TN-06 Republican nominee?
$25.4K
AUG 7, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer U.S. Representative
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age67 years old (Jun 20, 1959)
GenderMale
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LocationTennessee
BackgroundAttorney
EducationB.S., University of Tennessee, 1981
Notable personal detailsWilliam Vanderpool "Van" Hilleary is a Republican politician, attorney, and former U.S. representative from Tennessee who served in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2003. He earned a B.S. from the University of Tennessee (1981) and a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University (1990). He served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force (1982–1984) and later in the Air Force Reserve, and he was the Republican nominee for governor of Tennessee in 2002.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Van Hilleary opposes tax increases, supports spending cuts and deregulation, and favors policies to reduce government size and restore a balanced budget. He says government spending and regulation drive up costs and advocates putting money back in families’ pockets through lower taxes and reduced government intervention.
Healthcare
Van Hilleary has previously called for reform of Tennessee’s TennCare program and described a provider-friendly, reform-oriented approach to state health programs; available sources document calls to reform TennCare but do not provide a clear, detailed modern federal healthcare platform (e.g., stance on the ACA, Medicare for All, or a public option).
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Immigration & Border
The candidate has publicly criticized the Biden administration’s immigration policies and campaigned on supporting stronger border security. Public campaign coverage frames his stance in line with Republican calls for tighter immigration enforcement rather than expansion of asylum or legalization pathways.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Van Hilleary has a pro-restriction record on abortion, having supported federal bans on specific abortion procedures and running as a conservative Republican. His congressional record includes sponsorship/cosponsorship of legislation restricting abortion procedures.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate expresses support for Second Amendment rights and has criticized Democrats for attacking those rights. His campaign messaging emphasizes traditional conservative positions and backing of law-enforcement-friendly policies rather than new gun restrictions.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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