← Back to Washington County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN House District 7
State House District 7
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 7
About this office
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 — together with the Senate — 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.
Term length: 2 years.
This role calls for
- Integrity — 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.
- Understanding of the constituency — Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents — safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.
- Persuasion — Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.
- Legislative craft — Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.
- Coalition-building — Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Democratic Primary
1 candidate
Sarah Jayne Della Vecchia's biography identifies her as a Democratic primary candidate for Tennessee House District 7, covering Washington County and parts of Johnson City. The record does not document prior legislative service, specific policy drafting experience, or evidence of cross-partisan coalition-building. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or persuasion experience.
Republican Primary
1 candidate
Rebecca Keefauver Alexander's biography shows six generations of local farming roots and a career in sales management, illustrating familiarity with district constituents and persuasive communication skills. Her legislative service on Agriculture, Judiciary, and Transportation committees demonstrates direct experience drafting and amending statutes. She also holds leadership roles within her party caucus and community organizations. Bio does not indicate prior executive administrative experience or specific legal practice experience.
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