{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"HUNTER FOWLER","chatgptsummary":"Hunter Fowler's biography shows relevant experience as chief deputy and interim sheriff in Fentress County, demonstrating organizational leadership of patrol, jail operations, and court services. He has overseen inmate health and release procedures while coordinating with election officials regarding ballot integrity. The record notes a May 2026 review of absentee ballots at the county jail, which Fowler stated was corrected following state guidance. Bio does not indicate prior elected office experience or specific budget development experience.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nHunter Fowler is the interim Fentress County Sheriff and an independent candidate for the office on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [1][2]. He is running against Republican nominee Gary \"Goose\" Ledbetter [2].\n\n## Office history\nFowler was serving as chief deputy when the Fentress County Commission voted 8-2 on March 24, 2026 to appoint him interim sheriff, a term running until the August 2026 election [1]. The vacancy followed the resignation of Sheriff Michael Reagon, who stepped down after being charged in connection with falsifying training records [1]. On his appointment Fowler said he was \"truly honored and humbled by the trust placed in me\" and vowed not to \"let this county down\" [1].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nIn May 2026, an issue involving inmate absentee ballots at the Fentress County Jail, which the sheriff's office oversees, prompted a review. Fowler said the Fentress County Election Commission identified and corrected the problem following guidance from Tennessee's Division of Elections, adding that he takes \"the integrity of our election process very seriously\" [2].","firstname":"HUNTER","lastname":"FOWLER","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"CpH2JcnP5q"},"token":"hunter_fowler"},{"candidatename":"GARY \"GOOSE\" LEDBETTER","chatgptsummary":"Ledbetter's biography shows relevant experience as a Fentress County chief deputy and interim sheriff in 2022, demonstrating organizational leadership within the county jail and patrol operations. He has worked alongside municipal police and state agencies during his tenure. Bio does not indicate prior budget oversight experience or specific knowledge of Tennessee criminal law.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nGary \"Goose\" Ledbetter is the Republican nominee for Fentress County Sheriff on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [1]. He won a contested Republican primary on May 5, 2026, defeating Rodney Insco Sr.; The UC Now reported the result as 49 percent to 46 percent [2], while regional coverage put Ledbetter's share at 51.4 percent [3]. In the general election he faces independent candidate and sitting interim sheriff Hunter Fowler [3].\n\n## Office history\nLedbetter has served as a Fentress County chief deputy and previously stepped in as interim sheriff in 2022 after a prior sheriff's resignation, and was among a field of five candidates for the office that year [4].","firstname":"GARY","lastname":"LEDBETTER","middlename":"\"GOOSE\"","suffix":null,"token":"eWkGy7HCXv"},"token":"gary_goose_ledbetter"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"sheriff","o.office":null,"office":"sheriff","officedescription":"The sheriff is the county's chief law-enforcement officer. The office operates the county jail, provides court security, serves civil process and executes warrants, and provides patrol and investigation \u2014 a large operational command with a substantial budget.","officequalities":"- Organizational leadership of a sheriff's office spanning patrol, investigations, court services, and the county jail.\n- Oversight of the county jail, including intake, inmate health, and release procedures.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee the office's operating budget with public accountability.\n- Coordination with municipal police departments and neighboring-county and state agencies.\n- A documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Sheriff","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-20","title":"fentress County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://tnsos.org/elections/ballots/748.pdf"},"title":"Sheriff"}