{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"ROBERT PEAY JR.","chatgptsummary":"Robert Peay Jr.'s biography shows over two decades of service as Rutherford County Commissioner, including membership on Budget, Finance & Investment and Public Works committees, which aligns with the role's demands for budget literacy and legislative process experience. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior executive management experience or specific policy judgment on land use matters outside committee assignments.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRobert Peay Jr. is the Republican candidate for Rutherford County Commission District 4 in the August 6, 2026 general election, opposing Democrat Will Lehew [2].\n\n## Office history\nPeay has served as the District 4 commissioner since September 2002 [1]. He sits on the commission's Budget, Finance & Investment Committee, Public Safety Committee, and Public Works Committee [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [District 4 Commissioner - Robert Peay, Jr. (Rutherford County, TN)](https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/?SEC=%7BDE3D5C53-D4C5-493C-924F-62B7FD7F076C%7D&Type=B_LIST) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Rutherford County August 6 General Election Candidate List](https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/uploads/dm/79794/August_6_General_Election_Candidate_list.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"ROBERT","lastname":"JR.","middlename":"PEAY","suffix":null,"token":"6Ya4FKVsQW"},"token":"robert_peay_jr"},{"candidatename":"WILL LEHEW","chatgptsummary":"Will Lehew's fifteen-year tenure with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office demonstrates relevant experience in public service and community relations for a county commissioner role. The biography documents no controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate experience in budgeting, legislative drafting, or land use policy within Tennessee county-government law.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWill Lehew is the Democratic candidate for Rutherford County Commission District 4 in the August 6, 2026 general election, opposing incumbent Republican Robert Peay Jr. [3]. His two stated campaign priorities are universal free breakfast and lunch for all Rutherford County Schools students\u2014which he estimates would cost about 1% of the annual budget, or roughly 0.3% after federal USDA programs\u2014and prioritizing county infrastructure to accommodate population growth, favoring \"people over builders\" and building on the Plan Rutherford framework [2]. He also supports reallocating existing county reserves toward resident services such as curbside recycling, trash pickup, parks, and community centers without raising taxes [1].\n\n## Background and education\nLehew is a lifelong Rutherford County resident whose family has roots in the Milton/Halls Hill area dating to about 1830, and he grew up in the Kittrell community [1]. He graduated from Oakland High School in 2001 [1].\n\n## Career\nLehew spent about 15 years with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office in roles including corrections, patrol, field training, and school resource officer duties, then worked in the private sector for roughly a decade before returning to public service at the state level [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [About \u2014 Will Lehew for District 4 County Commission](https://www.lehew4rutherford.com/about) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Rutherford County Commission District 4 \u2014 VOTE411 Voter Guide](https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/candidate-detail.do?id=71987617) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[3] [Rutherford County August 6 General Election Candidate List](https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/uploads/dm/79794/August_6_General_Election_Candidate_list.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"WILL","lastname":"LEHEW","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"PFZty06EQS"},"token":"will_lehew"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_4","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 04"}