{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jesse Chism","chatgptsummary":"Jesse Chism is well-suited for the job of State Representative District 85. He has a strong educational background with a B.A. in Business Administration and a M.Ed. He has experience as an investor and has served on numerous committees, including Education Instruction and Government Operations. His community involvement is extensive, having served as a House member of the 111th through 113th General Assemblies, and holding various roles within the Shelby County Democratic Party and other organizations. His previous experience as a high school teacher and disaster inspector with FEMA also adds to his qualifications. His honors and awards further demonstrate his leadership skills and commitment to public service.","notes":"","party":"Democratic","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJesse Chism is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 85, having assumed office on November 6, 2018 [1][3]. His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 [1]. Chism is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 85 and appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\nAs of May 2026, Chism has not received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations for his campaign [5]. During the previous legislative session, he served on the Education Instruction Committee, Senate Government Operations Committee, and State Government Committee [1]. In recent political developments, Chism opposed the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis without local police command, urging Governor Bill Lee to place the troops under the direction of the local police chief rather than allowing them to operate as an occupying force [6][10].\n\n## Background and education\n\nJesse Chism was born on March 4, 1980, in Memphis, Tennessee [3][4]. He attended Overton High School before pursuing higher education at Morehouse College and Union University [3][8]. Chism earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and economics from Morehouse College between 1998 and 2003 [4]. He subsequently completed a Master of Arts in education at Union University, graduating in 2012 [4].\n\n## Career\n\nBefore entering politics, Chism worked as a high school teacher for Memphis City Schools [4]. He also served as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants [8].\n\nChism earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and economics from Morehouse College between 1998 and 2003 [4]. He later obtained a Master of Arts in education from Union University, completing his studies there between 2010 and 2012 [4].\n\n## Office history\n\nJesse Chism served as a high school teacher for Memphis City Schools prior to his election to public office [4]. He also worked as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants [8].\n\nChism was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2018, assuming office on November 6, 2018, representing District 85 [1][3]. Members of the Tennessee House serve two-year terms [2]. During his tenure, he has been assigned to committees including Education Instruction, Senate Government Operations, State Government, and Government Operations [1]. In September 2025, Chism urged Governor Bill Lee to place National Guard troops deployed to Memphis under the command of the local police chief rather than operating as an occupying force [10].\n\nChism is currently serving his term in office, which ends on November 3, 2026 [1]. He is running for re-election to represent District 85 and appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nJesse Chism has served on the Education Instruction Committee and the State Government Committee during his tenure in the Tennessee House of Representatives [1]. He was also previously assigned to the Senate Government Operations Committee and the Government Operations Committee [1]. As a member of the Democratic Party, Chism represents District 85, which includes parts of Memphis [2].\n\nChism has sponsored legislation focused on public health and criminal justice reform. In collaboration with another lawmaker, he supported measures requiring the Department of Health to make blood lead level tests available to children and pregnant women in Memphis [6]. He also introduced HB0173, a bill that would have required county election commissions to include non-binding questions regarding the legalization of marijuana on the November 2024 ballot [12]. Additionally, Chism sponsored HB0309, which sought to decriminalize the possession of certain amounts of marijuana by classifying it as a civil violation punishable by a fine or community service [12].\n\nOn policy positions, Chism has expressed opposition to the deployment of National Guard troops on Memphis streets without local police command, arguing that such forces should complement rather than occupy local law enforcement [6][10]. His legislative voting record includes support for HB173 (the Sports Gaming Act) and HB563 (the Business Protection Act), while he opposed SB1257/HB1029 (the Human Life Protection Act) and SB1297/HB1151 (regarding single-sex restroom access) [11]. Chism also voted against SB1499/HB1274 (the School Protection Act) and SB1736/HB1689 (regarding single-sex student athletics) [11].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nIn September 2025, Representative Chism publicly opposed the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis, urging Governor Bill Lee to place the forces under the \"direct leadership\" of the local police chief rather than allowing them to operate as an occupying force [10]. This position drew a sharp rebuke from Republican colleagues on the House floor, where jeers and shouts erupted as a resolution honoring the Governor\u2019s deployment moved forward without discussion [6].\n\nRegarding the 2026 redistricting process, Chism rejected the notion that the new maps reflected the \"will of voters,\" stating his disagreement with the outcome amid the release of the new boundaries [7].\n\nChism has faced criticism from conservative advocacy groups for his legislative voting record. The Family Action Council of Tennessee included him on its scorecard, highlighting his opposition to measures such as SB 16/HB 1 (the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act) and SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill) [11]. Additionally, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws noted Chism\u2019s sponsorship of HB0173, which sought to place non-binding questions on marijuana legalization on the November 2024 ballot, and his introduction of HB0309 to decriminalize possession of certain amounts of marijuana [12].\n\nChism has not received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations in recent cycles, a gap noted by the Blue Voter Guide which assists voters in identifying pro-democracy choices [5].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nJesse Chism\u2019s professional background includes work as a former high school teacher for Memphis City Schools [4]. Prior to his political career, he served as the founder and president of C&D Construction Consultants [8]. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Economics from Morehouse College and a Master of Arts in Education from Union University [4].\n\nPublicly available sources do not contain specific details regarding Chism\u2019s personal wealth source, family wealth, ownership stakes in private businesses, or significant financial-disclosure facts. While legislative tracking services note the existence of personal financial disclosures for state representatives [9], the provided materials do not list the contents of these reports or identify specific assets or income sources beyond his role as a legislator and former educator.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Jesse Chism - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jesse_Chism)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 85 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_85)\n[3] [Jesse Chism - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Chism)\n[4] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/182512/jesse-chism)\n[5] [Endorsements for Jesse Chism - Tennessee Democratic Party Candidate](https://bluevoterguide.org/TN/candidate_Jesse_Chism/25533)\n[6] [Jesse Chism - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian](https://dailymemphian.com/index/tag?tag=Jesse+Chism)\n[7] [\u2018Certainly not,\u201d TN Rep. Jesse Chism on will of voters, amid new redistricting maps | WREG.com](https://wreg.com/news/certainly-not-tn-rep-jesse-chism-on-will-of-voters-amid-new-redistricting-maps/)\n[8] [Jesse Chism](https://www.actionnews5.com/story/6845124/jesse-chism/)\n[9] [Tennessee State Rep. Jesse Chism - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/307793/Jesse_Chism.html)\n[10] [Memphis lawmaker asks gov to put Guard under police chief command \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/09/18/memphis-lawmaker-asks-gov-to-put-guard-under-police-chief-command/)\n[11] [Rep. Jesse Chism - Family Action Council of Tennessee](https://scorecard.factennessee.org/representatives/jesse-chism)\n[12] [A - Jesse Chism (D - TN)](https://vote.norml.org/politicians/182512)","firstname":"Jesse","lastname":"Chism","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"FaoDZiQgDC"},"token":"jesse_chism"}],"choices":null,"description":"State Representatives are responsible for representing their district in the Tennessee House of Representatives, participating in legislative sessions, and voting on state laws and policies.","district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"state_representative","o.office":null,"office":"state_house_85","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 with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments.","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","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":1,"referendum":"","source":null,"title":"State Representative District 85"}