{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Renea Jones","chatgptsummary":"Renea Jones brings a decade of local business ownership and farming experience to District 4, alongside prior service on a school board where she noted success in uniting people and brokering compromises. Her background as a native East Tennessean suggests familiarity with rural economic needs and constituent concerns. Bio does not indicate prior legislative drafting experience or direct coalition-building experience across partisan lines.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nRenea Jones is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 4, which encompasses all of Unicoi County and part of Carter County [1][2]. She assumed office on November 5, 2024, succeeding John Holsclaw Jr., and her current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1][4][8].\n\nJones announced her bid for re-election in December 2025, stating that her decision was driven by a desire to continue supporting rural communities, strengthening the local economy, and assisting families recovering from Hurricane Helene [5][14]. She qualified for the ballot with a filing deadline of March 10, 2026 [3]. Jones is listed on the ballot for the Republican primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nRenea Jones was born on November 8, 1966 [4]. She is a native of Tennessee who was raised in East Tennessee [8]. Jones self-describes as a home-grown Tennessean and states that her Christian faith is the foundation for her principles [6].\n\nJones earned both a Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Science and a Master of Science in Crop Science from North Carolina State University [7].\n\n## Career\n\nRenea Jones is a native Tennessean who has worked as a business owner and farmer [1]. She served as the President of Jones & Church Farms in Unicoi, a legacy agricultural business founded in 1975 that delivers farm-fresh tomatoes to supermarkets and restaurants across the nation [6]. Jones describes herself as having balanced the challenges of farming, running a business, and raising a family [6].\n\nJones holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Science and a Master of Science in Crop Science, both from North Carolina State University [7]. Prior to her legislative service, she also served on a school board, where she noted her ability to unite people and work out compromises [11].\n\n## Office history\n\nRenea Jones served on a local school board prior to her state legislative career [11]. She previously considered running for the Tennessee House of Representatives seat in District 4 approximately a decade before her successful bid, but family needs prevented her from doing so at that time [11].\n\nJones declared her candidacy for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 4 on January 12, 2024, seeking to replace outgoing Representative John Holsclaw Jr. [10]. She won the general election and assumed office on November 5, 2024 [1]. Her first term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 [1]. As a member of the Tennessee House, she represents District 4, which includes all of Unicoi County and part of Carter County [5].\n\nJones announced her bid for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 4 on December 12, 2025 [14]. She is listed as a candidate in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nRenea Jones assumed office in the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 4 on November 5, 2024 [1][8]. Her legislative tenure includes voting in favor of Senate Bill 263, which bans state and local government entities from enforcing or recognizing mandates from international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations [12]. She also supported Senate Bill 207, legislation that established a $25 million Farmland Preservation Fund managed by the Department of Agriculture [12]. Additionally, Jones voted for House Bill 1237, which prohibits state regulatory and healing organizations from requiring race-based membership [12].\n\nJones has self-described her policy priorities as focusing on rural community support, local economic strengthening, and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene [5][14]. She advocates for continued funding of the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center in Carter County to address drug-related issues through skill-building and rehabilitation programs [9]. Her voting record aligns with conservative principles, earning her an 88% lifetime rating from CPAC [13]. While specific committee assignments are not detailed in the provided sources, she is listed as a member of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus [7].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nJones self-describes as a farmer and business owner with a background in horticulture and crop science, holding both a B.S. and an M.S. from North Carolina State University [7]. She served as the president of Jones & Church Farms, a legacy agricultural business founded in 1975 that she co-owned with her husband, Church [4][6]. The farm was located in Unicoi County and was known for delivering premium tomatoes to supermarkets and restaurants nationwide [6].\n\nJones is identified as the former owner of Jones & Church Farms, indicating she has since sold or divested her ownership stake in the business [5][14]. Her campaign materials highlight this experience in farming and small business management as part of her professional background [11]. Specific details regarding the date of sale, current financial holdings, or personal wealth sources are not provided in the available records.\n\n## Family\n\nRenea Jones is a lifelong East Tennessean who balances her legislative service with farming and business ownership [6]. She is the former owner of Jones & Church Farms in Unicoi, a legacy business founded in 1975 that delivers farm-fresh produce to supermarkets and restaurants nationwide [6][14].\n\nJones has two children and two grandchildren [7]. Her campaign materials state that she enjoys spending time with her family when she is not at the farm or in the office [6].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Renea Jones - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Renea_Jones)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 4 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_4)\n[3] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n[4] [Renea Jones - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renea_Jones)\n[5] [TN Rep. Renea Jones to run for second term in District 4 - Electric 94.9](https://www.electric949.com/tn-rep-renea-jones-to-run-for-second-term-in-district-4/)\n[6] [Vote Renea Jones | About](https://reneajones.com/about/)\n[7] [Representative Renea Jones \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-renea-jones/)\n[8] [contact Representative Renea Jones](https://sengov.com/states/tennessee/renea-jones/)\n[9] [Vote Renea Jones | On the Issues](https://reneajones.com/on-the-issues/)\n[10] [Unicoi County Republican Renea Jones declares candidacy for Tennessee State Representative in the 4th District | Elizabethton Star](https://elizabethton.com/2024/01/12/unicoi-county-republican-renea-jones-declares-candidacy-for-tennessee-state-representative-in-the-4th-district/)\n[11] [Renea Jones vying for Tennessee 4th District House seat | WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/renea-jones-vying-for-tennessee-4th-district-house-seat/amp/)\n[12] [Renea Jones | House | Freedom Index](https://freedomindex.us/legislator/11062)\n[13] [Renea Jones \u2014 State Representative from Tennessee \u2014 88% Lifetime CPAC Rating](https://www.cpac.org/bio/tn-renea-jones)\n[14] [State Rep. Renea Jones seeks re-election to TN House | Elizabethton Star](https://elizabethton.com/2025/12/12/state-rep-renea-jones-seeks-re-election-to-tn-house-2/)","firstname":"Renea","lastname":"Jones","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"nMAObb2QSh"},"token":"renea_jones"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"004","districtgroup":"state_house","districtgroupname":"State House","districtname":"District 4","job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house_004","office":"state_house_004","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 4","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 4"}