Wikipedia

Monty Fritts

Monty Fritts (born December 10, 1963)[1] is an American politician.[2] A Republican, he represents the 32nd district in the Tennessee House of Representatives.[1]

Monty Fritts
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 32nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 10, 2023
Preceded byKent Calfee
Personal details
Born (1963-12-10) December 10, 1963 (age 62)
Rockwood, Tennessee, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationLiberty University (BS, MA)
University of Tennessee (MBA)

Education

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Fritts graduated from Roane County High School in 1982. He holds a B.S. in Business & Chemistry and a M.A. in Theological Studies from Liberty University. He has an MBA from the University of Tennessee.[1][3][4]

Career

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Fritts is an Army veteran and worked in the nuclear industry.[5]

Political service

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In August 2022, Fritts defeated Teresa Pesterfield Kirkham, Keaton Bowman, Donnie Hall and Randy Childs in the Republican primary election for the 32nd district of the Tennessee House of Representatives.[6] In November 2022, he defeated Jan Hahn in the general election.[7] He succeeded Kent Calfee.

On April 5, 2023, weeks after a deadly school shooting,[which?] he voted to move a bill forward to arm teachers.[8][9]

On April 11, 2024, Fritts was one of only two house members who voted against bills SB 1917 and HB 2041 that would ban marriage between biological first cousins, calling it a Democratic insult to Tennesseans. The bills were subsequently approved by the House and Senate.[10][11][12]

In 2024, Fritts sponsored a state bill (SB2691) banning geoengineering, which was widely criticised[by whom?] as being influenced by the chemtrails conspiracy theory.[13]

In 2025, Fritts authored HJR 51, which encouraged Tennesseans to join in a non-mandatory time of prayer and intermittent fasting from July 1 to July 31 each year to heal society in response to violence, drug addiction, and family breakdowns.[14][15]

On September 8, 2025, Fritts announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election.[16]

Political positions

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Fritts advocates for shrinking state government, cutting spending, and ending "corporate welfare".[5][17][18] He was one of the few Republicans to vote against the private-school voucher program.[5][17][when?]

Fritts criticized state officials for appealing court rulings that could overturn restrictions like the "intent to go armed" law and guns-in-parks prohibition. He supports legal protections for firearms manufacturers to protect them from lawsuits, describing this as a means to boost Tennessee's role as an "arsenal of the Republic".[5][19]

Fritts campaigns against what he describes as "celebrity politicians" and D.C. elites. He promotes "Godly values" and "creationist worldview". He led passage of House Joint Resolution 51 encouraging Tennesseans to join in a time of prayer and intermittent fasting from July 1 to July 31 each year.[12][20][21][14]

In January, 2026, Fritts gained national attention for calling for the execution of the parents of trans children. Fritts stated: "I think that anyone who would try to disfigure a child through hormones or surgery, you might be eligible to capital punishment."[22][23]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Representative Monty Fritts". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Lawrence, Damon (November 10, 2022). "Humbling' win sends Fritts to legislature". The Mountain Press. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ Willett, Hugh (September 28, 2022). "Fritts, Hahn debate before Nov. 8 vote". News-Herald. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Representative Monty Fritts". Tennessee House Republican Caucus. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Stockard, Sam (September 8, 2025). "East Tennessee Republican runs for governor to topple "Nashville establishment" • Tennessee Lookout". Tennessee Lookout. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  6. ↑ "2022 Tennessee State House - District 32 Republican Primary Results". Detroit Free Press. August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2022 Tennessee State House - District 32 Election Results". The Arizona Republic. November 8, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Tennessee Advances Bill to Arm Teachers". US News & World Report. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Tennessee Legislature passes bill to arm teachers despite fierce opposition". The Hill. January 16, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ "Bill that prohibits first cousins marrying each other passes Tennessee General Assembly". WHBQ-TV. April 11, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Tennessee Republicans fight ban on cousins getting married". Newsweek. April 11, 2024.
  12. 1 2 "MONTY FRITTS ANNOUNCES RUN FOR GOVERNOR - Tennessee Today". tennesseetoday.com. September 9, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  13. ↑ Wending, Mike (April 2, 2024). "Tennessee passes 'chemtrail' bill banning airborne chemicals" – via BBC.
  14. 1 2 Burns, Carson (March 21, 2025). "Tennessee House designates July as Month of Prayer and Fasting". Tennessee House Republican Caucus. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Tennessee General Assembly Legislation". wapp.capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  16. ↑ Grace Taylor, Sarah (September 8, 2025). "State Rep. Monty Fritts announces 2026 governor run". Nashville Banner. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Square, Kim Jarrett | The Center (September 8, 2025). "Fritts enters Tennessee governor's race". The Center Square. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  18. ↑ Linton, Larry (December 13, 2025). "Why Tennessee Must Elect Monty Fritts as Governor in 2026: The Only True Conservative Choice Against Establishment Pretenders - Liberty, Leadership and Lies with Larry Linton". libertyleadershipandlies.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  19. ↑ adam.delahoussaye@news-herald.net, Adam Delahoussaye (October 8, 2025). "Fritts focuses on freedom, ending frivolous spending in race for governor". News-Herald. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  20. ↑ Feinberg, Allie. "State Rep. Monty Fritts running for Tennessee governor in 2026". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  21. ↑ TTC (September 8, 2025). ""Liberty & Less Government:" State Representative Monty Fritts Announces Candidacy For Tennessee Governor". Tennessee Conservative. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  22. ↑ Villarreal, Daniel. "GOP candidate calls for executing parents & doctors who help trans kids". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  23. ↑ Hansford, Amelia (January 30, 2026). "GOP candidate for governor of Tennessee wants to execute the parents of trans kids". PinkNews.
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