{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Andrew Ellis Farmer","chatgptsummary":"Farmer's tenure as a Sevier County attorney and his long service in the Tennessee House since 2013 demonstrate legislative craft and familiarity with local concerns. His support for expelling three colleagues during a 2023 protest illustrates engagement in partisan dynamics, though it may raise questions regarding coalition-building across factional lines. Bio does not indicate experience in drafting complex economic-development statutes or managing healthcare infrastructure projects.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nAndrew Ellis Farmer is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 17, which covers Sevier County. He has served since January 2013, when he defeated incumbent Frank S. Niceley in the Republican primary with 52.1 percent of the vote. He is running for re-election in 2026.\n\nIn 2023, Farmer supported the motions to expel three Democratic representatives \u2014 Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin J. Pearson \u2014 following their use of a bullhorn during a gun-control protest inside the House chamber.\n\n## Background and education\nFarmer was born on December 14, 1979. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from East Tennessee State University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.\n\n## Career\nFarmer practiced law as an attorney in Sevierville, Tennessee before and during his legislative tenure.\n\n## Family\nHe is married to Mariah Farmer. They have two children and are Baptist.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Andrew Farmer (politician) \u2013 Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Farmer_(politician))\n- [2] [Andrew Farmer \u2013 Tennessee State Rep. Biography \u2013 LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/242951/Andrew_Ellis_Farmer.html)\n","firstname":"Andrew Ellis","lastname":"Farmer","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"xiG0auGKe9"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"017","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 17","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_017","office":"state_house_017","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 17","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 17"}