In the lead-up to the May 5 Republican Primary in Knox County, one local group—Knox County Conservative Republicans—has thrown its weight behind a slate of candidates. Their endorsements come with a notable condition: recipients must commit to never changing their answers on the group’s survey. It’s a rigid litmus test designed to lock in ideological consistency.

The group’s endorsed candidates include:

• Betsy Henderson for County Mayor
• Brent Gibson for Sheriff
• Justin Cofer, Liz Tombras, Sheri Super, and Barry Beeler for Knox County Commission
• Rhonda Lee for General Sessions Judge
• Laura Ann Eaves and Bill Sofield for School Board

Henderson, Gibson, Cofer, and Tombras each maintain separate campaign treasurers. However, Super, Beeler, Lee, Eaves, and Sofield share the same treasurer: Chrissey Stephens, who also serves as treasurer for the Knox for Liberty organization. This overlap raises questions about coordination and shared infrastructure among these “conservative” efforts.

Notably, the Knox County Conservatives did not endorse in the competitive Trustee race between incumbent Justin Biggs and term-limited Register of Deeds Nick McBride (with Barry Hawkins also in the mix). One might assume a unified conservative front, but campaign finance filings tell a more complicated story.

Trustee Biggs is the most experienced and successful Trustee in Knox County history. Since taking office on September 1, 2022, he has grown the Investment Fund he inherited from $2 million to $50 million today through prudent and effective investing.

Voters should carefully compare Trustee Biggs with his opponents. The term-limited Register of Deeds employed a remote worker from Naples, Florida, as a “systems administrator” from late September 2023, until her early retirement on December 15, 2025. That employee received a significant pay raise to over $86,000 in November 2024. Details of this arrangement were highlighted in this April 9, 2026 post.

I am continuing to pursue open records requests as I investigate further. Notably, in October 2025, the term-limited Register of Deeds also hired the stepson of a Knox County Director. Yet while the local newspaper repeatedly referenced Trustee Biggs hiring three “friends” between April 2025 and early 2026, it has made no mention of the Register of Deeds hiring a Director’s stepson.

Enter the Concerned Constitutional Conservatives PAC, a relatively new player in Knox County registered in the State of Tennessee on October 7, 2016. According to its First Quarter 2026 filing (dated April 8, 2026), the PAC contributed $1,500 each to several candidates:

• Barry Beeler (Commission)
• Rhonda Lee (General Sessions Judge)
• Richie Beeler (for County Clerk)
• term-limited Register of Deeds Nick McBride for Trustee
• Garrett Holt (running against KCCR endorsed Liz Tombras for Commission)

This creates an immediate tension. The PAC is actively funding a challenger to one of the Knox County Conservatives’ own endorsed candidates (Tombras) while boosting others on their slate.

Digging deeper into the PAC’s Annual Year-End Supplemental filing (submitted February 2, 2026) reveals its funding sources in late 2025 and early 2026:

• December 15, 2025: Dwight Disney of Powell — $2,500
• December 15, 2025: Gary Douglas of Outdoor Media — $3,800
• December 15, 2025: Robert Smith of Halls a Life Insurance salesman (noted at the same address as former County Commissioner R. Larry Smith) — $25,000
• December 29, 2025: Doug White Toyota (car dealer) — $10,000
• January 2, 2026: Robert Smith of Halls — another $10,000

Robert Smith stands out. He is the same individual whom Justin Biggs defeated convincingly in the 2018 race for Knox County Commission at Large Seat 11. Now, Smith’s substantial contributions are flowing into a PAC supporting candidates in the current cycle—including some aligned with the broader conservative slate, but notably not endorsing Biggs in the Trustee race.

This situation highlights a broader truth about local politics: Even within the conservative/Republican ecosystem in Knox County, alignments are rarely monolithic. Endorsements from groups like Knox County Conservative Republicans signal priorities and demand loyalty via surveys. Yet independent PACs, funded by local donors with their own histories and interests, can pursue parallel or even conflicting agendas.

Voters heading to the polls on May 5 should look beyond any label. Examine:

• Who shares treasurers and infrastructure?
• Which outside groups or donors are writing big checks?
• How do survey commitments square with actual independence once in office?

In a crowded primary with races for Mayor, Sheriff, Commission, Judge, Trustee, Clerk, and School Board, transparency in funding and endorsements matters more than ever. Knox County voters deserve to know the full picture—not just the slate, but the strings and the separate financial currents flowing beneath the surface.

What do you think? Is this evidence of healthy competition within the Republican Super Majority, or signs of fragmentation that could dilute influence? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to review the full campaign finance disclosures on the Knox County Election Commission website before casting your ballot.

Note: as has been reported extensively by Compass, the daily news paper Knox News and by self concession. My day job is with the Knox County Trustee, in the Tax Relief and Tax Freeze programs.