{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Van Harris","chatgptsummary":"Van Harris's biography shows service as vice chair of the Dickson County Democratic Party's executive committee, indicating some local political engagement relevant to constituency understanding and coalition-building. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or persuasion experience in a state representative capacity.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nVan Harris is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 69, which covers all of Hickman and Lewis counties and the western part of Dickson County. He faces Rachael Murray in the August 6, 2026 Democratic primary; the winner will face Republican incumbent Jody Barrett, who has held the seat since 2023, in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1]\n\n## Career\nHarris serves as vice chair of the Dickson County Democratic Party's executive committee.[2]\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 69 \u2013 Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_69)\n- [2] [About the DCDP \u2013 Dickson County Democratic Party](https://www.dicksondems.org/about)\n","firstname":"","lastname":"Van Harris","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"2jG5GOLxGy"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Rachael Murray","chatgptsummary":"Rachael Murray's biography shows she is a Democratic candidate for Tennessee House District 69 who met filing deadlines and secured petition signatures in March 2026. The record does not indicate prior legislative experience or specific experience with constituent advocacy.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRachael Murray is a Democratic candidate for Tennessee House of Representatives District 69, which covers Hickman County and parts of Dickson and Lewis counties [1]. She filed for the seat from Dickson by the March 10, 2026 qualifying deadline, and her petition's required signatures were approved, per the Tennessee Secretary of State's official candidate list for the 2026 election cycle [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives (District 69) - Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/TNHouse_2026.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-20","firstname":"Rachael","lastname":"Murray","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"XueRofv2AJ"},"token":"rachael_murray"},{"candidatename":"Jody Barrett","chatgptsummary":"Jody Barrett's biography shows relevant experience as a Tennessee House member since 2022, an attorney, and small business owner serving on Business & Utilities and Education committees. He faced significant outside spending against him during a 2025 congressional primary and sponsored legislation treating abortion seekers like murder convicts that failed in committee. Bio does not indicate prior executive management experience or direct constituent service through elected local office roles.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJody Barrett is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 69, having assumed office on November 8, 2022 [1][4][9]. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1]. Barrett is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Republican primary for District 69, which is set for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\nPrior to this upcoming state legislative race, Barrett ran in the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in 2025. He finished second in the Republican primary on October 7, 2025, receiving 25.3% of the vote after losing to Matt Van Epps [3]. During that congressional campaign, Barrett faced significant opposition spending from dark money groups, including the School Freedom Fund, which spent hundreds of thousands of dollars against him [14][15].\n\nIn his current legislative role, Barrett is known for conservative leadership and has served on committees including Business & Utilities, Commerce, and Education [8]. In March 2026, a bill he introduced that would have treated women seeking abortions similarly to those convicted of first-degree murder failed in a House committee [17].\n\n## Background and education\n\nJoseph Michael Barrett was born on November 8, 1973, in Bon Aqua, Tennessee [4]. He graduated from Dickson County Senior High School in 1992 [1]. Barrett earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Lincoln Memorial University in 1996 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999 [13].\n\nBarrett identifies as a member of the First Baptist Church in Dickson, a affiliation he has held since 2001 [5]. He self-describes as \"Tennessee Born, Tennessee Raised, and Tennessee Proud\" and states that his core values are rooted in faith, family, and individual liberty [7].\n\n## Career\n\nJody Barrett graduated from Dickson County Senior High School in 1992 [1]. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Lincoln Memorial University in 1996 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999 [1][13]. Barrett is an attorney by profession [4].\n\nBarrett identifies himself as a small business owner [8][10]. Professionally, he has served as the former board chair of the Dickson County Family YMCA from 2009 to 2023 [5]. He is also a member of the Dickson High Noon Rotary Club since 2003 and a member of First Baptist Church in Dickson since 2001 [5].\n\n## Office history\n\nJody Barrett assumed office as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 69 on November 8, 2022 [1][4][9]. He serves two-year terms and is not subject to term limits [2]. In his legislative capacity, Barrett serves on the Business & Utilities Subcommittee, the Commerce Committee, the Education Committee, the Education Instruction Subcommittee, and the Naming & Designating Committee [8].\n\nBarrett ran for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Republican primary on August 6, 2026, which is scheduled after the current date [1]. He previously sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee\u2019s 7th Congressional District in a special election cycle [3][6]. In the Republican primary held on October 7, 2025, Barrett finished second with 25.3% of the vote, losing to Matt Van Epps who received 51.6% [3].