State Representative, 97th District · Tennessee 2026 General Election

Jesse Huseth

Democratic

Memphis

The gist

Proposes ending vouchers to fund statewide pre-K
Supports raising educator salaries
Supports expanding Medicaid
Proposes state funding for a Shelby County crime lab
Supports repealing permitless carry and secure gun storage rules

More about Jesse

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Proposes ending vouchers to fund statewide pre-K
Policies — Jesse Huseth for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of Jesse Huseth · jessefor97.com
“We should dissolve this program but earmark these dollars to fully fund Pre-K education across the state.”
Supports raising educator salaries
Policies — Jesse Huseth for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of Jesse Huseth · jessefor97.com
“We need to increase salaries for our educators.”
Supports expanding Medicaid
Policies — Jesse Huseth for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of Jesse Huseth · jessefor97.com
“Firstly, we need to expand Medicaid.”
Proposes state funding for a Shelby County crime lab
Policies — Jesse Huseth for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of Jesse Huseth · jessefor97.com
“Shelby County should have its own crime lab, and it will be my first priority to get the state to help fund it.”
Supports repealing permitless carry and secure gun storage rules
Policies — Jesse Huseth for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of Jesse Huseth · jessefor97.com
“we need to repeal permit-less carry”

John Gillespie

RepublicanIncumbent

State representative; nonprofit development · Memphis

The gist

Sponsored Truth in Sentencing law for violent felons
Sponsored law limiting release without bail in violent felony casesIn office
Sponsored law letting courts weigh juvenile records in bond decisionsIn office
Sponsored law requiring DNA samples within 30 days of sentencingIn office
Sponsored bill allowing a higher county sales tax for jailsIn office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about John

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Sponsored Truth in Sentencing law for violent felons
About — John Gillespie for Tennessee House District 97
Campaign website · Friends of John Gillespie · repjohngillespie.com
“He was a sponsor of Tennessee’s “Truth in Sentencing” law requiring violent felons to serve their entire prison sentence.”
Sponsored law limiting release without bail in violent felony cases
Legislation sponsored by Representative John Gillespie, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: HB0033 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“establishes a presumption that a defendant should not be released on the defendant’s personal recognizance if the defendant is charged with a felony offense”
Sponsored law letting courts weigh juvenile records in bond decisions
Legislation sponsored by Representative John Gillespie, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: HB0034 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“permits a court to use juvenile court records, including the disposition and evidence, in pretrial reports used to set bond”
Sponsored law requiring DNA samples within 30 days of sentencing
Legislation sponsored by Representative John Gillespie, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: HB0341 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“requires collection of a biological specimen from certain convicted offenders to be collected within 30 days of sentencing”
Sponsored bill allowing a higher county sales tax for jails
Legislation sponsored by Representative John Gillespie, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: HB0308 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“authorizes certain counties to levy a local option sales tax at the rate of 3.75 percent, instead of a maximum of 2.75 percent”