Stacey Campfield

Stacey Campfield
Member of the Tennessee Senate
from the 7th district
In office
January 11, 2011 – January 13, 2015
Preceded byTim Burchett
Succeeded byRichard Briggs
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 18th district
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 11, 2011
Preceded bySteven Buttry
Succeeded bySteve Hall
Personal details
Born (1968-06-08) June 8, 1968
Johnson City, New York, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationBroome Community College (AA)
Excelsior University (AS, BS)
WebsiteHouse website
Senate website

Stacey Campfield (born June 8, 1968) is an American politician. From 2011 to 2015, he served as the Republican member of the Tennessee Senate from the 7th district. Previously, he represented the 18th district in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Campfield was originally elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2004, succeeding Steven Buttry. In 2010, he ran for and won the state senate seat of Tim Burchett, who was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Throughout his tenure, Campfield gained widespread attention for his proposal of conservative legislation, controversial statements, and erratic behavior. In 2014, he was defeated in his primary re-election campaign by Richard Briggs.

Early life, education, and career

Stacey T. Campfield was born on June 8, 1968.[1] Originally from Vestal, New York, he grew up spending summers in Tennessee.[2] He graduated from Vestal High School in 1986.[3] He holds associate degrees from Broome Community College and Regents College and a BS in Management from Regents College.[1] He also attended St. John Fisher University before moving to Knoxville.[4]

Campfield's entry into politics occurred during the 2000 United States presidential election, during which he campaigned for George W. Bush.[2] In 2002, Campfield was one of two men removed from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum after a scuffle relating to a sign Campbell carried mocking Phil Bredesen as the "Tax 'n' Spend Governor."[5] He later worked as Tennessee campaign co-director for the 2012 presidential campaign of Newt Gingrich.[6]

During his time in the General Assembly, he was described as a "real estate re-developer." He has been involved in several organizations including the Young Republicans, the College Republicans, the United Way, and the American Red Cross.[1] Campfield also taught martial arts, including jujutsu, at the University of Tennessee.[2]

Tennessee House of Representatives (2005–2011)

Elections

Campfield was first elected in 2004 to the Tennessee House of Representatives. He represented the 18th district, encompassing parts of Knox County.[7]

During the campaign season for the 2008 elections, Campfield made a public blog post falsely accusing Democrat Roger Byrge, a House of Representatives candidate in the 36th district, of having been arrested on a drug charge — the arrest had actually been made on Byrge's son. After narrowly losing the election to Republican Chad Faulkner,[8] Byrge sued Campfield for libel. Campfield described the lawsuit as "laughable,"[9] explaining that he made the false claims after misunderstanding a hypothetical comment by Glen Casada. In 2013, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, finding that Campfield may have believed the false statement at the time of writing.[10] However, on appeal, the lawsuit was reinstated, with a second judge concluding that, even if he believed the false statement, Campfield still may have recklessly tarnished Byrge's reputation by never attempting to verify the claim before publicly promoting it.[11]

Tenure

In 2007, Campfield sponsored a bill to issue death certificates for aborted fetuses, claiming it would show the number of lives ended by abortion. Tennessee already required abortions to be reported, with the state's Office of Vital Records making the number of abortions publicly available. Democrat Rob Briley criticized the bill as "preposterous" and "a huge waste of taxpayer money."[12]

In 2008, Campfield proposed a bill to ban elementary and middle school teachers from teaching about any "sexual orientation other than heterosexuality,"[13] saying the topic should be left to families. The Tennessee Equality Project opposed the bill, saying while teachers need not advocate for or against homosexuality, they should be able to allow students to debate the issue.[14] The bill ultimately died in committee.[13] The same year, Campfield sponsored bills requiring state colleges to allow employees with handgun permits to carry the weapons on campus and prohibiting colleges from admitting undocumented immigrants.[15]

In 2010, Campfield sponsored a bill to make the names of people with state-issued handgun permits private.[16]

Black Legislative Caucus membership

In 2005, Campfield inquired about joining the Black Legislative Caucus. When rebuffed by chairman Johnny Shaw, Campfield criticized the group's bylaws as racist and suggested they were more discriminatory than those of the Ku Klux Klan.[17] Shaw considered calling a caucus vote on granting Campfield honorary membership without voting rights, but Campfield said he only wanted full membership. In response to the incident, the Nashville Branch of the NAACP called for Campfield's resignation.[18]

