Riley Gaines’ father enters Tennessee congressional race
brad Gaines, father of former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley gaines, has announced his candidacy for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District seat in the 2026 election. The seat is currently held by John Rose, who is running for governor. Gaines will compete in the Republican primary against four other candidates, including Tennessee House member Johnny Garrett, former U.S. congressman and Rose’s ex-chief of staff William van Hilleary, Army veteran Ronnie Dale Braden, and businessman Joe Reid. Gaines recently filed paperwork with the federal Election Commission and has a simple campaign website highlighting his background as a football player in high school and at Vanderbilt University, but it does not detail a political platform.
riley Gaines,known for her advocacy against transgender women competing in female sports,has influenced legislation such as Georgia’s Riley Gaines Act,which limits participation and access to gender-designated facilities. In the race for the 6th District,one Democrat and one unaffiliated candidate have also filed to run.
Riley Gaines’ father enters Tennessee congressional race
(The Center Square) – Riley Gaines’ father is entering the political arena with a run for a Tennessee congressional seat.
Brad Gaines is seeking the Sixth District congressional seat, which is currently occupied by John Rose, who is running for governor.
Gaines will face four Republicans in the 2026 primary. Johnny Garrett is a current member of the Tennessee House. William Van Hilleary is a former U.S. congressman who served as Rose’s chief of staff. Ronnie Dale Braden is an Army veteran who has worked in multiple industries. Joe Reid is a Crossville businessman.
Gaines filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission earlier this week and has a one-page website. He touts his history as a football player in high school and at Vanderbilt University. The website does not list a platform.
Riley Gaines is a former University of Kentucky swimmer who competed in the 2022 NCAA Championships in Atlanta.
She lost the competition to a University of Pennsylvania swimmer who previously spent three years on the men’s team. Riley Gaines has lobbied for bills in several states that would prevent transgender females from competing in women’s sports.
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Georgia lawmakers passed the Riley Gaines Act, which bars males and females from competing on teams designated for the opposite gender. It also requires restrooms and changing areas that can be used by more than one student to be limited to one gender.
One Democrat, Mike Croley, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Unaffiliated candidate Christopher Brian Monday has also filed.
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