Ballot Project

← Back to Cocke County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06

Contest for US Senate (Class 2)

primary - Partisan - U.S. Senator

About this office

A United States Senator represents the entire state in the upper chamber of Congress, serving a six-year term. Senators write and pass federal law, approve federal spending, confirm federal judges and executive appointments, and ratify treaties.

Term length: 6 years.

This role calls for

  • Legislative craft at the federal level: drafting and amending federal statute, and understanding the body of law being changed.
  • Statewide constituency understanding: the economic and everyday concerns of the whole state, not a single district.
  • Persuasion and coalition-building across party and factional lines to form working majorities.
  • Integrity: acting for constituents and the public good rather than personal gain, independent of undue influence.
  • Advice and consent: senators confirm federal judges and executive appointments and ratify treaties.

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 5 candidates
Diana Onyejiaka

Diana Onyejiaka

Democrat
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Diana Onyejiaka holds a Juris Doctor and degrees in political science and public administration, with experience organizing business conferences through her consulting firm. The biography documents no disciplinary record or controversy. Bio does not indicate federal legislative drafting experience or prior elected office service.
Kevin Lee McCants

Kevin Lee McCants

Democrat
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Kevin Lee McCants holds degrees in engineering and psychology and worked as a production supervisor, yet his biography shows no federal legislative experience or history of statewide constituency engagement. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience drafting federal statute or advising on judicial confirmations.
Maria Brewer

Maria Brewer

Democrat
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Brewer's biography shows extensive diplomatic experience as a U.S. Ambassador and Foreign Service officer, demonstrating skills in international negotiation and federal service relevant to Senate advice and consent duties. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience drafting federal statute or managing statewide constituency concerns within Tennessee.
Marquita Bradshaw

Marquita Bradshaw

Democrat
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Marquita Bradshaw's biography shows extensive advocacy for environmental justice and community organizing in Tennessee, alongside a historic 2020 Democratic primary victory, yet she lacks federal legislative experience drafting statutes or serving on Senate committees. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience in advising on judicial confirmations or ratifying treaties.
Civil Miller-Watkins

Civil Miller-Watkins

Democrat
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Civil Miller-Watkins' biography shows experience in state legislative campaigns and local education governance, relevant to constituency understanding and coalition-building. She served as vice-chair of a county Board of Education and ran for state Senate and House seats. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate federal legislative craft or advice-and-consent experience.
Republican Primary 1 candidate
Bill Hagerty

Bill Hagerty

Republican
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Bill Hagerty's biography shows relevant experience for U.S. Senator through his tenure as a sitting senator serving on Banking, Foreign Relations, and Appropriations committees, alongside prior service as Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and U.S. Ambassador to Japan. The record documents no controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior federal legislative drafting experience or direct judicial confirmation experience.
Independent 7 candidates
Jeremy Dean Hearn

Jeremy Dean Hearn

Independent
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Jeremy Dean Hearn's biography identifies him as an Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee but provides no details regarding legislative craft at the federal level, statewide constituency understanding, or persuasion skills across party lines. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate experience drafting federal statute or confirming judicial appointments.
Yoshi D. Matthews

Yoshi D. Matthews

Independent
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Matthews' biography shows nonprofit leadership and accounting expertise relevant to economic concerns and integrity demands. She founded a Tennessee organization aiding vulnerable residents and holds business degrees while pursuing CPA certification. No disciplinary records or controversies appear in the provided text. Bio does not indicate federal legislative experience or advice-and-consent experience.
David Sutman, Jr.

David Sutman, Jr.

Independent
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David Sutman Jr.'s biography shows he is an Independent candidate for Tennessee's U.S. Senate seat who filed with the FEC in March 2026. The record contains no evidence of prior legislative craft at the federal level, statewide constituency management, or experience persuading across party lines to form working majorities. Bio does not indicate experience in advising on judicial confirmations or ratifying treaties.
Andrew Gerena

Andrew Gerena

Independent
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Andrew Gerena's biography identifies him as an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, running for a Class II seat in November 2026. The record does not indicate prior legislative experience drafting federal statute or experience serving on committees involved in advice and consent for judicial confirmations. Bio does not indicate experience with statewide constituency management or experience building cross-party coalitions at the federal level.
Robert Jones

Robert Jones

Independent
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Robert Jones's biography identifies him as an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, indicating a potential focus on non-partisan coalition building. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate legislative craft at the federal level or experience advising on judicial confirmations and treaty ratification.
James William Macon III

James William Macon III

Independent
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James William Macon III's biography identifies him as an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, indicating potential independence from party factions. The record does not document prior federal legislative experience, statewide constituency management, or specific history regarding judicial confirmations and treaty ratification. Bio does not indicate federal legislative craft or advice-and-consent experience.
Tharon Chandler

Tharon Chandler

Independent
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Chandler's biography shows a farmer with a degree in economics and multiple unsuccessful campaigns for federal office since 2000. The record documents no elected or appointed public service history, nor any disciplinary actions or controversies. Bio does not indicate experience drafting federal legislation or serving on committees to advise on judicial confirmations.
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