Hamilton County’s only Democratic state lawmaker, Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, will run for a fifth term in 2026.
“Driving our state further and further to extremes does nothing to resolve the day-to-day issues of Tennesseans struggling to get ahead,” Hakeem said in a statement. “Since I was elected, I’ve worked to lower the temperature and push back against policies that divide us. I’ll continue that work if the people of District 28 entrust me with another term.”
Hakeem has been an elected official for decades. He was elected to the Chattanooga Public School Board in 1980 and the Chattanooga City Council in 1990. He served as an appointee of former Gov. Phil Bredesen on the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole before running for state office.
Bills sponsored by Hakeem reflect his roots in educational work.