{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Bethany N Miller","chatgptsummary":"Bethany N. Miller's biography shows lifelong residence in District 80 and current service on the Hardeman County Commission, demonstrating local understanding and constituent engagement. Her role as an assistant principal suggests familiarity with education and community concerns. No controversies or disciplinary records appear in the provided text. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or prior state-level persuasion experience.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBethany N. Miller is running as a Democrat in the August 6, 2026 primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 80, representing Hardeman County and surrounding West Tennessee communities. She is running in the same Democratic primary as Andrea Bond Johnson.\n\nHer campaign emphasizes education that creates opportunity, small business development, and expanding access to affordable, reliable healthcare.\n\n## Background and education\nMiller is a lifelong resident of Bolivar, Tennessee. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa in 2003, a graduate degree from Virginia State University in 2005, and an additional graduate degree from Austin Peay State University in 2023.\n\n## Career\nMiller serves as an assistant principal at Bolivar Elementary School. She is also a current member of the Hardeman County Commission.\n\nMiller is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; the NAACP; the Hardeman County Systems of Care Children's Mental Health Coalition; the Eric Beasley Foundation; Memphis in May; the National Civil Rights Museum; and the Southwest HRA Head Start Policy Council. She serves on the Hardeman County Democratic Party executive committee.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Bethany Miller announces candidacy for Tennessee House of Representatives, District 80 \u2013 WBBJ TV](https://www.wbbjtv.com/2025/11/24/bethany-miller-announces-candidacy-for-tennessee-house-of-representatives-district-80/)\n- [2] [About \u2013 Bethany Miller TN State Rep. District 80 \u2013 Campaign Website](https://www.repbethanymiller.com/about)\n- [3] [Bethany Miller Announces Candidacy for Tennessee House of Representatives, District 80 \u2013 Brownsville States-Graphic](https://statesgraphic.com/bethany-miller-announces-candidacy-for-tennessee-house-of-representatives-district-80/)\n","firstname":"Bethany N","lastname":"Miller","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"yTfQcJsOKN"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Shelia L. Godwin","chatgptsummary":"Shelia L. Godwin's biography shows over a decade of political activity in Madison County and West Tennessee, including multiple campaigns for state and local office. This background suggests familiarity with district concerns and legislative processes. Bio does not indicate experience in drafting statute or building cross-partisan coalitions.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nShelia L. Godwin is a recurring Democratic candidate from Jackson, Tennessee. She ran in the 2014 Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 80 and was unopposed. In 2016 she ran as an independent candidate in Tennessee's 8th Congressional District general election, losing to Republican David Kustoff. In 2019 she announced her candidacy for Jackson City Council District 3. In 2024 she ran in the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 80, losing to incumbent Johnny Shaw.\n\n## Career\nGodwin has been active in Madison County and West Tennessee Democratic and independent politics for more than a decade.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Sheila Godwin announces candidacy for City Council District 3 \u2013 WBBJ TV](https://www.wbbjtv.com/2019/03/25/sheila-godwin-announces-her-candidacy-for-city-council-district-3/)\n- [2] [Your Local Election Headquarters: Tennessee U.S. House District 8 \u2013 Local Memphis](https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/local/your-local-election-headquarters-tennessee-u-s-house-district-8/522-49a457ad-fef3-4343-856e-c76271c07b92)","firstname":"Shelia L.","lastname":"Godwin","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"9fxIVDC2ai"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Andrea Bond Johnson","chatgptsummary":"Andrea Bond Johnson's biography shows long-term local leadership as a business owner and community board member in Hardeman County, demonstrating familiarity with district economic needs and constituent concerns. She has run for state office multiple times, indicating experience engaging voters and legislators. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or prior service in the Tennessee General Assembly.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nAndrea Bond Johnson is running as a Democrat in the August 6, 2026 primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 80, representing Hardeman County and surrounding West Tennessee communities. She previously ran for the State House District 82 seat in 2018 and 2022 (both times losing to Republican incumbent Chris Hurt) and for State Senate District 82 in 2020.\n\nHer campaign emphasizes lowering everyday costs, supporting small businesses, expanding job training and fair wages, building strong schools, and expanding healthcare access, with a focus on \"people over politics.