← Back to Maury County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN House District 71
State House District 71
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 71
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
Matt Day's biography shows he filed required signatures and appears on the official candidate list for Tennessee House District 71 in 2026. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate prior legislative experience or direct constituent service experience.
Republican Primary
1 candidate
Kip Capley's biography shows relevant experience for District 71 through his tenure as a State Representative since 2022, committee service on Finance and Health subcommittees, and background as a business owner and minister. He has voted on tax, healthcare, and land preservation legislation while serving as Secretary of the House Republican Caucus. Bio does not indicate prior experience in lobbying or extensive cross-partisan coalition-building beyond caucus leadership.
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