Tennessee State Representative Mary Littleton (R-Dickson) announced Tuesday that she will retire from public service and not seek reelection in 2026.
“After thoughtful conversations with my family and doctors, I’ve made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from public service at the end of my term,” Littleton, who is 68-years old, said in a statement.
Littleton was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2012.
Since 2019, Littleton has chaired the House Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee which oversees all legislation related to child custody, domestic violence, juvenile crime, foster care and other related topics.
During the most recent legislative session of the General Assembly, 19 out of 23 of bills filed by Littleton went on to pass and become law.
Of those bills, Littleton, upon announcing her retirement, championed HB0501, which creates a 20-member Tennessee Juvenile Justice Review commission to review a sampling of juvenile justice cases and any critical incidents involving juveniles in order to provide the general assembly with legislative or policy changes to improve the system.
Littleton also championed her work while she was a freshman representative to pass one of the nation’s first laws allowing the termination of parental rights when a parent is convicted of sex trafficking their own child.
“It’s been a true blessing to represent Cheatham and Dickson counties and one of the greatest honors of my life to serve. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together to make Tennessee a safer, healthier state for children and families. I look forward to spending more time with my grandchildren and staying connected to the community I love,” Littleton said.
Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Littleton was a member of the Tennessee Republican Party (TNGOP) State Executive Committee from 2002 to 2014, and served as TNGOP’s vice chair from 2010 to 2014.
She has also served as chair of the Dickson County Republican Party.
Littleton won last year’s Republican primary against challenger Justin Spurlock. She went on to easily win reelection against her Democratic opponent Deborah Castle Doyle.
House District 78 covers Cheatham County and part of Dickson County.
Upon finishing the remainder of her term during the upcoming legislative session scheduled to reconvene on January 13, Littleton will retire with having served 14 years in the Tennessee House.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
