{"county":null,"description":"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.","district":"007","districtgroup":"state_senate","id":341,"key":"state_senate_007","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_senate","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":4,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"Richard Briggs","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nRichard Briggs, a Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate representing District 7, is currently serving his term which ends on November 3, 2026 [1][2]. He assumed office on November 4, 2014, after defeating incumbent Stacey Campfield in the 2014 general election [1][13]. Briggs has been re-elected to subsequent terms, including a second four-year term in 2018 [4][12].\n\nBriggs is running for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 7 in the upcoming 2026 election cycle [1]. He qualified for the ballot by meeting the state's qualifying deadline of March 10, 2026, and appears on the official candidate list for the Tennessee Senate [3]. The Republican primary election is scheduled to be held on August 6, 2026, with the general election set for November 3, 2026 [5].\n\nOn his campaign website, Briggs self-describes as having a passion for service and states that he stands for improving education, creating jobs, and keeping taxes low [6]. He promises to continue serving the district with honor and integrity, asserting that Tennesseeans enjoy the lowest taxes as a percentage of personal income in the nation and the lowest debt per capita in the country [8]. Briggs identifies himself as a conservative who believes the state can do better for its community [6].\n\n## Background and education\n\nRichard Briggs was born on December 7, 1952, in Knoxville, Tennessee [4][11]. He is a member of the Republican Party [4]. Briggs attended the University of Kentucky Medical School, where he earned his medical degree [4].\n\n## Career\n\nRichard Briggs graduated from the University of Kentucky Medical School in 1978 [4][15]. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon who has practiced in Knoxville, Tennessee, for over 45 years [15]. His medical training includes residency in thoracic surgery at the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, completed in 1983 [17]. Briggs is affiliated with the University of Tennessee Medical Center and maintains an office at 10810 Parkside Drive in Knoxville [15][16][18]. He accepts a wide range of insurance providers, including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and various commercial plans [18].\n\nBriggs served in the military, holding senior staff and leadership positions during his service [14]. His political career began when he was first elected to the Knox County Commission in 2008, representing District 5 [7][12]. He was re-elected to a second term on the commission in 2010 [7][12].\n\n## Office history\n\nBriggs first entered elected office in 2008 when he was elected to the Knox County Commission, representing District 5 [12]. He secured re-election to a second term on that commission in 2010 [7].\n\nIn 2014, Briggs ran for and won election to the Tennessee State Senate, defeating incumbent Stacey Campfield to represent District 7 [13]. He assumed office on November 4, 2014 [1]. As a state senator, he serves four-year terms without term limits [2]. He was re-elected to a second term in the Senate in 2018 [7].\n\nBriggs is currently serving his third term in the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 7 [10]. His current term ends on November 3, 2026 [1]. In the upcoming election cycle, he is running for re-election to the Tennessee State Senate to represent District 7 and is on the ballot in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1]. The general election for this seat is scheduled for November 3, 2026 [5].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nSenator Briggs has served on several key committees during his tenure in the Tennessee State Senate. For the 2023\u20132024 session, he was assigned to the Senate Rules Committee as Vice Chair, the State & Local Government Committee where he served as Chair, and the Transportation and Safety Committee [1]. In prior sessions, he has also served on the Finance Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the Health Committee, and previously chaired the Senate Ethics Committee [7].\n\nPolitically, Briggs self-describes as a conservative who prioritizes improving education, creating jobs, and keeping taxes low [6]. He advocates for a business-friendly philosophy, citing Tennessee\u2019s status as having the lowest debt per capita in the nation and the lowest taxes as a percentage of personal income [8]. His legislative record includes support for measures that cut $570 million in taxes, reduced the food tax by 30%, eliminated the gift and inheritance tax, and phased out other levies [8].\n\nBriggs has received endorsements from a range of organizations reflecting his conservative stance. These include the National Rifle Association, which gave him an \u201cA\u201d rating, the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), the American Conservative Union (which awarded him for Conservative Excellence in 2015 and Conservative Achievement from 2016\u20132018), and Tennesseans for Student Success [9]. He also holds endorsements from the Knoxville/Knox County Fraternal Order of Police, the Tennessee Education Association, and the Tennessee Professional Firefighters Association [9].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nRichard Briggs is a physician by profession, having attended the University of Kentucky Medical School [4]. He is recognized in East Tennessee as a heart and lung surgeon [13]. His campaign website states that he stands for creating jobs and keeping taxes low [6].\n\nSpecific details regarding his business interests, family wealth source, ownership stakes, or sales of businesses are not provided in the available sources. Similarly, significant financial-disclosure facts beyond his professional title are not detailed in the referenced materials.\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Richard Briggs (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Richard_Briggs_(Tennessee))\n[2] [Tennessee State Senate District 7 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_State_Senate_District_7)\n[3] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n[4] [Richard Briggs - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Briggs)\n[5] [2026 Tennessee Senate election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Tennessee_Senate_election)\n[6] [Dr. Richard Briggs \u2013 Tennessee Senate](https://www.briggsforsenate.com/)\n[7] [About - Dr. Richard Briggs \u2013 Tennessee Senate](https://www.briggsforsenate.com/about/)\n[8] [Issues - Dr. Richard Briggs \u2013 Tennessee Senate](https://www.briggsforsenate.com/issues/)\n[9] [Endorsements - Dr. Richard Briggs \u2013 Tennessee Senate](https://www.briggsforsenate.com/endorsements/)\n[10] [State Senator Richard Briggs | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/19645)\n[11] [contact Senator Richard Briggs](https://sengov.com/states/tennessee/richard-briggs/)\n[12] [Richard Briggs \u2013 Tennessee State Senator](https://repbio.org/richard-briggs/)\n[13] [The Remarkable Life of Dr. Richard Briggs - Memphis Daily News](https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2015/aug/22/the-remarkable-life-of-dr-richard-briggs/)\n[14] [Farragut Republican Club\u2122: December 13, 2007 Meeting: Dr. Richard Briggs, Candidate for Knox County Commission (5-C); Sherry Witt, Candidate for Knox County Register of Deeds; &](http://farragutgop.blogspot.com/2007/11/december-13-2007-meeting-dr-richard.html)\n[15] [Dr. Richard Briggs, MD - Cardiothoracic Surgeon in Knoxville, TN | Healthgrades](https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-richard-briggs-xkf3y)\n[16] [Dr. Richard Briggs, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon | Knoxville, TN | WebMD](https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/richard-briggs-24f02f0a-744f-499b-9a4d-e82a3277975c-overview)\n[17] [Dr. Richard Briggs, MD \u2013 Knoxville, TN | Thoracic Surgery on Doximity](https://www.doximity.com/pub/richard-briggs-md)\n[18] [Dr. Richard Briggs, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon - Knoxville, TN | Sharecare](https://providers.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-richard-m-briggs)","firstname":"Richard","lastname":"Briggs","token":"wQTZt93LxH"},"term_end":"2026-11-03","term_start":"2022-11-08"}],"title":"State Senate District 7","type":"legislative","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}