State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) confirmed Wednesday he is not ruling out the possibility of launching a bid for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District is currently represented by incumbent U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07), who, on Monday, announced he will retire from Congress and take a position in the private sector after the U.S. House of Representatives passes the budget reconciliation package.
Barrett praised Green for his “conservative leadership and principled service” and emphasized that the congressman’s successor must share the same “passion” and “commitment to rural, conservative Tennessee values” as he has.
Some are jumping at the opportunity of advancing their political career before this seat is even officially vacant. Others are eager to get back in the game. It has been an honor and privilege serving the 69th State House District. I enjoy the work and love the people I… pic.twitter.com/kHg4BjkxqI
— State Rep. Jody Barrett (TN69) (@Jodyforstaterep) June 11, 2025
The state representative addressed the “outpouring of support and encouragement” he has received urging him to launch a bid to fill Green’s seat, saying if he were to run for Congress, it would stem from a “sense of calling and purpose.”
He added, “Now is not the time to act out of impulse or self-interest.”
Barrett said he “consistently expressed” that he doesn’t have a “burning desire to climb any political ladder or chase the proverbial next step.”
“I entered public service because I was frustrated with the status quo and felt called to do something about it. If I were to run for Congress, it would only be out of that same sense of calling and purpose,” the state representative explained.
Barrett stated he will “continue to listen, pray, and seek direction about what is best for my family and the people of western Middle Tennessee.”
“Now is not the time to act out of impulse or self-interest. It’s a time for discernment,” he noted.
Barrett’s statement comes one day after Tennessee Department of General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps officially announced he will seek Green’s seat.
Other potential candidates who may seek Green’s seat include former State Representative Brandon Ogles and State Senators Bill Powers (R-Clarksville) and Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield).
Last year, when Green initially announced his retirement from Congress before reconsidering his decision, four possible Republican candidates—Dr. Omar Hamada, Robby Starbuck, Jeff Beierlein, and Roberts—expressed an interest in representing the 7th Congressional District at the time to The Tennessee Star.
A special election to fill the U.S. House seat will be called by Governor Bill Lee, with a primary election likely to occur within 90 days of the vacancy, followed by a general election shortly after.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Jody Barrett” by Jody Barrett Tennessee State Representative.
The only candidate listed in this article worth replacing Green is Rep. Barrett