Former U.S. Representative Van Hilleary, who is running in the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, has entered the first quarter of 2026 with more than $700,000 cash on hand for his congressional bid, new Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show.
According to the FEC report for his campaign committee, Van for Tennessee, Hilleary raised a total of $841,425.53 between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. During the same period, Hilleary’s campaign spent $114,414.35, with $106,100.64 going toward operating expenses and $8,167.61 refunded to individual donors.
After these expenditures, Hilleary’s campaign reported $727,011.18 in cash on hand heading into the new year, with no debts or outstanding loans.
Hilleary (pictured above), who launched his campaign in July 2025, represented Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District from 1995 to 2002. After leaving Congress, he ran for governor of Tennessee but lost to Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen, and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2006.
The former congressman’s fundraising positions him as one of the better-financed candidates in the crowded Republican primary, though he still trails Tennessee House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville), who reported more than $1 million in cash on hand for the same period.
Garrett, who also launched his campaign in July of last year, raised a combined total of $1,190,471.89 between the third and fourth quarters, including $600,000 in candidate loans.
After spending $143,616.17, Garrett’s campaign reported $1,046,855.72 in cash available for the first quarter of 2026.
FEC filings show Hilleary and Garrett are two of seven candidates running in the August 6 Republican primary for the congressional seat.
The 6th Congressional District seat is currently held by U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06), who will not seek reelection as he is running in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race.
Up until last year, Hilleary served as Rose’s chief of staff since 2019.
Among the Republican candidates running for the 6th Congressional District is Brad Gaines, the father of professional athlete and conservative activist Riley Gaines.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Van Hilleary” by Van Hilleary.
