{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"ROMEL MCMURRY","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"ROMEL","lastname":"MCMURRY","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"99fOWXDN3r"},"token":"romel_mcmurry"},{"candidatename":"PAT CLEMENTS","chatgptsummary":"Pat Clements brings a 28-year career in healthcare information technology, demonstrating technical systems integration and security skills relevant to modern county operations. His biography documents no controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county budgeting, legislative drafting, or constituent case-work.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWilliam \"Pat\" Clements is the Democratic nominee for Rutherford County Commission District 19 in the August 6, 2026 county general election, running against independent incumbent Romel McMurry.[2][1] His campaign priorities include growth aligned with infrastructure capacity, quality job creation, affordable housing, environmental protection, education support, transportation solutions, and transparent government.[1] His campaign motto is, \"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.\"[1]\n\n## Background and education\nClements has been a Middle Tennessee resident since 1997 and a Rutherford County resident since 2016.[1]\n\n## Career\nClements has a 28-year career in healthcare information technology, including systems integration and information security, and remains employed full-time in the field.[1]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Pat Clements for Rutherford County Commission 19 \u2014 clements4ruco.com](https://clements4ruco.com/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Election Deadline: Who Qualified for 2026 RuCo Primary \u2014 WGNS Radio](https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/97847/election-deadline-who-qualified-for-2026-ruco-primary) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"PAT","lastname":"CLEMENTS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"8z9bSOQNBt"},"token":"pat_clements"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_19","officedescription":"A county commissioner is a member of the county's legislative body. The commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, authorizes borrowing, and passes county resolutions and ordinances. Commissioners are elected from districts (or at-large seats) to represent constituents on countywide policy.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.\n- Constituent relations in the district \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"rutherford County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/uploads/dm/79850/Sample_Ballot_Rutherford_County_General_Aug_2026.pdf"},"title":"County Commission District 19"}