstrating familiarity with local government operations and public service. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate executive management of county departments or prior budget preparation experience before the commission.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"> **Editorial note - same-name confusion.** A different Troy Thompson served as mayor of Townsville, Queensland, Australia (2024-2025) and dominates web searches for the name; he is unrelated to this candidate. The Troy K. Thompson described here is a Bedford County, Tennessee county commissioner running for county mayor.\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTroy K. Thompson is an independent candidate for Bedford County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election [1]. He was among the candidates at the April 30, 2026 mayoral forum at Normandy Town Hall [3].\n\n## Office history\nThompson currently serves as one of the two Bedford County commissioners representing District 3 [2]. He first sought the District 3 commission seat in the 2022 county election cycle [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_county_mayoral_elections) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Bedford County Board of Commissioners](https://www.bedfordcountytn.gov/government/board_of_commissioners.php) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Mayoral Aspirants Speak to the People at Normandy Candidates Forum - Bedford County Post](https://www.bedfordcountypost.com/news/2026/05/04/mayoral-aspirants-speak-to-the-people-at-normandy-candidates-forum/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Thompson seeks Commission seat - Shelbyville Times-Gazette](https://www.t-g.com/stories/thompson-seekscommission-seat,66372) - accessed 2026-07-23\n\n## Further candidate material (not accessible for this profile)\n- [Thompson seeks Commission seat - Shelbyville Times-Gazette](https://www.t-g.com/stories/thompson-seekscommission-seat,66372) (access blocked / paywalled)","firstname":"TROY","lastname":"THOMPSON","middlename":"K.","suffix":null,"token":"nK3mjESGx6"},"token":"troy_k_thompson"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_mayor","o.office":null,"office":"county_mayor","officedescription":"The county mayor (county executive in some counties) is the county's chief executive and administrative officer. The mayor prepares the annual budget for the county commission, oversees the daily operation of county departments, and represents the county in intergovernmental dealings. It is an administrative office: the commission sets policy, the mayor runs the operation.","officequalities":"- Executive management of county government across departments such as roads, finance, planning, and emergency management.\n- Ability to prepare and defend an annual budget before the county commission.\n- Intergovernmental capacity: coordinating with the municipalities within the county, the State of Tennessee, and federal agencies.\n- Working familiarity with Tennessee county-government law, the county charter where one exists, and open-meetings and procurement rules.\n- Public-facing communication and, when needed, crisis-management skills.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Mayor","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-20","title":"bedford County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://cms5.revize.com/revize/bedfordtn/General%20Sample%20Ballot.pdf"},"title":"County Mayor"}