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Eric Stewart comes from a family full of educators, small business owners and community leaders dedicated to public service and giving back.

Stewart, 40, was born, raised, and still lives in Franklin County, in the heart of the 4th Congressional District. His father, Richard, is a former teacher and football coach, and currently serves as the mayor of Franklin County. His mother, Sandra Stewart, is a teacher and middle school principal. The Stewart’s have personal experience with small business as well.

As a young boy, Stewart worked in the family’s small home improvement business, rising early to join his father as they installed heating and air conditioning units. Stewart went on to run his father’s small business, followed by ten years of running his own insurance agency. He recently sold his insurance agency to focus on getting the family home improvement business through a down economy.

In 2002, Stewart unseated a 12-year incumbent on the Franklin County Commission. Always looking for ways to make government run efficiently, Commissioner Stewart asked all county departments to cut ten percent from their proposed budgets. Stewart also pushed for the county commission to cut its own pay by one-third. Stewart fought to lower property taxes for seniors on a fixed income and also fought hard for improvements to the rural roads in Franklin County. When Eric’s father was elected county mayor, Stewart stepped down as commissioner to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Being conservative with tax dollars, Stewart ha opposed tax increases and a state income tax while voting to balance Tennessee’s budget. In the State Senate, Stewart has fought for a variety of tax incentives for small businesses that create new jobs. He has supported measures to require state contractors hire American workers. He has supported tax relief for military families and measures to hold corporations accountable when they hire illegal immigrants. Stewart recently conducted a “Jobs Summit” in his Senate district.

Stewart is a former Rotary officer in the Fayetteville/Lincoln County Rotary Club. He and his family attend Winchester First United Methodist Church. He is a Mason, a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, a former board member of Winchester Little League, a Babe Ruth baseball umpire and team manager.

Stewart attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. He then returned home to Franklin County and began managing his father’s home improvement business.

Stewart is married to the former Judy Holt, a public school teacher in Franklin County. Their two children, Ashley and Holt, attend public schools in Franklin County. The Stewarts are regularly shuttling between baseball, basketball and soccer practices.