State Executive Committeewoman District 5 in Tennessee State Senate District 5, Tennessee

2026 Primary Election

• Anne Backus — Retired project manager in Oak Ridge, TN

  Anne Backus, born in Pensacola, Florida, earned an industrial engineering degree from Mississippi State University. She worked 33 years as a project manager at the Y-12 Plant in Anderson County, retiring in 2014. A mother and grandmother, Backus volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), tutors math, and founded PFLAG’s Oak Ridge Chapter, also a member of the NAACP. Running for Tennessee House District 33, she seeks to amplify community voices. Her priorities include supporting public schools, common-sense gun safety, and universal healthcare, including women's reproductive care. She advocates for equality for all, leveraging her project management experience to address constituent concerns.

• Sherri Garrett — Candidate for State Executive Committeewoman in Powell, TN

  Sherri Garrett is a Republican candidate for State Executive Committeewoman for Tennessee's 5th Senate District, encompassing Loudon, Anderson, and Knox counties. She filed her petition for the August 6, 2026 primary election from Knox County and resides in Powell. Garrett emphasizes the importance of the State Executive Committee in guiding the Tennessee Republican Party and connecting with voters. She advocates for accessible, accountable party leadership grounded in conservative principles such as limited government, personal responsibility, fiscal discipline, strong families, parental rights, public safety, election integrity, and respect for the Constitution. She urges Republican voters to be informed, engaged, and actively participate in the electoral process.

• Amy Poteet — President of Republican Women (Anderson County) in Anderson, TN

  Amy Poteet is a lifelong Republican, a dedicated wife, and mother of two adult daughters. She is an active figure in the Tennessee Republican Party, currently serving as the president of Republican Women in Anderson County. Poteet is campaigning for the State Executive Committeewoman position for the 5th Senate District, which includes Loudon, Anderson, and Knox counties, in the 2026 primary election. She officially filed her petition for this state-level position in January 2026.