{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Teresa Congioloso","chatgptsummary":"Teresa Congioloso's thirty-year real estate career and local business awards demonstrate community engagement and persuasion skills relevant to constituent understanding. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or coalition-building experience across partisan lines.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nTeresa Congioloso is a Republican candidate running for the Tennessee State Senate District 1 seat in the 2026 election [1]. She currently serves as a real estate professional from Dayton, Tennessee [1]. In September 2025, Congioloso officially announced her candidacy to challenge the incumbent, Republican State Senator J. Adam Lowe, who has held the district since 2023 [1][3].\n\nCongioloso describes herself as a conservative, pro-life, and pro-Second Amendment Republican [3]. A central issue in her campaign is opposition to Tennessee\u2019s school voucher program, which she criticized during an address to the Cleveland Kiwanis Club [3]. She stated that she would not have supported the legislation because she believes all children deserve a better education [3].\n\nHer campaign has highlighted her professional background as a 30-year real estate veteran who claims to be in the top one percent of agents worldwide [4]. Congioloso states that she was voted \"Best of the Best\" in real estate for 11 years and received the Dayton Chamber of Commerce\u2019s Businesswoman of the Year award in 2022 [4]. The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting celebration for her campaign in January 2026 [2].\n\n## Background and education\n\nTeresa Congioloso is a real estate professional from Dayton, Tennessee [1]. She has worked in the industry for 30 years and states that she has been recognized as the top 1 percent of real estate agents worldwide [4]. Her professional accolades include being voted Best of the Best in real estate for 11 years and receiving the Businesswoman of the Year award from the Dayton Chamber of Commerce in 2022 [4].\n\nCongioloso self-describes as a conservative, pro-life, and pro-Second Amendment Republican [3]. Specific details regarding her birth year, upbringing, religion, or formal education are not provided in the available sources.\n\n## Career\n\nTeresa Congioloso is a real estate professional from Dayton, Tennessee, with 30 years of experience in the industry [1]. She has been recognized as a top-performing agent, consistently ranking in the top 1 percent of real estate agents worldwide [4]. Her professional accolades include being voted \"Best of the Best\" in real estate for 11 years and receiving the Dayton Chamber of Commerce\u2019s Businesswoman of the Year award in 2022 [4].\n\nBeyond her commercial success, Congioloso is described as a community advocate with decades of leadership experience in business and public service [4]. In January 2026, she celebrated the opening of her campaign operations with a ribbon-cutting event hosted by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce [2].\n\n## Office history\n\nTeresa Congioloso has held no prior elected or appointed public office [1]. She is a 30-year real estate professional who states that she has been recognized as the top 1 percent of real estate agents worldwide and voted Best of the Best in real estate for 11 years [4]. In 2022, she was honored as Businesswoman of the Year by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce [4].\n\nCongioloso is running for Tennessee State Senate District 1 in the 2026 Republican primary against incumbent Sen. J. Adam Lowe [1]. She officially announced her candidacy for the seat, which Lowe has represented since 2023 [4]. Congioloso self-describes as a conservative, pro-life, and pro-Second Amendment Republican who opposes Tennessee\u2019s school voucher program [3].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nCongioloso is a real estate professional based in Dayton, Tennessee, who has worked in the industry for 30 years [1]. She states that she has been recognized consistently as one of the top 1 percent of real estate agents worldwide and was voted \"Best of the Best\" in real estate for 11 years [4]. In 2022, she was honored as Businesswoman of the Year by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce [4].\n\nSpecific details regarding her ownership stakes, sales of businesses, or the precise source of any family wealth are not provided in the available sources. The candidate\u2019s financial disclosure facts are also not detailed in the referenced materials.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Rhea County real estate pro to run for state Senate seat | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/sep/23/rhea-county-real-estate-pro-to-run-for-state/)\n[2] [A ribbon cutting was celebrated today for Teresa Congioloso ...](https://www.facebook.com/AthensTNChamber/posts/a-ribbon-cutting-was-celebrated-today-for-teresa-congioloso-for-tn-state-senator/1364140605756422/)\n[3] [Rhea County\u2019s Congioloso mounting state senate race | News | clevelandbanner.com](https://www.clevelandbanner.com/news/rhea-county-s-congioloso-mounting-state-senate-race/article_6797252b-b407-5058-a6f9-fe483af75b8a.html)\n[4] [Congioloso announces bid for State Senate | News | rheaheraldnews.com](https://www.rheaheraldnews.com/news/article_e69c3cdd-dcb6-4c2d-a81c-616e66ed6b49.html)","firstname":"Teresa","lastname":"Congioloso","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"KdE5hRjKd8"},"token":"teresa_congioloso"},{"candidatename":"J. Adam Lowe","chatgptsummary":"J. Adam Lowe's biography shows legislative experience as a Bradley County Commissioner and State Senator, alongside background in public administration and higher education relevant to constituent needs. He has engaged constituents through radio hosting and authored works, suggesting communication skills. Bio does not indicate prior experience in drafting complex statute or building cross-partisan coalitions.