Rental properties controversy

In January 2009, four University of Tennessee students renting one of Campfield's properties alleged he slow-walked major repairs to the property and threatened to sue the students if they attempted to leave. When Campbell allegedly failed to return multiple calls from the students, one tenant contacted Knoxville's city codes enforcement office. While investigating the property, the office found 47 code violations, including a basement flooded with water and feces, leaking faucets, inoperable windows, missing gutters, and improper wiring. The office deemed the home "unfit for human habitation." Campfield insisted that he would make all necessary repairs to the property, but also alleged that some problems were the fault of the tenants themselves and that others problems had been exaggerated.[19]

Halloween football game incident

On October 31, 2009, Campfield was escorted out of a Tennessee Volunteers football game. According to reports, a mother filed a complaint after Campfield, wearing a wrestling mask in violation of stadium policy, frightened her two daughters. Campfield agreed to remove the mask when confronted by a deputy; however, he then attempted to enter a section of the stadium different than the one indicated on his ticket. The deputy, believing their interaction had been misinterpreted, questioned Campfield, who allegedly became defensive and argumentative. Ultimately, the deputy and another officer escorted Campfield out.[20]

Tennessee Senate (2011–2015)

Elections

In 2010, Campfield declared his candidacy to represent Tennessee's 7th Senate district, previously held by Tim Burchett and encompassing pieces of Knox County including Fort Sanders, Fourth and Gill, and Downtown Knoxville. During the campaign, he came under fire for having lived with a convicted sex criminal — Campfield stated that he had rented the man a room out of his house before becoming aware of his history, at which point Campfield terminated the arrangement.[4] Campfield won the Republican primary with a plurality of votes,[21] and defeated Democrat Randy Walker in the general election.[22]

In 2014, having drawn criticism from members of his own party, Campfield was challenged in the Republican primary by Knox County Commissioner Richard Briggs. Briggs received public praise from Bill Haslam and significantly outraised Campfield.[23] On August 7, 2014, Briggs handily defeated Campfield by a 38-point margin.[24]

Tenure

In 2011, Campfield proposed legislation requiring that individuals seeking government-related benefits pay for drug tests to confirm eligibility.[25] Later that year, he revived his 2008 bill banning instruction on homosexuality in schools, branded as the "Don't Say Gay" bill,[26][27] which was successfully voted through Senate committee.[28][29] However, the bill was not taken up by the House of Representatives, and Campfield would continue to push similar legislation; his 2013 version of the bill drew a rebuke from the American Civil Liberties Union for an additional provision requiring school nurses and guidance counselors to report gay or questioning students to their parents.[30]

In 2012, Campfield introduced a bill to shift Tennessee from an open primary to a closed primary election system, and requiring voters to affiliate with a party before being eligible to vote in that party's primary. Campfield argued voters often vote in a different party's primary to promote weaker candidates or those aligned more closely to the voter's own party's political positions.[31]

In 2013, Campfield introduced a bill to cut by 30 percent payments made to parents or caretakers of children through Tennessee's Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program if the children fail to meet requirements for grades or attendance, if the children are not enrolled in free tutoring programs, and if the parent refuses to attend parent-teacher conferences or parent counseling.[32] Opponents deemed the legislation the "Starve Our Children" bill,[2] and Campfield postponed proceedings after an organized protest by community activists at the State Capitol.[33]

In 2014, Campfield was among a group of lawmakers considering legislation to cut off water and electricity to facilities run by the National Security Agency and similar entities they accused of unconstitutional spying. Campfield acknowledged the proposal would be unable to significantly impact federal surveillance, but argued it would still be appropriate for the state to refuse to subsidize the agency. At the time, it was not clear if Tennessee had an NSA facility within the state.[34]

Signorile interview and aftermath

In January 2012, following a reintroduction of the "Don't Say Gay" bill, Campfield was interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile. Campfield replied to a question on the history of AIDS: "Most people realize that AIDS came from the homosexual community – it was one guy screwing a monkey, if I recall correctly, and then having sex with men... My understanding is that it is virtually – not completely, but virtually – impossible to contract AIDS through heterosexual sex."[35] PolitiFact described Campfield's characterization of the origin of AIDS as "Pants on Fire!" false.[6]

In the same interview, Campfield described concerns about the bullying of LGBTQ youth as "the biggest lark out there. Tennessee already has anti-bullying laws that cover everyone, and many groups are using 'bullying' to push their social agenda in schools."[35] Later, in the comment sections of news articles reporting his behavior, Campfield compared homosexuality to heroin injection and suggested the reason AIDS rates in Africa were disproportionately high was the popularity of anal sex.[15]

