{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Drew Kyker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Drew","lastname":"Kyker","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gOnp7U9e9v"},"token":"drew_kyker"},{"candidatename":"Marcus Glen Whaley","chatgptsummary":"Marcus Whaley's biography shows selection by party members to fill a vacant Sevier County Commission seat and ownership of an engineering and surveying firm. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior experience with county budget approval, legislative drafting, or state-mandated continuing education.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMarcus Whaley is the Republican nominee for Sevier County Commission, District 7, Seat A, on the August 6, 2026 general-election ballot, where he faces independent candidate Drew Kyker [1]. He became the nominee after winning a Sevier County Republican Party caucus called to replace Commissioner Ronnie Wade Allen, who had won the May primary but died; 34 party members attended, and Whaley was selected on the first ballot [1].\n\n## Career and business interests\nWhaley owns WC Whaley Engineering and Surveying [1]. He said he had considered running for the commission previously but had not wanted to run against Allen, and decided to seek the seat once it was vacant [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Whaley wins GOP caucus for 7th District - The Mountain Press](https://www.themountainpress.com/news/whaley-wins-gop-caucus-for-7th-district/article_284c7c21-5a6d-535f-9962-fd52b1ccf949.html) - accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"Marcus","lastname":"Whaley","middlename":"Glen","suffix":null,"token":"7XgfQT1SSe"},"token":"marcus_glen_whaley"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_7","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":"sevier County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.seviercountytn.gov/August%202026%20Gen.pdf"},"title":"County Commissioner District 7, Seat A"}