{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jason L Powell","chatgptsummary":"Jason L. Powell's biography shows over a decade of legislative service in District 53, including roles as Democratic whip and floor leader, alongside experience in public education, real estate, and nonprofit management. He holds advanced degrees in public administration and business, with active memberships in neighborhood associations and board service for local organizations. Bio does not indicate prior executive branch administrative experience or specific legislative drafting history.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJason L. Powell has represented District 53 in the Tennessee House of Representatives as a Democrat since January 8, 2013. He sought reelection in both 2022 and 2024. By the 2024 cycle, he was serving as the Democratic whip for the 111th and 112th General Assemblies.\n\n## Background and education\nPowell was born January 25, 1978, in Nashville, Tennessee, and attended Montgomery Bell Academy. He earned a BA in History and Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Public Administration from Tennessee State University, and an MBA from the University of Memphis.\n\n## Career\nPowell's career has included public school teaching, real estate, and nonprofit management. He is a licensed real estate broker in Tennessee and a director at Freeman Webb. He served as Democratic floor leader for the 109th General Assembly and has been an active member of the House Business and Utilities Committee.\n\nPowell has served on nonprofit boards including the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee and Nashville Emerging Leaders, and maintains memberships in Nashville neighborhood associations.\n\n## Family\nPowell is married to Heather Corum, a nonprofit executive. They have two children, Sophie and Hawkes.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jason Powell \u2013 Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Powell)\n- [2] [Democrat Jason Powell seeks reelection to Tennessee House \u2013 Nashville Banner](https://nashvillebanner.com/2024/07/20/jason-powell-district-53/)\n- [3] [Jason Powell Biography \u2013 Vote Smart](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/65608/jason-powell)\n","firstname":"Jason L","lastname":"Powell","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"ervK6SCPaW"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"053","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 53","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_053","office":"state_house_053","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 53","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 53"}