\"\n\n## Background and education\nJohnson was born and raised in Brownsville, Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Tennessee State University (1987-1989) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (2004). She is a breast cancer survivor.\n\n## Career\nJohnson is the CEO of Golden Circle Insurance Agency in Brownsville, Tennessee \u2014 a spinoff of Golden Circle Life Insurance Company, which her grandfather founded in the 1950s. She has led the agency for more than 19 years and also works as a funeral director in the family's Rawls Funeral System. She serves as an Investment Advisor Representative.\n\nShe serves on the Industrial Development Board of Brownsville, is a member of the Brownsville Rotary Club Board, the Haywood County Boys & Girls Club, the Haywood County Branch NAACP Executive Board, and the National Social Action Commission of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.\n\n## Family\nJohnson is married with children and is deeply rooted in Haywood County, Tennessee.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Andrea Bond Johnson for Tennessee House District 80 \u2013 Campaign Website](https://www.andreabondjohnsontn.com/)\n- [2] [Andrea Bond Johnson announces campaign for Tennessee House of Representatives \u2013 WBBJ TV](https://www.wbbjtv.com/2025/11/06/andrea-bond-johnson-announces-campaign-for-tennessee-house-of-representatives/)\n- [3] [West Tennessee's State House 82 race features rematch from 2018 \u2013 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2020/10/22/west-tennessees-state-house-82-race-features-rematch-from-2018/)\n- [4] [Andrea Bond-Johnson's Biography \u2013 Vote Smart](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/182508/andrea-bond-johnson)\n","firstname":"Andrea Bond","lastname":"Johnson","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"LBEing4gqA"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Julian A. McTizic","chatgptsummary":"McTizic's tenure as Mayor of Bolivar and President of the Tennessee Municipal League demonstrates experience in local governance, economic development, and coalition-building across diverse groups. His background includes serving on city councils and leading municipal organizations while advocating for rural healthcare and tax reduction. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or direct state-level persuasion experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJulian A. McTizic is running as a Republican in the August 6, 2026 primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 80, representing Hardeman County and surrounding West Tennessee communities. He is currently serving as Mayor of Bolivar, Tennessee, and is also President of the Tennessee Municipal League.\n\nHis state legislative campaign is built around the values of faith, family, and unity. He emphasizes cutting taxes, improving education, protecting seniors from fraud and abuse, and improving healthcare access in rural West Tennessee.\n\n## Background and education\nMcTizic is a native of Bolivar, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Hardeman County Leadership and the 2018 WestStar leadership class. He completed the Tennessee Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute and holds a TnCertified Economic Developer designation from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.\n\n## Career\nMcTizic served four years on the Bolivar City Council before being sworn in as Mayor of Bolivar on July 1, 2017, at age 30, becoming the youngest and first African American elected mayor in the city's history. He was re-elected in May 2021 by the largest margin in recorded Bolivar history. He is the CEO of Legacy Financial Group and is a member of the National Association of Insurers and Financial Advisors. He was elected 1st Vice President of the Tennessee Municipal League in 2024 and elevated to President for 2025-2026.\n\nMcTizic is an active NAACP member and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Western Mental Health Institute. He has received the African-American Emerging Leader Award, the Tennessee State NAACP Race Relations Trailblazer Award, the 2018 Rising Phoenix Award, and the 2019 TREEDC Community Champion award.\n\n## Family\nHis grandfather served as a county commissioner and his father is a Bolivar police officer.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mayor McTizic \u2013 City of Bolivar, Tennessee](https://www.cityofbolivar.com/mayor-mctizic)\n- [2] [New mayor makes history in Bolivar \u2013 WREG](https://wreg.com/2017/05/25/new-mayor-makes-history-in-bolivar)\n- [3] [Bolivar, Tennessee Mayor Julian McTizic Talks Town History and New Business Growth \u2013 Tennessee Star](https://tennesseestar.com/news/bolivar-tennessee-mayor-julian-mctizic-talks-town-history-and-new-business-growth/jcarr/2022/02/26/)\n- [4] [Mayor McTizic Elected VP of Tennessee Municipal League \u2013 City of Bolivar](https://www.cityofbolivar.com/post/mayor-mctizic-elected-vp-of-tennessee-municipal-league)\n","firstname":"Julian A.","lastname":"McTizic","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"wYnI9VGC2r"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"080","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 80","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_080","office":"state_house_080","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 80","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 80"}