Richard Briggs
Tennessee State Senator, District 7 since 2014. Ran in 4 elections between 2014 and 2022, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.
Tennessee State Senator, District 7Born 1952
- In office
- 12 yrs
- Since 2014
- Bills became law
- 63
- 137 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.1%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 95%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +5.4
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2030
- Nov 5, 2030
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- State and Local Government · chair
- Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
- Select Rules
- Transportation and Safety
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Alcoholic Beverages · Became law May 2026
Tourism · Became law May 2026
Open Meetings · Became law May 2026
Workers Compensation · Became law May 2026
Health Care · Became law May 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Briggs sits in the Tennessee State Senate
Briggs is closer to the center than 92% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Page Walley, Todd Gardenhire, Tom Hatcher
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:02 PM ET
With Briggs’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans95%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Tennessee State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Briggs’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Briggs | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 2026 | SB 1493: Computers and Electronic Processing - As enacted, requires TACIR to study artificial… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 26–4 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | HB 1857: Education, Curriculum - As enacted, requires each director of schools for an LEA and each… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 28–5 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | HB 2251: Judges and Chancellors - As enacted, creates a pilot project to provide for criminal… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 28–5 |
| Apr 22, 2026 | HB 555: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, increases from a Class E felony to a Class D felony the… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 26–5 |
| Apr 22, 2026 | HB 2369: Criminal Procedure - As enacted, revises present law that authorizes the attorney general… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 28–4 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Briggs was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tennessee State Senate, District 7 | Won | R+5.4 | R+19.0 | −13.6 |
| 2022 | Tennessee State Senate, District 7 | Won | R+24.7 | R+13.8 | +10.9 |
| 2018 | Tennessee State Senate, District 7 | Won | R+11.1 | — | — |
| 2014 | Tennessee State Senate, District 7 | Won | R+30.5 | — | — |
| 2014 | Tennessee State Senate, District 7 (primary) | Won | +38.8 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Seats Briggs has held
- Tennessee State Senate, District 7 · since 2014
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Briggs has run against
- Bryan Langan (D) · 2026 election, won
- Jamie Ballinger (D) · 2018 election, won
- Cheri K. Siler (D) · 2014 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Briggs
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/9d744074-d7ae-4004-8912-bae320633c46
- Wikidata Q20031580
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET