{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Paul Suarez","chatgptsummary":"Paul Suarez's biography shows he is a current resident of Lenoir City and a candidate for Tennessee House District 32 in the 2026 Republican primary. The record does not document prior legislative service, committee work, or specific experience drafting statutes. Bio does not indicate legislative craft or coalition-building experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nPaul Suarez, of Lenoir City, is a candidate in the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 32, which covers parts of Loudon and Roane counties [1][2]. He faces Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton and Melissa Caldwell Browder in the August 6, 2026 primary for the seat being vacated by incumbent Monty Fritts, who is running for governor [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives, District 32](https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/TNHouse_2026.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Early voting for Aug. 6 election starts Friday \u2013 The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/roane/news/early-voting-for-aug-6-election-starts-friday/article_866d9073-15fc-525e-9872-5805deb6eb05.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20","firstname":"Paul","lastname":"Suarez","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"nq6LfYkjFY"},"token":"paul_suarez"},{"candidatename":"Jack L. Stockton","chatgptsummary":"Jack L. Stockton's twenty-year tenure as Roane County Sheriff and his wife's prior service on Kingston City Council demonstrate experience in public safety administration and local governance relevant to constituent concerns. The biography documents no controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting or coalition-building experience across partisan lines.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJack L. Stockton, the Roane County Sheriff since 2006, is running in the 2026 Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 32, which covers parts of Roane and Loudon counties [1]. His term as sheriff ends August 31, 2026; the House seat is open because incumbent Monty Fritts is running for governor [1]. Stockton picked up his petition on January 20, 2026, saying he and his wife had been \"praying about it\" before he decided to run [1]. He faces Paul Suarez and Melissa Caldwell Browder in the August 6, 2026 primary [2].\n\n## Career\n\nStockton was first elected Roane County Sheriff in 2006, defeating then-incumbent David Haggard, and was reelected in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 \u2014 unopposed in the last two races [1][3]. He has described having about 40 years in law enforcement [1].\n\n## Family\n\nStockton's wife, Tara Stockton, is a former Kingston City Council member who served roughly six years on the council before resigning in 2023, and who is managing his state house campaign [1][4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Stockton planning to run for state representative \u2013 The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/roane/news/stockton-planning-to-run-for-state-representative/article_24cb1e8a-e1a7-5bc8-af95-224e690c6c05.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Early voting for Aug. 6 election starts Friday \u2013 The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/roane/news/early-voting-for-aug-6-election-starts-friday/article_866d9073-15fc-525e-9872-5805deb6eb05.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[3] [Stockton not coasting \u2013 The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/roane/archives/stockton-not-coasting/article_14ae4d35-cd5c-55d0-8fe3-e313d3ddbc62.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[4] [Stockton discusses stepping down \u2013 The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/roane/news/stockton-discusses-stepping-down/article_d177df7b-661c-54a3-91c3-04e95677653c.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20","firstname":"Jack L.","lastname":"Stockton","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"92m7enqChK"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Melissa Caldwell Browder","chatgptsummary":"Melissa Caldwell Browder's twenty-seven years in workforce development and service on the Loudon County School Board demonstrate relevant experience regarding district economic needs and education. Her tenure as county Republican Party Chair indicates familiarity with constituent engagement and legislative persuasion. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate experience drafting statute language or building cross-partisan coalitions.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMelissa Caldwell Browder is a Republican candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 32, which covers Roane County and parts of Loudon County including Lenoir City, in the August 6, 2026 primary.\n\nBrowder's signature campaign theme is \"growth should pay for growth,\" meaning that economic development revenue should fund schools, infrastructure, and public safety rather than raise taxes. She has specifically addressed traffic and infrastructure planning and the preservation of rural community character.\n\n## Background and education\nBrowder is a native of Roane County and currently resides in Lenoir City, Tennessee.\n\n## Career\nShe brings 27 years of experience in workforce development, having worked at Roane State Community College and with Tennessee Economic and Community Development covering a 16-county region. She has served on the Loudon County School Board since 2022 and served as Loudon County Republican Party Chair.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Meet State Rep. candidate Melissa Browder \u2013 The News-Herald](https://www.news-herald.net/news/meet-state-rep-candidate-melissa-browder/article_d8b066ab-508c-4ca8-88c5-a8979c6228fc.html)\n- [2] [Melissa Browder \u2013 MultiState Elections](https://www.multistate.us/elections/candidate?id=74868&st=TN)\n- [3] [Home \u2013 Melissa Browder TN](https://www.melissacbrowder.com/)\n","firstname":"Melissa Caldwell","lastname":"Browder","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"0EyWJHRIkZ"},"token":null},{"candidatename":"Ali Simpson","chatgptsummary":"Simpson's biography highlights advocacy for healthcare, education, and rural preservation, addressing constituency needs in District 32. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or coalition-building experience.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAli Simpson is a candidate for the Tennessee State House District 32 Democratic primary [1]. The primary election is scheduled for August 6, 2026, with the general election set for November 3, 2026 [1]. Simpson self-describes as an advocate for affordable and accessible healthcare, strong public schools, and the preservation of farmland and rural life [1]. Her platform also emphasizes clean air and water, healthy food, an economy that supports small towns, and government that respects individual freedom [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Ali Simpson for Tennessee Statehouse](http://www.simpson4tn32.com/)","firstname":"Ali","lastname":"Simpson","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"bucdUqjH1g"},"token":"ali_simpson"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"032","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 32","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_032","office":"state_house_032","officedescription":"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.","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":2,"officetitle":"State Representative District 32","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":null,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-06-01","title":"TN SoS \u2014 Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives (2026)","url":"https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/TNHouse_2026.pdf"},"title":"TN House District 32"}