Representative Rick Eldridge - Contact Information

Political Career:

• Eldridge previously served as a Hamblen County commissioner for eight years, including two terms as chairman.
• In 2018, he ran for election to the District 10 seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, succeeding Tilman Goins.
• Eldridge secured victory in the Republican primary against Tommy Pedigo and went on to defeat Democrat Barbara Simmons in the general election.
• In 2020, he ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election, securing re-election with 17,133 votes.
• Notably, in August 2021, Eldridge joined all state house Republicans in signing a letter calling for a special session to address schools requiring masks. Governor Bill Lee later issued an executive order allowing parents to opt students out of mask mandates.
• In October 2021, Eldridge voted in favor of a bill allowing partisan elections for school boards, a departure from the traditional nonpartisan approach in Tennessee.
• He also voiced opposition to the state’s new redistricting plan, which would split Hamblen County into District 10 (west) and District 11 (east).
• In 2023, Eldridge supported a resolution to expel Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules—an unprecedented move.

Current Committee Assignments (as of December 2021):

• State Committee (Vice-Chair)
• Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
• Civil Justice Committee
• Corrections Subcommittee
• Naming, Designating, & Private Acts Committee
• Covid-19 Committee of the Third Extraordinary Session

Electoral Record:

• 2018 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10
  • Rick Eldridge: 62.8% of the votes
  • Tommy Pedigo: 37.2% of the votes
• 2018 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10
  • Rick Eldridge: 75.4% of the votes
  • Barbara Simmons: 24.6% of the votes
• 2020 Republican primary: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10
  • Rick Eldridge: Unopposed (100% of the votes)
• 2020 general election: Tennessee House of Representatives, District 10
  • Rick Eldridge: Unopposed (100% of the votes)