Richard Briggs is a Republican member of the Tennessee Senate representing District 7, which encompasses part of Knox County, including Knoxville. A retired cardiothoracic surgeon and U.S. Army Colonel, he has over 30 years of military service, including combat tours in Operation Desert Storm , Iraq, and Afghanistan as a trauma surgeon. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and is a member of the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Transportation & Safety Committee.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Earned a B.S. from Transylvania University in Lexington, KY ; M.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine .
• Military and Professional Career: Active-duty U.S. Army physician, rising to full Colonel; practiced as a cardiothoracic surgeon in Knoxville, TN; past President of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine and member of the Tennessee Medical Association Board of Trustees.
• Political Experience:
  • Elected to Knox County Commission in 2008; re-elected in 2010.
  • Elected to Tennessee Senate District 7 in 2014; re-elected in 2018.
  • Senate committee roles include Finance, Transportation, Health, and past Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.