{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Gary W Hicks Jr","chatgptsummary":"Gary W. Hicks Jr.'s biography shows extensive legislative craft and coalition-building experience as a long-serving State Representative who chairs the House Finance Committee and guided a $57.9 billion budget. His background as a former county commissioner and technology director suggests an understanding of local infrastructure and fiscal needs. Bio does not indicate prior executive leadership or direct advocacy experience in healthcare policy.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nGary W. Hicks Jr. is the Republican incumbent representing Tennessee House of Representatives District 9, covering Hancock County and portions of Claiborne and Hawkins counties. First appointed on December 21, 2015, he is seeking re-election in 2026 and ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He chairs the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee.\n\nHicks describes himself as pro-Second Amendment, supportive of less government, and committed to traditional values. His legislative focus centers on fiscal conservatism, rural healthcare infrastructure, and government technology modernization.\n\n## Background and education\nHicks was born and raised in Rogersville, Tennessee. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from East Tennessee State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.\n\n## Career\nBefore entering elected office, Hicks worked as a network administrator for Rural Health Services and later became Technology Director for Rogersville City Schools. He served as a Hawkins County Commissioner from 2006 to 2015, including terms as Commission Pro Tempore and Budget Committee Chairman. Since joining the Tennessee House in 2015, he has chaired the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee. In 2022, he led passage of $300 million in tax relief including a month-long grocery sales tax holiday. In 2026, he guided a $57.9 billion state budget through the House.\n\nHicks is a member of Shepard's Chapel Baptist Church. He participates in the Tennessee Educational Technology Association and serves with the Hawkins County Imagination Library. He received the 2021 Hospital Hero award from the Tennessee Hospital Association.\n\n## Family\nHicks is married to Laura and they have two daughters, Madelyn and Caroline. The family resides in Rogersville, Tennessee.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Gary Hicks (politician) \u2013 Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hicks_(politician))\n- [2] [Representative Gary Hicks \u2013 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-gary-hicks/)\n- [3] [Rep. Gary Hicks to chair House Finance Committee \u2013 Rogersville Review](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/news/local/article_11ba713c-d6be-11ef-8c0f-f3fbf49baee0.html)\n- [4] [Finance Chair Gary Hicks guides $57.9 billion budget through House \u2013 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2026/02/finance-chair-gary-hicks-guides-57-9-billion-budget-through-house/)\n","firstname":"Gary W Hicks","lastname":"Jr","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"zSPIGzzZRp"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"009","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 9","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_009","office":"state_house_009","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 9","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 9"}