This story is exclusive to subscribers.

Opinion: Chattanooga Free Press endorses Gary Kuehn for Hamilton County Board of Education, District 9

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Hamilton County School Board member Gary Kuehn speaks during a meeting on Thursday, January 18, 2024. Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Hamilton County School Board member Gary Kuehn speaks during a meeting on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

By Clint Cooper July 13, 2026 2 min read

Editor’s note: Read all Free Press endorsements for the Hamilton County Board of Education in the Aug. 6 election here.

Voters will elect four Hamilton County Board of Education members in the county general election on Aug. 6.

The board seat in District 5 was settled in the May primary, when Thessela White won.

Early voting starts Friday and runs through Aug. 1.

Gary Kuehn for District 9

Clint Cooper

Clint Cooper is the Free Press editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, representing the conservative side of the newspaper's opinion section. Previously he worked as the religion editor, assistant sports editor and Metro and Lifestyles staff writer for the newspaper. Clint has received numerous honors over the years for his writing and design including first place awards for Best Editorials and Best Single Editorial from the Tennessee Press Association. The Chattanooga native is a cum laude graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in mass communications and did postgraduate work there in secondary education. Clint and his wife, Donna, have one adult son, Patrick. Contact Clint at 423-757-6497 or ccooper@timesfreepress.com. You may friend him on Facebook.

Contact Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6497.