{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Neal Porter","chatgptsummary":"Neal Porter's thirty-two-year law enforcement career with the Blount County Sheriff's Office and twenty-five years of residence in District Three demonstrate familiarity with local community issues and constituent relations. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience in budget literacy, legislative drafting, or state-mandated continuing education through UT CTAS.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nNeal Porter is the Republican nominee for Blount County Commission District 3, Seat B. He faces no Democratic or independent opponent on the Aug. 6, 2026 general-election ballot [1][2]. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary 633 votes to 535 over Jeremy Graham, for the seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Mike Caylor [2][3].\n\n## Background and education\nPorter has lived in Blount County's District 3 for more than 25 years [4].\n\n## Career\nPorter retired after a 32-year career in law enforcement with the Blount County Sheriff's Office [4].\n\n## Family\nHe has been married to his wife, Susan, for 32 years; they have two sons, Chance and Collin [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [August 6, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [May 5, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29846/May-5-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [The Daily Times \u2014 County Commission gets younger after primary election](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/county-commission-gets-younger-after-primary-election/article_11996870-3dd9-40e8-9cac-76fc68bc0ca9.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [The Daily Times \u2014 Hats in the Ring: County Commission Seat 3-B](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/blount-county-board-of-commissioners-seat-3-b/pdf_5a3628d2-9823-42a9-9c90-bb374ef1c1a9.html) (Marcus Fitzsimmons) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"Neal","lastname":"Porter","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"1CJ7800ipx"},"token":"neal_porter"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_3_seat_b","officedescription":"A county commissioner is a member of the county's legislative body. The commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, authorizes borrowing, and passes county resolutions and ordinances. Commissioners are elected from districts (or at-large seats) to represent constituents on countywide policy.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.\n- Constituent relations in the district \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner","partisan":null,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"County Commission District 3, Seat B"}