Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) has endorsed former U.S. Representative Van Hilleary in the upcoming August 6 Republican primary for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.
Hilleary announced Sexton’s endorsement on social media Tuesday, describing it as a “major endorsement” for his campaign.
“Speaker Cameron Sexton has delivered real results for our state. Under his leadership Tennessee has become a model for the rest of the country,” Hilleary wrote. “That is the conservative leadership I will bring to Washington and I am honored to have his friendship and his support behind this campaign.”
MAJOR ENDORSEMENT ALERT
Speaker Cameron Sexton has delivered real results for our state. Under his leadership Tennessee has become a model for the rest of the country.
That is the conservative leadership I will bring to Washington and I am honored to have his friendship and… pic.twitter.com/sp9iWHrGgD
— Van Hilleary for Tennessee (@VanForTN) July 28, 2026
In a video released by the campaign, Sexton said, “I appreciate [Hilleary’s] mentorship and his friendship. Van served our country as a veteran, to help us make sure that we protect the freedom that we so love in our country. He has worked with people, and he has also worked against people like the woke left, and the liberals and progressives.”
“So if you want someone who’s gonna fight along with President Trump against the woke left, I hope you support Van Hilleary,” Sexton added.
The endorsement comes as the race for the 6th District has become a contest of campaign resources. According to the latest Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings covering activity through July 17, Hilleary’s campaign reported raising more than $1.55 million, spending approximately $929,934, and entering the final stretch of the race with $622,495 cash on hand and no outstanding campaign debt.
Garrett’s campaign reported $2.38 million in total receipts, a figure that includes a $1.2 million personal loan Garrett made to his campaign. Excluding that loan, Garrett raised approximately $1.18 million in contributions, spent about $2.09 million, reported $287,585 cash on hand, and listed $1.2 million in outstanding debt stemming from the candidate loan.
Sexton’s endorsement also comes as Hilleary’s campaign faces criticism over an attack advertisement that uses AI-generated imagery to depict opponent State Rep. Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) in fabricated scenes, including appearing at what resembled a gay pride parade, posing with drag queens, and meeting with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11).
During Monday’s edition of Nashville’s Morning News with Dan Mandis, host Dan Mandis, who resides in the 6th District, announced that the advertisement had cost Hilleary his vote in the Republican primary.
“I will tell you I’m not going to be voting for Van Hilleary based on this ad because I think that it is so incredibly deceitful,” Mandis said during an interview with Garrett.
Garrett rejected the advertisement’s portrayal, pointing to his legislative record and endorsements from conservatives, including women’s sports activist Riley Gaines, arguing they were inconsistent with the claims made in the commercial.
The Hilleary advertisement did not include a disclaimer identifying its imagery as AI-generated or synthetic, prompting questions over whether Tennessee’s recently enacted “Transparency for Deepfakes in Political Advertising Act” applies to federal campaigns.
Garrett’s campaign has also released an advertisement incorporating AI-generated imagery depicting Hilleary, though Garrett argued the claims in his campaign’s advertisement were based on Hilleary’s public record rather than fabricated events.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Image “Cam Sexton Endorses Van Hilleary” by Van Hilleary.