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nRepresentative Jody Barrett serves on the Commerce Committee and its Business & Utilities Subcommittee, as well as the Education Committee and its Education Instruction Subcommittee [8]. He also sits on the Naming & Designating Committee [8]. The Tennessee Lookout Report Card assigns him an A+ leadership grade and a 94 lifetime score, noting a 100% vote score for his tenure [12].\n\nIn March 2026, Barrett sponsored legislation that would have treated women seeking abortions as equivalent to those convicted of first-degree murder [17]. The bill failed in a House committee for lack of sufficient support [17]. During the same period, he participated in a press conference regarding the rejection of this anti-abortion measure [17].\n\nBarrett has utilized his legislative voting record to distinguish himself in political campaigns. In the 2025 special election for Tennessee\u2019s 7th Congressional District, he pointed to his voting record to set himself apart from other candidates [14]. He subsequently lost the Republican primary on October 7, 2025, receiving 25.3% of the vote behind winner Matt Van Epps [3].\n\nAs a candidate for Congress, Barrett faced opposition spending from the School Freedom Fund, a dark money group that targeted him for his stance against private school vouchers [15]. The group spent nearly $20,000 on attack ads against him during the special election cycle [15].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nDuring the 2025 special election for Tennessee\u2019s 7th Congressional District, state Representative Jody Barrett faced significant opposition from dark money groups while competing in a crowded Republican primary against ten other candidates [3]. The School Freedom Fund, a pro-private school voucher group, spent nearly $20,000 on attack ads targeting Barrett due to his opposition to private school vouchers [15]. Out-of-state spending groups funneled more than $842,000 in funds specifically to oppose Barrett, a figure that far outpaced the outside spending for any other candidate in the race [14].\n\nBarrett\u2019s legislative record has also drawn public attention regarding his stance on reproductive rights. In March 2026, a Tennessee House committee rejected a bill introduced by Barrett that would have treated women seeking abortions as individuals convicted of first-degree murder [17]. The legislation failed for lack of sufficient support within the committee, and Barrett held a press conference following the rejection to discuss the measure [17].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nJody Barrett is a small business owner and attorney [8]. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999 [13]. His professional background includes work as an attorney, though specific former employers are not detailed in the provided records [13].\n\nBarrett\u2019s personal financial disclosures have been tracked by LegiStorm, which noted the addition of 35 new disclosures for him in its database updates [11][16]. Specific details regarding his business ownership stakes, sales of businesses, or the precise sources of his wealth are not contained in the available source material.\n\n## Family\n\nJody Barrett is married to Holly, whom he wed in 1996 [4]. The couple has three children [4]. Barrett self-describes as a husband and father who views the family unit as a foundational cornerstone of society [7][8]. No other family members are noted as holding public office or being notable public figures in the available records.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Jody Barrett - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jody_Barrett)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 69 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_69)\n[3] [Matt Van Epps defeated 10 other candidates in the special Republican primary for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia News](https://news.ballotpedia.org/2025/10/09/matt-van-epps-defeated-10-other-candidates-in-the-special-republican-primary-for-tennessees-7th-congressional-district/)\n[4] [Jody Barrett - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jody_Barrett)\n[5] [iVoterGuide - Jody Barrett iVoterGuide Profile](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/67250/race/23450/election/1330)\n[6] [Jody Barrett Running for Congress\ud83d\udea8 Tennessee's most ...](https://www.facebook.com/thestaggeringtruth/posts/breaking-jody-barrett-running-for-congresstennessees-most-conservative-legislato/1306776554349009/)\n[7] [Jody Barrett For Tennessee](https://www.jodybarrett.com/)\n[8] [Representative Jody Barrett \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-jody-barrett/)\n[9] [State Representative Jody Barrett | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/28017)\n[10] [About \u2014 Jody Barrett For Tennessee](https://www.jodybarrett.com/about)\n[11] [Tennessee State Rep. Jody Barrett - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/441719/Jody_Barrett.html)\n[12] [Tennessee House District 69 - Barrett - TLRC](https://tnreportcard.org/representatives/tn-hd69-barrett/)\n[13] [Jody Barrett \u2013 Tennessee State Representative](https://repbio.org/jody-barrett/)\n[14] [Dark money groups outspend Tennessee congressional candidates, oppose Republican Jody Barrett | WPLN News](https://wpln.org/post/dark-money-groups-outspend-tennessee-congressional-candidates-oppose-republican-jody-barrett/)\n[15] [Dark money group goes after Tennessee Republican in congressional race \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/08/13/dark-money-group-goes-after-tennessee-republican-in-congressional-race/)\n[16] [Tennessee State Rep. Jody Barrett - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/441719/Joseph_Michael_Barrett.html)\n[17] [Tennessee lawmakers turn back restrictive abortion bill \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/03/10/tennessee-lawmakers-turn-back-restrictive-abortion-bill/)","firstname":"Jody","lastname":"Barrett","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"d73ESQOgKV"},"token":"jody_barrett"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"069","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 69","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_069","office":"state_house_069","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 69","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 69"}