COCKE COUNTY, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – After more than a decade and a half in the Tennessee General Assembly, State Representative Jeremy Faison is ending his tenure representing District 11, saying it is time for new leadership and fresh ideas.
Faison, a Cocke County native, has represented District 11 since 2011. The district includes Cocke, Jefferson and Hamblen counties. During his time in office, he served as House Republican Caucus chairman and became one of the most recognizable political figures in East Tennessee.
Faison said his decision to enter politics came from a desire to represent everyday citizens.
“I looked at my wife one night and said, ‘Honey, I think I want to get in politics,’” Faison recalled.
At the time, he had no political experience. He said he believed ordinary people needed stronger representation in government.
“The more I watched, the more I thought, I want somebody who’s just a common human being, that’s a hard worker, to get in there and speak on my behalf, and who better than me?” he said.
Throughout his legislative career, Faison played a role in helping communities respond to some of East Tennessee’s most difficult moments.
He pointed to the devastating 2016 Sevier County wildfires as one of the defining events of his time in office.
“In the middle of that, you can’t see any daylight hardly,” Faison said. “But when you step back and kind of debrief after the tragedy is done, you’re like, ‘Oh wow, that was good. We learned from here. We can do better here.’”
Years later, he faced another major challenge when Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to parts of East Tennessee.
“That was the single most devastating thing I’d ever seen,” Faison said. “We went to bed one night, come up the next day, and entire properties are gone. People are dead. Livestock is dead. It was total carnage and devastation.”
Despite the destruction, Faison said the response from volunteers, churches and neighbors demonstrated the strength of Appalachian communities.
“The floods came and destroyed a lot, but the love that came in after brought a lot more goodness and hope than the flood took away,” he said.
As he leaves office, Faison said he wishes he could have done more to reduce the size of government, but he believes elected officials should know when it is time to step aside.
“Politicians should not look at a position as a career or their life,” Faison said. “I think it’s important to get in, do what you can do, try to make a difference and then step away. Let somebody else with fresh ideas.”
His successor will be Kenny Cody, who previously served as Faison’s campaign manager during his 2018 reelection campaign.
Looking back, Faison said the accomplishment he is most proud of is not tied to legislation or political victories.
“For me, the most important thing I’ve accomplished is that my children saw a dad who didn’t get caught up in foolishness,” he said. “Saw a dad who loved their mama. And my wife saw a man who came home to her.”
Faison plans to continue operating his business in Cocke County and says he hopes to use the leadership lessons he learned in Nashville to advise leaders around the country.
