{"county":null,"description":"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.","district":"019","districtgroup":"state_house","id":316,"key":"state_house_019","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_house","partisan":1,"party":null,"qualities":"- **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.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"tn","term_end":null,"term_start":null,"term_years":2,"terms":[{"current":0,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"Dave Wright","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nDave Wright is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 19, having assumed office on November 6, 2018 [1][6]. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1]. Wright is seeking re-election to represent District 19 in the upcoming Republican primary election on August 6, 2026 [1]. He has been listed as a candidate for this race by Vote Smart and other tracking organizations [2][4].\n\n## Background and education\n\nDave Wright was born on September 3, 1945 [4]. He is a resident of Corryton, Tennessee, and self-describes as Christian [4][6]. He attended Gibbs High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville [4][6]. Additionally, Wright completed training at the United States Army Officer Candidate School in the Signal Corps at Fort Gordon, Georgia [4][6].\n\n## Career\n\nDave Wright was born on September 3, 1945, and is a resident of Corryton, Tennessee [4]. He attended Gibbs High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville [6]. His professional background includes service as a retired representative for AT&T [6].\n\nWright served in the United States Army, completing Officer Candidate School and serving in the Signal Corps at Fort Gordon, Georgia [4][6]. He is married and has one son named William [4][6].\n\n## Office history\n\nDave Wright was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2018, representing District 19[4]. He assumed office on November 6, 2018[1][5]. As a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, he serves two-year terms without term limits[3].\n\nDuring the 2023-2024 legislative session, Wright served as Vice Chair of the Local Government Committee and was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation Committee[1]. He is also a member of the Cities & Counties Subcommittee, the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee, and the State & Local Government Committee within the Tennessee House Republican Caucus[6].\n\nWright has run for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives multiple times. He was a candidate in the 2018 election for District 19[4]. He subsequently ran for re-election in 2022 and 2024[4].\n\nAs of May 2026, Wright is on the ballot for the Republican primary election on August 6, 2026, to represent District 19[1]. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026[1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nRepresentative Dave Wright has served on several key committees during his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives. For the 2023-2024 legislative session, he was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Local Government Committee where he served as Vice Chair, and the Transportation Committee [1]. His committee portfolio also includes membership on the Cities & Counties Subcommittee, the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee, the State & Local Government Committee, and the Transportation Subcommittee [6].\n\nWright\u2019s legislative voting record reflects a consistent alignment with conservative policy priorities. According to the Family Action Council of Tennessee\u2019s scorecard, he supported SB 16/HB 1 (the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act) and SB 364/HB 563 (the Business Protection Act) [7]. He also voted in favor of SB 1257/HB 1029 (the Human Life Protection Act), SB 1297/HB 1151 (regarding indecent exposure laws in single-sex restrooms), and SB 1304/HB 836 (conscience provisions for child-placing agencies) [7].\n\nOn issues regarding education and religious freedom, Wright supported SB 1373/HB 307 (elective religious courses for credit) and SB 1499/HB 1274 (the School Protection Act) [7]. He also voted for SB 1736/HB 1689 (single-sex student athletics), SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill), and SB 2465/HB 2568 (chemical abortion reversal information) [7]. Additionally, he supported HJR 17, which acknowledges God as the source of the nation's liberties [7].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nDave Wright is a retired employee of AT&T and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville [6]. He also attended the United States Army Officer Candidate School in the Signal Corps at Fort Gordon, Georgia [6].\n\nPublicly available biographical profiles do not provide specific details regarding Wright's personal wealth source, business ownership stakes, or significant financial disclosures beyond his employment history with AT&T and his educational background [4].\n\n## Family\n\nDave Wright is married and has one son named William [4]. He self-describes as Christian [6].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Dave Wright (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Dave_Wright_(Tennessee))\n[2] (source #2 not in master list)\n[3] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 19 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_19)\n[4] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/108378/dave-wright)\n[5] [State Representative Dave Wright | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/22943)\n[6] [Representative Dave Wright \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-dave-wright/)\n[7] [Rep. Dave Wright - Family Action Council of Tennessee](https://scorecard.factennessee.org/representatives/dave-wright)","firstname":"Dave","lastname":"Wright","token":"1m4ecKUc1f"},"term_end":"2024-12-31","term_start":"2023-01-01"}],"title":"State Representative District 19","type":"legislative","url":"https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H19","whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}