← Back to Cannon County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN House District 40
State House District 40
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 40
About this office
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 — together with the Senate — 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.
Term length: 2 years.
This role calls for
- Integrity — 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.
- Understanding of the constituency — Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents — safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
- Persuasion — Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.
- Legislative craft — Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.
- Coalition-building — Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Democratic Primary
1 candidate
Daniel T. Hawthorne's biography confirms he is a Democratic candidate for Tennessee House District 40 who met the March 10, 2026 qualifying deadline. The record does not indicate prior legislative experience or specific experience in coalition-building across partisan lines. Bio does not indicate experience in drafting statute or direct constituent advocacy within the district.
Republican Primary
1 candidate
Michael Hale's biography shows relevant experience as a small business owner and current Tennessee State Representative serving on Finance and Insurance committees, demonstrating legislative craft and constituency understanding through budget reviews and bill sponsorship. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior executive leadership experience or extensive cross-partisan negotiation experience.
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