{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Dave Rhea","chatgptsummary":"No substantive public biographical information was located. The Rhea surname appears multiple times on the 2026 Fayette ballot \u2014 including incumbent Mayor Rhea 'Skip' Taylor and District 1 Commissioner Matt Rhea \u2014 indicating a locally prominent family, but no source confirms Dave Rhea's biographical details or relationship to them. Bio does not indicate prior public service, county-budget experience, or documented community leadership. He has not filed a Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest.","notes":"","party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDave Rhea is a Republican candidate for Fayette County Commissioner, District 2, Position 1, in Tennessee [1]. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary unopposed, receiving 96 of 97 votes cast (98.97%) [2]. He advances to the August 6, 2026 Fayette County general election, where he will face Democratic primary winner Marandy Wilkerson, who won her primary unopposed with all 64 votes cast [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Fayette County Election Commission, 2026 Primary Election Summary Report](https://fayettetn.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/26-5-5-Primary-Totals.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"Dave","lastname":"Rhea","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"l5yHiDa0gE"},"token":"dave_rhea"},{"candidatename":"Marandy Wilkerson","chatgptsummary":"Black Fayette County resident and one of five individual plaintiffs in a 2025 Voting Rights Act lawsuit \u2014 brought alongside the NAACP's Fayette-Somerville Branch by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Donati Law \u2014 that challenged the county commission's 2021 redistricting map. The plaintiffs dismissed the suit in July 2025 after the commission adopted a new map creating three majority-Black single-member districts. Documented public-engagement track record on Fayette electoral fairness. Has filed a 2026 Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest as a County Commission candidate. Bio does not indicate career, education, or county-budget experience.","notes":"","party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Background and education\n- Black registered voter and Fayette County resident who was one of five individual plaintiffs, alongside the NAACP's Fayette-Somerville Branch, in a 2025 Voting Rights Act lawsuit filed by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Donati Law challenging the Fayette County Commission's 2021 redistricting map. ([NAACP LDF press release](https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/legal-defense-fund-files-lawsuit-challenging-racially-discriminatory-election-map-in-fayette-county-tennessee/))\n- In public comments at the time of filing, Wilkerson said: *\"The County Commission map is the latest example in our County's long, abhorrent history of racial discrimination that must be remedied.\"* ([NAACP LDF](https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/ldf-declares-victory-in-successfully-advocating-for-the-county-commission-in-fayette-county-tennessee-to-draw-a-new-fairer-electoral-map/))\n- The county commission adopted a new map in June 2025 creating three majority-Black single-member districts; the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the suit after the new map passed. ([Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/09/naacp-dismisses-discrimination-suit-against-fayette-county-after-commission-passes-new-district-map/))\n\nCandidate for Fayette County Commission, District 2 Position 1, in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary. No additional public biographical information (career, education) was located.\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [County Commission (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=WILKERSON&id=2078&f=199316&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Fayette County official/candidate\n\n*Source: [Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest Search](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/search.htm). Scraped 2026-04-23.*\n","firstname":"Marandy","lastname":"Wilkerson","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"UNWeR0vlCo"},"token":"marandy_wilkerson"}],"choices":null,"description":"","district":"2","districtgroup":"county_commission","districtgroupname":"County Commission","districtname":"District 2","job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":"county_commission_district_2_position_1","office":"county_commission_district_2_position_1","officedescription":"Fayette County Commissioners are members of the county's legislative body. Fayette has 14 single-member districts; some districts elect two commissioners at-large within the district (the second position is noted). The County Commission passes resolutions and ordinances, approves the annual county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and enacts countywide policy. Each commissioner represents roughly 2,000 residents \u2014 a much smaller constituency than in urban counties, where retail relationship-based politics has more weight. Members must complete at least seven hours of continuing education annually through the UT County Technical Assistance Service.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: commissioners set the property-tax rate and approve the county budget.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances.\n- Constituent relations in a district of roughly 2,000 residents \u2014 retail, relationship-based politics.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner District 2 Position 1","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":1,"referendum":"","source":null,"title":"County Commissioner District 2 Position 1"}