← Back to Haywood County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN State Executive Committeeman District 26
primary - Partisan - State Executive Committee
About this office
The State Executive Committee is the elected governing body of a Tennessee political party (Democratic or Republican). It is a party-organization office, not a government office — its members set party rules and organization, and are chosen by voters in that party's primary.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Intra-party governance: the State Executive Committee is the elected governing body of a Tennessee political party, not a public office that legislates or administers government.
- Working knowledge of party rules, conventions, ballot-access requirements, and how the party interacts with state election law.
- Coordination with the party chair and county-level party committees.
- This is a partisan party-organization role; voters in the party's primary choose the committee members. The qualities here describe party-organization fit, not government competency.
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
1 candidate
Charles B. Watkins Sr.'s biography shows active engagement in Fayette County public affairs and family ties to local Democratic leadership, relevant to intra-party governance. The record notes no controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate experience with state party rules or coordination with county committees.
Republican Primary
2 candidates
Johnny Bellis's biography shows he is a Republican candidate for the Tennessee State Executive Committee who met the March 10, 2026 filing deadline. The record contains no mention of prior party governance roles, knowledge of state election law, or coordination with county committees. Bio does not indicate experience in intra-party rules or convention management.
Bob Hendry's biography shows thirteen years of Marine Corps service and ownership of Tennessee businesses, alongside a 2022 congressional campaign that demonstrates familiarity with primary elections. The record contains no controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience in intra-party governance or knowledge of state party rules and ballot-access requirements.
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