{"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":"070","districtgroup":"state_house","id":240,"key":"state_house_070","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":"Clay Doggett","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nClay Doggett is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 70, which includes Giles County and parts of Lawrence and Lincoln Counties [1][3][9]. He assumed office on November 6, 2018, following his election in 2018 [1][3]. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1][6].\n\nDoggett is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 70 as a Republican candidate [1][4]. He officially launched his 2026 reelection campaign in Pulaski on January 8, 2026 [13]. The Republican primary election for this race is scheduled to take place on August 6, 2026 [1].\n\nIn recent legislative activities leading up to the 2026 cycle, Doggett was appointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton in January 2025 to serve on the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) [7]. He was also reappointed in January 2025 as chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly [10]. In March 2026, Doggett proposed the Greenbelt Initiative Fund Transfer (GIFT) Act (House Bill 2375), which would establish a $210 million Rural Revenue Equity Fund to support services in rural counties [12].\n\nDoggett has received recognition for his legislative work, including being named Legislator of the Year by the Tennessee Republican Party in August 2025 [11]. He was also presented with the Guardian of Small Business award by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in June 2024 [9].\n\n## Background and education\n\nClay Doggett was born on September 5, 1983 [3]. He is a businessman and law enforcement officer from Tennessee [3]. Doggett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville [3].\n\n## Career\n\nClay Doggett is an American businessman and law enforcement officer from Tennessee [3]. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville [3]. Before entering politics, he worked as a law enforcement officer, a background that has informed his legislative focus on public safety and criminal justice [8].\n\nDoggett serves as the chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and is a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Naming and Designating Committee, the Health and Safety Committee, and the Elections Committee [13]. In January 2025, he was appointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton to serve on the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), the primary regulatory body for law enforcement in the state [7].\n\nHis work supporting small business policies earned him the Guardian of Small Business award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in June 2024 [9]. In August 2025, he was named Legislator of the Year by the Tennessee Republican Party [11].\n\n## Office history\n\nClay Doggett was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 70 in November 2018 and assumed office on January 8, 2019 [1][3]. He serves a two-year term, with his current term ending on November 3, 2026 [1][2]. District 70 includes Giles County and parts of Lawrence and Lincoln counties [9].\n\nDuring the 113th General Assembly (2023\u20132024), Doggett was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Criminal Justice Subcommittee [1]. He also serves on the Naming and Designating Committee, the Health and Safety Committee, and the Elections Committee [13]. In January 2025, he was reappointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton to continue serving as chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly [10].\n\nIn January 2025, Doggett was appointed by Speaker Sexton to serve on the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), the primary regulatory body for law enforcement in the state [7].\n\nDoggett is running for re-election to represent District 70 in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1][6].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nClay Doggett has served on several key committees during his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives. For the 2021\u20132022 session, he was assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee [1]. In subsequent sessions, his committee assignments expanded to include the Agricultural and Natural Resources Committee, the Naming and Designating Committee, the Health and Safety Committee (specifically during the Second Extraordinary Session), and the Elections Committee [13].\n\nIn February 2025, Speaker Cameron Sexton appointed Doggett to serve on the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), the state's primary regulatory body for law enforcement [7]. That same month, he was reappointed as chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly, a role that leverages his background as a former law enforcement officer to advance public safety policies [10].\n\nDoggett\u2019s legislative priorities have included support for rural development and small business interests. In March 2026, he proposed the Greenbelt Initiative Fund Transfer (GIFT) Act (House Bill 2375), which seeks to establish a $210 million Rural Revenue Equity Fund to offset property tax revenue losses in counties with high percentages of greenbelt-classified property [12]. His support for small business initiatives was recognized in June 2024 when the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) presented him with its Guardian of Small Business award [9].\n\nDoggett\u2019s voting record reflects a focus on public safety, religious freedom, and conservative social issues. According to the Family Action Council of Tennessee, he supported legislation including SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 1257/HB 1029 (Human Life Protection Act), SB 1304/HB 836 (Conscience Provision for Child-Placing Agencies), and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) [5]. In February 2025, the Tennessee Republican Party named him Legislator of the Year, citing his work on public safety and individual freedoms [11].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nClay Doggett is identified as an American businessman and law enforcement officer [3]. He has been recognized for his support of small business interests, receiving the Guardian of Small Business award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in June 2024 [9]. The NFIB cited his support for tax and labor reforms that contributed to hiring and investment in Tennessee [9].\n\nSpecific details regarding Doggett\u2019s private business holdings, ownership stakes, or the specific sources of his personal wealth are not provided in the available records. While he has proposed legislation such as the Greenbelt Initiative Fund Transfer (GIFT) Act to support rural revenue equity [12], there is no public information in the provided sources detailing his personal financial disclosures or family wealth origins.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Clay Doggett - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Clay_Doggett)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 70 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_70)\n[3] [Clay Doggett - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Doggett)\n[4] [See Clay Doggett's Key Votes](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/182490/clay-doggett)\n[5] [Rep. Clay Doggett - Family Action Council of Tennessee](https://scorecard.factennessee.org/representatives/clay-doggett)\n[6] [Clay Doggett | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/clay-doggett)\n[7] [Rep. Clay Doggett appointed to Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2025/02/rep-clay-doggett-appointed-to-peace-officer-standards-and-training-commission/)\n[8] [Contact Representative Clay Doggett \u2013 SenGov](https://sengov.com/states/tennessee/clay-doggett/)\n[9] [NFIB Presents Guardian Award to Rep. Clay Doggett - NFIB](https://www.nfib.com/news/news/nfib-presents-guardian-award-to-rep-clay-doggett/)\n[10] [Rep. Clay Doggett to chair House Criminal Justice Subcommittee \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2025/02/rep-clay-doggett-to-chair-house-criminal-justice-subcommittee/)\n[11] [Rep. Clay Doggett named legislator of the year \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2025/08/rep-clay-doggett-named-legislator-of-the-year/)\n[12] [Rep. Clay Doggett proposes grant fund to support Tennessee's rural counties \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2026/03/rep-clay-doggett-proposes-grant-fund-to-support-tennessees-rural-counties/)\n[13] [Doggett To Kick Off Reelection Campaign In Pulaski | Tennessee Conservative](https://tennesseeconservativenews.com/doggett-to-kick-off-reelection-campaign-in-pulaski/)","firstname":"Clay","lastname":"Doggett","token":"iC9iLD9hmN"},"term_end":"2024-12-31","term_start":"2023-01-01"}],"title":"State Representative District 70","type":"legislative","url":"https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H70","whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}