By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Patrick Smith of Paris announced his candidacy for the newly-drawn 5th Congressional District as a Republican candidate and attended events in Humphreys and Stewart Counties to campaign over the weekend. He already had many supporters in the area.
Smith is a business owner at L.I. Smith of Paris, a professional engineer, professional land surveyor, and employer.
But by Sunday, he was notified by State Republican leaders that he would not be permitted to appear on the Republican ballot.
In the notification, Scott Golden, Chair of the Tennessee Republican Party, said:
“Thanks for your effort and desire to be a candidate for the August primary of 2026. As you are aware, your candidacy was properly challenged and a majority of TNGOP State Executive Committee members from the 5th Congressional District voted to not grant you a waiver at this time. Traditionally, the process would have taken 2 full weeks, but because of the supplemental filing period, this process was compressed into 48 hours.
“I understand that this is not the outcome that you had hoped. However, I would encourage you to be active in Republican Party activities and look forward to seeing you more in the future.
Best,
Scott Golden
Chair, Tennessee Republican Party”
In his letter to the Tennessee State Republican Executive Committee and the Tennessee Republican Party leadership, Smith said:
“I understand there has been a question raised concerning my Republican bona fides. I submit this statement respectfully, professionally, and in good faith so that the committee may review my record directly.
“My Republican affiliation and conservative values are not recent developments or matters of convenience. My public voting history reflects longstanding participation in Republican primaries, and over many years I have actively supported Republican candidates, elected officials, events, and causes through campaign participation, financial contributions, advocacy involvement, and civic engagement.
“Attached are supporting materials that include, among other things:
• Contributions to Republican candidates and officeholders
• Attendance at Republican Party functions and conservative events
• Participation in events supporting President Donald Trump and Republican candidates • Meetings and advocacy efforts involving Republican elected officials • Photographs and documentation reflecting longstanding Republican engagement and involvement
“Included among these materials are photographs from Republican events across West Tennessee and Nashville, documentation of meetings with elected officials, participation in Republican functions, campaign support activities, and even a Henry County Republican Party publication cover photograph reflecting my involvement in local Republican civic activity.”
In a Facebook post announcing that he would not be on the ballot, Smith said, “I am deeply saddened by what this says about the current state of our political process.
“I have voted Republican throughout my adult life, participated in Republican primaries, supported Republican candidates, donated financially, and publicly represented conservative values in both my professional and civic life. To now be told that I am somehow “not a Republican” is difficult to understand and impossible for me to accept quietly.
“I am releasing the materials and documentation I submitted so that the public can review them directly and make their own determination. I believe transparency matters.
“This is not about bitterness. It is about fairness, openness, and whether political participation should be controlled by a small group of individuals behind closed doors.
“I am disappointed, but I am not ashamed that I stepped forward.
“I love this district. I love Tennessee. And I believe voters deserve better than political gatekeeping.
“For now, I am going to take a breath, spend time with people I trust, and continue to conduct myself with dignity and respect — even in disagreement.”