In the aftermath of the incident, Martha Boggs, a Knoxville cafe owner, ordered Campfield out of her restaurant, citing his comments on AIDS and the LGBTQ community.[5][36] Campfield was also criticized by students and alumni of his high school alma mater, who called for him to be removed from the school's Hall of Fame, into which he had been inducted in 2008.[3]

Obamacare Holocaust comparison

On May 5, 2014, Campfield made a blog post comparing mandatory signups under the Affordable Care Act to mandatory "train rides" in Nazi Germany. Campfield was criticized across the political spectrum, including by state party chairs Chris Devaney and Roy Herron,[37] as well as Governor Haslam.[24][38] When confronted, Campfield largely stood by his comparison, but regretted "that some people have missed the point."[39]

Public image

Campfield's time in the legislature was contentious, with the lawmaker often receiving criticism across the political spectrum.[37][38] His behavior and public comments garnered widespread attention, receiving criticism from national figures including comedian Stephen Colbert,[40] filmmaker Del Shores,[41] and entertainers Penn & Teller.[42] During later political runs, he was regarded, among similar characterizations, as a "magnet for controversy."[43][44] Political opponents variously described him as strange or crazy,[17] and as a grandstander more focused on wedge issues than viable legislation.[45] Jesse Fox Mayshark, a contributor to the Metro Pulse, backed these characterizations, branding his interview with Campfield as a "conversation with Knoxville’s weirdest politician." However, he simultaneously described Campfield as genial, engaging, and even-keeled, and he highlighted Campfield's apparent confusion over being singled out as unusual.[42]

In 2014, the Music City Theatre Company, a Nashville-based theatre group, announced the debut of Casey Stampfield: The Musical, a stage production centered on Campfield. Campfield welcomed news of the production, saying, "I’m always for taking a step back and enjoying good political satire."[46]

Post-legislative life

Elections

Campfield has twice run to return to political office. In 2018, he declared his candidacy to succeed Roger Kane to represent the 89th district in the Tennessee House. During the campaign, he posted a campaign video calling out the "fake news" while surrounded by copies of Knoxville News Sentinel newspapers.[47] Campfield ultimately placed third in the election, losing to small business owner Justin Lafferty.[43] In 2026, Campfield declared his candidacy for Tennessee's 5th Senate district, represented by Randy McNally, the retiring Speaker of the Tennessee Senate and Lieutenant Governor.[44] He later withdrew from the race and endorsed former colleague Jimmy Matlock.[48]

