{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Mac Pickle","chatgptsummary":"Mac Pickle's biography shows repeated campaign activity for District 8 and residence in Blount County, addressing constituency understanding. Records indicate a 2024 primary loss to Sue DuBois but no disciplinary history or controversies. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or coalition-building experience.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMac Pickle is running as a Democrat in the August 6, 2026 primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 8, serving Blount County. He also ran in the 2024 Democratic primary for this seat, losing to Sue DuBois (276 votes to DuBois' 1,022 votes). He is based in Louisville, Tennessee (Blount County).\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Tennessee voters decide federal, state races for November \u2013 Tennessee Town & City](https://ttc.tml1.org/2024/08/01/tennessee-voters-decide-federal-state-races-november)\n- [2] [Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives, November 5, 2024 \u2013 Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/20241105_TNHouse.pdf)","firstname":"","lastname":"Mac Pickle","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"5tUmzC4yNA"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Jordan Henderson","chatgptsummary":"Henderson's decade in the U.S. Air National Guard suggests discipline and service relevant to legislative integrity. His local birth and education indicate familiarity with District 8 residents. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience in drafting legislation or building cross-partisan coalitions.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJordan Henderson is a Republican candidate seeking election to the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent District 8 [1]. He is listed on the ballot for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1]. In 2025, Henderson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nJordan Henderson was born in Maryville, Tennessee [1]. He earned a high school diploma from William Blount High School [1]. Henderson obtained a bachelor's degree from Bethel University in 2013 and another bachelor's degree from King University [1].\n\n## Career\n\nJordan Henderson was born in Maryville, Tennessee [1]. He earned a high school diploma from William Blount High School and completed a bachelor's degree from Bethel University in 2013 [1]. He also holds a bachelor's degree from King University [1].\n\nHenderson served in the U.S. Air National Guard for ten years, from 2008 to 2018 [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Jordan Henderson - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jordan_Henderson)","firstname":"Jordan","lastname":"Henderson","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"zt9LFvkYz5"},"token":"jordan_henderson"},{"candidatename":"Hilary Trudell","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nHilary Trudell is a candidate for Blount County Commission District 4, Seat B, in the 2026 Tennessee election (Blount County).\n","firstname":"Hilary","lastname":"Trudell","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"RkYry1k5yI"},"token":"hilary_trudell"},{"candidatename":"Tony Jay Crisp","chatgptsummary":"Crisp's fifty-year law enforcement career demonstrates deep familiarity with district safety concerns and constituent needs. He has held leadership roles as police chief and deputy sheriff, earning multiple industry awards for his service. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or coalition-building experience across partisan lines.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTony Jay Crisp is a Republican candidate for Tennessee State House District 8, which covers the Maryville and Blount County area, running in the August 6, 2026 primary.\n\nHis campaign priorities include economic growth through tax relief and deregulation, support for law enforcement and immigration enforcement, parental rights and school choice, protection of agricultural lands from overdevelopment, Christian values and constitutional rights, and support for seniors and veterans.\n\n## Background and education\nCrisp began his law enforcement career in 1973 with the Friendsville Police Department in Tennessee, becoming chief within four years.\n\n## Career\nCrisp brings more than 50 years of law enforcement experience. After Friendsville, he served in various ranks at the Maryville Police Department for more than 20 years. In April 1999 he was appointed Chief Deputy at the Blount County Sheriff's Office. He has served as Maryville Police Chief since 2002, with the city later entrusting him with oversight of the fire department as well. He was named Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police Chief of the Year in 2015 and received the Chief Joe Casey Award from that organization in 2017 and 2023.\n\n## Family\nHe is married to Phyllis Lee Crisp, who serves as Register of Deeds for Blount County. They have two children and five grandchildren.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Vote Republican Tony Jay Crisp for State House \u2013 campaign website](https://www.tonycrispforstatehouse8.com/)\n- [2] [Maryville Police Department Facebook \u2013 Chief Tony J. Crisp](https://www.facebook.com/maryvillepolicedepartment/)\n","firstname":"Tony Jay","lastname":"Crisp","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"T0zeZH1IPO"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"008","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 8","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_008","office":"state_house_008","officedescription":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 together with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least three years, and district residents for at least one year.","officequalities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","officeterm":2,"officetitle":"State Representative District 8","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":null,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-06-01","title":"TN SoS \u2014 Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives (2026)","url":"https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/TNHouse_2026.pdf"},"title":"TN House District 8"}