Country music artist John Rich announced his endorsement of state Rep. Jody Barrett in the crowded Republican primary to fill Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District seat, joining Barrett at campaign events and promoting the candidate to national allies.
The special election will culminate in an Oct. 7 GOP primary, with the general election set for Dec. 2. Barrett is one of roughly 10 Republicans seeking the nomination to replace former Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green. The 7th District is staunchly Republican — President Donald Trump carried it by more than 20 percentage points in 2024 — making the primary the pivotal contest in the race.
Rich, half of the country duo Big & Rich, said he has known Barrett since they were high school seniors and that the two have worked together on state issues over the last several years, with Barrett operating "on the inside of the political world" and Rich leveraging his public platform. "I've known Jody, believe this or not, since we were seniors in high school together," Rich told Fox News Digital. "We kept in touch, stayed good friends. But in the past four or five years, Jody has been a state rep in Tennessee. And so issues that were happening in Tennessee, Jody and I would join forces, him kind of on the inside of the political world and me standing on the outside with a really big platform and big audience. And we would work together, hand in hand, arm in arm, to make things happen."
Rich said he has also contacted President Trump by text to urge support for Barrett, calling him "one of your guys" and expressing hope that Trump might weigh in on the race, though Rich acknowledged the former president could delay an endorsement until after the primary.
Barrett has aligned with Trump on a broad range of issues but drew attention during a recent debate when he criticized Operation Warp Speed, the Trump-era COVID-19 vaccine initiative. "We have millions of Americans now who are vaccine injured, dealing with the results of this vaccine mandate," Barrett said during the debate, remarks that highlight a divergence from the administration's prior pandemic policy.
Barrett received an early institutional endorsement from the House Freedom Fund, the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus. Allison Weisenberger of the House Freedom Fund said Barrett’s record of conservative leadership and willingness to confront both Democrats and members of his own party aligns with the group's criteria for support.
"Jody Barrett’s strong conservative record of leadership, not only standing up to Democrats, but also his own party when the RINOs get out of line, is exactly what House Freedom Fund looks for in a candidate," Weisenberger told Fox News Digital.
Barrett expressed gratitude for Rich’s backing, calling the musician a "lifelong friend, a proud Tennessean, a country music legend and one of President Trump’s strongest supporters in our state." Barrett said he was "honored" to have Rich’s endorsement.
The primary field includes several state lawmakers and public officials; among those reported to have been invited to a recent Americans for Prosperity Tennessee debate were Barrett, state Reps. Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves, and former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps. With the district's Republican tilt, observers say winning the GOP primary is likely to determine the seat’s next occupant.
Rich praised Barrett’s willingness to challenge Republican leadership when necessary, saying it reflects a conservative principle of accountability. "What I love about real conservatives is we will call out people in our own party if we think they're making a mistake, if they're on the wrong path," Rich said. "Jody has proven that he will stand up for what his people want."
The seat opened after Green, a former member and chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, left Congress, prompting the special election. Campaign activity is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as candidates vie for endorsements, fundraising momentum and visibility ahead of the Oct. 7 primary.
Rich’s involvement underscores a broader trend of high‑profile endorsements in Republican congressional contests, particularly in competitive primaries within solidly partisan districts. Whether national figures, including Trump, will make formal endorsements or remain neutral until nominees emerge could shape the dynamics of the race in the weeks before Tennessee voters head to the polls.