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TN-6 Candidate Johnny Garrett Officially on the Ballot After Filing Nominating Petitions

by | Feb 23, 2026

State Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) said he is officially the first Republican candidate to secure a spot on the primary ballot in the race for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District after having submitted his nominating petitions signed by residents across the district’s 19 counties.

Last Friday, Garrett announced he submitted the required nominating petitions to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office in order to secure his spot on the primary ballot.

“I have officially turned in my nominating petitions to be your next Congressman for the 6th district. I’ve traveled across all 19 counties meeting all the folks in the 6th District, and today I’m the first candidate to return my petition. Come aboard. Learn about what I can do for you to bring a little Tennessee to DC,” Garrett said in a video posted to his social media accounts.

Garrett, who was elected to the Tennessee House in 2018, launched his candidacy for the 6th District in July 2025. The district is currently represented by incumbent U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06), who is running in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election.

Since its launch, Garrett’s campaign has raised over $1.1 million and, as of last month, is sitting on over $1 million cash on hand, according to the latest Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Based on fundraising numbers, the race for the 6th District appears to be shaping up as a two-candidate contest between Garrett and former U.S. Representative Van Hilleary, with both men entering 2026 with substantial cash on hand and significantly outraising the rest of the Republican primary field.

FEC filings show Hilleary entered the first quarter of 2026 with more than $700,000 cash on hand for his congressional bid.

The Republican primary election for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District will be held on August 6.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.

 

 

 

   
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Written By Kaitlin Housler

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