{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"RICH KIENLEN","chatgptsummary":"Rich Kienlen's forty-year residency and role as director of misdemeanor probation demonstrate local knowledge and administrative experience relevant to constituent relations and county operations. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience in budgeting, legislative drafting, or land use policy.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRich Kienlen is a Republican candidate for Bradley County Commission, District 4, Seat B, and won the May 5, 2026, Republican primary in a four-candidate field that also included Debra L. Gleason, Melanie Dale Lawson and David Thomas Ricketts [1][2].\n\n## Background and career\nKienlen has been a Bradley County resident for more than 40 years and serves as director of misdemeanor probation for Bradley County [1]. He says he is committed to service, fairness and responsible leadership, and lists fiscal responsibility and listening to residents among his priorities [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [DECISION 2026: Winners in Bradley County's Primary Election - Local 3 News](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/decision/decision-2026-winners-in-bradley-county-s-primary-election/article_00a9cd38-1b5c-4c9b-976b-200c8e8b0b8c.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Bradley County's candidates for the May 5 Primary - Mix 104.1 WCLE](https://mymix1041.com/blog/2026/02/20/bradley-county-s-candidates-for-the-may-5-primary) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"RICH","lastname":"KIENLEN","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"aJ697AfzB8"},"token":"rich_kienlen"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_4_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":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"bradley County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://bradleyelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/August-2026-Sample-Ballot.pdf"},"title":"County Commission District 4, Seat B"}