Nashville Democrat Caleb Hemmer to Leave Tennessee House After Current Term

State Rep. Caleb Hemmer, a Nashville Democrat, has announced that he will not run for reelection in 2026. The lawmaker made the announcement on Monday, Nov. 10, according to the Nashville Scene.

Hemmer told the Nashville Post, a sister publication of the Scene, that growing responsibilities at work and a wish to spend more time with his wife, Lori Hemmer, and their two young children were behind the decision. "I just decided it would be a good time to step back and kind of go back into private life," he said.

He has represented District 59 in the Tennessee House of Representatives since winning the seat in 2022, when he defeated Republican Michelle Foreman by fewer than 1,500 votes. Hemmer is currently vice president of growth at Longevity Health and previously worked as an aide to former Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Looking back on his time in office, Hemmer said he is proudest of legislation he helped pass 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 said.

In a statement posted to his website, Hemmer urged constituents to keep choosing "responsible, thoughtful leaders who prioritize making Tennessee a better place for all, rather than engaging in culture wars or seeking the spotlight." He also asked voters to keep holding elected officials to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, saying leaders should embody the integrity and compassion that define their communities.

Two candidates have since said they plan to seek the seat. Mark Proctor, a Democrat and retired Tennessee Highway Patrol lieutenant colonel, announced his campaign in an interview with the Nashville Banner on Tuesday. In a video posted on social media, he named school safety, education and health care among his top priorities. Hemmer told the Post that Proctor will have his "full support."

On the Republican side, businessman Bill Hancock has also entered the race. Hancock is a strategic account executive at the laboratory informatics company Clinisys and an affiliate broker at Benchmark Realty.

A campaign website for Hancock emphasizes conservative values and lists infrastructure improvements, protections for seniors, a cap on property tax increases, and tougher measures on crime and illegal immigration among his main issues. The site also says the community deserves a representative who can "work with the super majority in the legislature to get bills passed that will benefit all Tennesseans."