← Back to White County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for TN House District 43
State House District 43
primary - Partisan - State Representative District 43
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
Samantha Petit's biography shows over twenty years as a healthcare professional and small-business owner in Warren County, demonstrating local roots and familiarity with constituent economic and health concerns. She has no prior elected office history or documented disciplinary record. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or coalition-building experience.
Republican Primary
2 candidates
Paul Sherrell's biography shows over a decade of legislative service, committee assignments in health and transportation, and leadership roles relevant to constituent understanding and legislative craft. In 2023, he faced criticism for suggesting execution by hanging during a debate on lethal injection methods, an incident that drew calls for his resignation before he issued an apology. Bio does not indicate prior experience as a lobbyist or experience with major cross-partisan coalition-building efforts beyond party leadership.
DeWayne Howard's biography confirms his candidacy for Tennessee House District 43 and notes his filing to appear on the general election ballot following the 2026 primary. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate legislative craft experience or coalition-building experience.
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