State Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) will not seek reelection in 2026, the lawmaker announced Monday.
Hemmer tells Scene sister publication the Nashville Post his decision not to run again is due to increased work responsibilities and desire to spend more time with his wife Lori Hemmer and their two young children.
“I just decided it would be a good time to step back and kind of go back into private life,” Hemmer says.
Health care executive, former Bredesen aide beats GOP activist Michelle Foreman in District 59
Hemmer has represented District 59 in the Tennessee House of Representatives since his election in 2022, when he beat Republican Michelle Foreman by fewer than 1,500 votes. He currently works as the vice president of growth at Longevity Health and previously served as an aide to former Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Of his time in office, Hemmer says he’s most proud of passing legislation on maternal health, university-sponsored lab schools, affordable housing and children’s mental health.
“Probably what I’m most proud of is just helping people no matter who they are or where they came from,” he says.
“I urge you, my friends and neighbors, to continue electing responsible, thoughtful leaders who prioritize making Tennessee a better place for all, rather than engaging in culture wars or seeking the spotlight,” Hemmer says in a Nov. 10 announcement shared on his website.
“Please keep holding your elected officials to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, as I have strived to do throughout my time in office. Our leaders should embody the integrity and compassion that define our communities.”
Since Hemmer’s announcement on Monday, two candidates have said they plan to run for his seat next year: retired Tennessee Highway Patrol Lt. Col. Mark Proctor, a Democrat, and Republican businessman Bill Hancock.
Proctor announced his election bid in an interview with the Nashville Banner on Tuesday. In a video posted on social media, he listed school safety, education and health care among his top priorities if elected. Hemmer tells the Post that Proctor will be getting his “full support.”
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Republican Hancock is currently a strategic account executive at laboratory informatics agency Clinisys and an affiliate broker at Benchmark Realty.
A campaign website has been posted online for Hancock highlighting conservative values and noting his top issues, including infrastructure improvements, protection of seniors, a cap on property tax increases and crackdowns on crime and illegal immigration.
“Each generation is called to be a bridge builder for the next in line, but sometimes you have to be courageous over comfortable in making tough decisions,” Hancock's website reads. “Our community deserves someone representing them who will not only fight for their values, but who can actually work with the super majority in the legislature to get bills passed that will benefit all Tennesseans. Join our campaign in this mission.”
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
