← Back to Knox County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN House District 18
State House District 18
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 18
About this office
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 — together with the Senate — 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.
Term length: 2 years.
This role calls for
- Integrity — 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.
- Understanding of the constituency — Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents — safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
- Persuasion — Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.
- Legislative craft — Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.
- Coalition-building — Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.
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
Bryan Goldberg's sixteen-year tenure managing disaster restoration teams and leading the Knoxville Jewish Alliance demonstrates crisis management skills and community engagement relevant to constituent service. However, his biography documents a defamation lawsuit filed against the incumbent and party leadership during the 2024 campaign cycle. Bio does not indicate prior legislative experience or direct policy drafting experience.
Republican Primary
3 candidates
Jones's eleven-year tenure as a military attorney and federal prosecutor demonstrates legislative craft through statute interpretation and persuasion skills honed in courtrooms. His background as a defense and senior prosecutor suggests an ability to analyze complex legal issues and negotiate outcomes. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate experience in constituent outreach or coalition-building across partisan lines.
Schuchardt's three-decade legal career demonstrates legislative craft through civil liberties litigation and policy analysis, while his book and advocacy suggest an understanding of economic concerns for District 18 constituents. However, records show a 2020 federal court dismissed his surveillance lawsuit as lacking evidence, and he currently faces disciplinary proceedings regarding his law license status without a hearing. Bio does not indicate prior elected office experience or direct legislative drafting experience.
Elaine Davis's biography shows two terms in the Tennessee House representing District 18, demonstrating legislative craft and coalition-building through re-election victories and committee work on infrastructure and public safety. Her background includes a psychology degree and prior local campaign experience, though she switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. In 2022, her campaign faced allegations of antisemitism leveled against her opponent. Bio does not indicate prior non-legislative executive management experience or direct lobbying experience.
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