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJ. Adam Lowe is seeking re-election as a Republican for Tennessee State Senate District 1 in the August 6, 2026 primary. He won the seat in 2022, defeating state Rep. Mark Hall in the Republican primary and Democrat Patricia Waters in the general election. District 1 covers Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, and Rhea Counties in Southeast Tennessee.\n\nLowe is a conservative Republican and has focused on fiscal responsibility, public safety, and limiting government regulation. He is seeking a second term in 2026.\n\n## Background and education\nLowe was born on January 8, 1981. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee; a Master of Public Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.\n\n## Career\nLowe served on the Bradley County Commission for District 3 from 2010 to 2014. He became well known in the Chattanooga-area media market as a conservative talk radio host on Talk 101.3 FM's \"Man Up America\" program. He has also worked as an author and adjunct college professor. He entered the 2022 Senate race to replace the retiring Sen. Mike Bell and won the Republican primary, receiving 53 percent of the vote across all four counties in the district.\n\n## Family\nHe is married to Rachel and they have four children.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [J. Adam Lowe \u2013 Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Adam_Lowe)\n- [2] [Conservative talk radio host, author J. Adam Lowe enters Tennessee Senate District 1 Republican primary \u2013 Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2022/jan/14/state-senate-seat/561498)\n- [3] [Former Bradley County Commissioner Lowe beats Hall in Tennessee's Senate District 1 Republican primary \u2013 Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2022/aug/04/j-adam-lowe-beats-mark-hall-gops-senate-distr/574050/)\n- [4] [J. Adam Lowe seeks second state Senate term \u2013 Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/oct/01/j-adam-lowe-seeks-second-state-senate-term/)\n","firstname":"J. Adam","lastname":"Lowe","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"DpASIllvey"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Dennis H. Beavers","chatgptsummary":"Dennis H. Beavers' biography shows 26 years in private consulting and insurance, plus service as USDA Tennessee State Executive Director, suggesting legislative craft and coalition-building skills. He owns a farm in District 1, indicating understanding of local economic needs. However, he was removed from the 2022 primary ballot after a residency hearing found him ineligible to run. Bio does not indicate prior elected office experience or direct constituent advocacy experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDennis H. Beavers announced a campaign for Tennessee State Senate District 1 in 2026, challenging incumbent Senator Adam Lowe. District 1 covers Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, and Rhea counties. He had previously attempted to run for the same district in 2022 but was removed from the Republican primary ballot after a residency hearing found he was not eligible to run; at the time he was identified as an Alabama Trump delegate.\n\nHis 2026 campaign platform emphasizes strengthening public education while opposing unaccountable school vouchers, investing in rural roads and bridges, expanding market opportunities for farmers while reducing regulatory burdens, promoting mental-health solutions alongside law enforcement, and supporting rural economic development.\n\n## Background and education\nBeavers attended McMinn County High School, Hiwassee College, and the University of Tennessee. He and his wife Kristi own and operate a beef and hay farm in McMinn County.\n\n## Career\nBeavers spent more than 26 years in private-sector consulting and insurance. He worked on President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign before being appointed USDA Tennessee State Executive Director, a position he held from 2017 to 2019.\n\n## Family\nHe farms with his wife Kristi in McMinn County.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Conservative Businessman Dennis H. Beavers Announces Campaign \u2013 Tennessee Conservative News](https://tennesseeconservativenews.com/conservative-businessman-farmer-former-usda-state-director-dennis-h-beavers-announces-campaign-for-tennessee-state-senate-district-1/)\n- [2] [Alabama Trump delegate kicked off ballot for Tennessee Senate seat \u2013 Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2022/apr/28/tn-senate-district-1-hopeful-beavers-removed/)\n","firstname":"Dennis H.","lastname":"Beavers","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"vhCtTvZoTA"},"token":null}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"001","districtgroup":"state_senate","districtgroupname":"State Senate","districtname":"District 1","job_type":"state_senator","o.office":"state_senate_001","office":"state_senate_001","officedescription":"The Tennessee State Senate is the upper chamber of the state legislature, with 33 members elected from single-member districts to four-year terms. Seats are staggered so roughly half are on the ballot every two years. Senators pass state laws, approve the state budget, confirm gubernatorial appointments, and \u2014 together with the House \u2014 propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 30 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least seven 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":4,"officetitle":"State Senate District 1","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":null,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-06-01","title":"TN SoS \u2014 Candidates for Tennessee Senate (2026)","url":"https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/TNSenate_2026.pdf"},"title":"TN Senate District 1"}