Personal life

Campfield is unmarried and has no children.[42] He is a Catholic.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Senators - TN General Assembly". Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brundige, Hayley; Musil, Bradi (February 10, 2014). "Profile: A closer look at Tennessee Sen. Stacey Campfield". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 1 2 Avery, Dan (June 17, 2012). "Students, Alumni Want Sen. Stacey "Don't Say Gay" Campfield Cut From School's Hall Of Fame". Queerty. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. 1 2 Hauge, James (2012). "An Interview with Stacey Campfield". The Volunteer Review. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Lakin, Matt (January 30, 2012). "Bistro at the Bijou owner boots, bans state Sen. Stacey Campfield for AIDS remarks". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  6. 1 2 McMillan, Zack (February 3, 2012). "Knoxville Republican says AIDS came from man having sex with a monkey then with other men". PolitiFact. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ "Representatives - TN General Assembly". Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ "State of Tennessee: November 4, 2008 - General Election" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ Jones, Whitney (April 9, 2013). "Tennessee State Senator Unapologetic in Disposition". WKMS. The Associated Press. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ Schelzig, Erik (April 25, 2013). "Judge dismisses libel case against Sen. Campfield". WRCB. The Associated Press. Retrieved July 7, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ Schelzig, Erik (September 8, 2014). "Appeals court reinstates Campfield defamation suit". Knoxville News Sentinel. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ Schelzig, Erik (February 14, 2007). "Official wants death certificates issued for abortions". The Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. The Associated Press. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. 1 2 "Anti-gay teaching bill is stopped". United Press International. February 20, 2008. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ "Lawmaker Wants 'Gay-Talk' Banned From Classroom". WTVF. February 17, 2008. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Wildsmith, Steve (September 4, 2025). "Hats off to Stacey Campfield's comedic genius". The Daily Times. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Bill to Close Handgun Records Passes House Panel". The Daily News. The Associated Press. April 15, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. 1 2 "White lawmaker excluded from black caucus". NBC News. The Associated Press. September 27, 2005. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ Banks, Danielle (October 3, 2005). "Black Caucus says it may let Campfield in as an honorary member". WATE-TV. Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ Barker, Scott (January 23, 2009). "47 violations found by city". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  20. ↑ Ferrar, Rebecca (November 10, 2009). "State Rep. Campfield escorted from UT game on Halloween". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  21. ↑ Humphrey, Tom (August 6, 2010). "Stacey Campfield Wins Senate District 7 GOP Nomination". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  22. ↑ "State of Tennessee: November 2, 2010 - State General" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ "Most controversial Campfield moments". WBIR. May 19, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. 1 2 Johnson, Lucas L. (Aug 7, 2014). "State Sen. Stacey Campfield loses seat in primary". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  25. ↑ Ahillen, Steve (January 13, 2012). "State senator says price for tests would be low to for benefit recipients". PolitiFact. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ Jones, Lawrence D. (April 27, 2011). "Talks on Homosexuality Not for Classroom, Says 'Don't Say Gay' Bill Author". The Christian Post. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ↑ Shahid, Aliyah (April 22, 2011). "'Don't say gay' bill advances in Tennessee, would ban teachers from discussing homosexuality". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Tennessee Considers Banning Teaching Homosexuality in Elementary Schools". Fox News. April 26, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ↑ Schwartz, Carly (April 22, 2011). "Tennessee 'Don't Say Gay' Bill Advances In State Senate". HuffPost. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ↑ Hampton, Chris (February 1, 2013). ""Protecting" LGBT Youth by Putting Them in Harm's Way". ACLU. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ↑ White, Joe (January 30, 2012). "Lawmaker Wants to Put Squeeze on Open Primaries". WPLN-FM. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  32. ↑ Humphrey, Tom (March 31, 2013). "Bill tying student performance to welfare benefits advancing in Legislature". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  33. ↑ Edwards, David (April 12, 2013). "8-year-old follows Tenn. lawmaker around Capitol until he drops welfare bill". Raw Story. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  34. ↑ Potter, Daniel (January 28, 2014). "Tennessee Lawmakers Look For Ways To Take NSA Down A Peg". WKMS. Nashville Public Radio. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. 1 2 "Stacey Campfield, Tennessee Senator Behind 'Don't Say Gay' Bill, On Bullying, AIDS And Homosexual 'Glorification'". The Huffington Post. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  36. ↑ "Martha Boggs, Tennessee Restaurant Owner Who Kicked Out Senator Stacey Campfield For Anti-Gay Remarks, Describes Encounter". HuffPost. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  37. 1 2 "Stacey Campfield, Tenn. state senator, likens ObamaCare to Holocaust". Fox News. The Associated Press. May 5, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  38. 1 2 "Stacey Campfield, Tenn. state senator, appears to make light of Holocaust remark". Fox News. May 6, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ↑ Sisk, Chas (May 5, 2014). "Campfield regrets comparing Obamacare to Nazi train ride". The Tennessean. Retrieved July 9, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ↑ "TN Sen. Stacey Campfield: Who keeps electing him, and why?". Chattanooga Times Free Press. The Tennessean. February 19, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ↑ "Tenn. Senator: "Don't Say Gay"". The Advocate. April 22, 2011. Archived from the original on April 25, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  42. 1 2 3 Mayshark, Jesse Fox (September 29, 2010). "What the Heck is Wrong With Stacey Campfield?". Metro Pulse. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  43. 1 2 "Controversial ex-lawmaker Stacey Campfield fails in comeback bid". WVLT. August 3, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. 1 2 Friedman, Adam (March 11, 2026). "Tennessee's 2026 candidate lists finalized for state and federal races". Tennessee Lookout. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ↑ Mayshark, Jesse Fox (September 29, 2010). "Is Stacey Campfield Beatable?". Metro Pulse. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  46. ↑ Sisk, Chas (June 10, 2014). "Stacey Campfield musical planned". The Tennessean. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  47. ↑ Whetstone, Tyler (July 27, 2018). "Stacey Campfield cites 'fake news' in campaign ad". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  48. ↑ Delahoussaye, Adam (Mar 16, 2026). "Matlock runs for Senate; Campfield bows out of primary". Loudon County News-Herald. Retrieved July 10, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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