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John S. Wilder

John Shelton Wilder served as lieutenant governor of Tennessee from 1971 to 2007. Wilder is from an affluent Fayette County family with extensive agricultural and agribusiness interests. He and his family were known for fair dealings with African-American farm employees and tenants during the segregation era. He is also a prominent attorney in Somerville, county seat of Fayette County. His law degree is from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. He is a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a member of the former Fayette County Quarterly Court for 18 years.

Wilder was first elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1958, but did not seek reelection in 1960. He returned to the State Senate in 1966 and has served continuously since. He represents Senate District 26, which currently includes Chester, Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, McNairy, and Wayne counties.

Wilder was elected speaker of the State Senate in January 1971. Prior to that time, the General Assembly had never had its own offices, frequently working out of hotel rooms, or its own independent staff. Wilder oversaw a massive building project to correct this and make the legislative branch of State government more co-equal to the Executive and Judicial branches.
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Wilder defied precedent by seeking to serve as lieutenant governor for an extended period. Previously, no one had served more than three consecutive terms as speaker of the Senate since Tennessee's current constitution was adopted in 1870. He faced little opposition during much of his time as speaker, forming a bipartisan coalition that made him the longest-serving freely-elected legislative leaders in the world.

He is a cycling enthusiast and has been a licensed private pilot for over a half century. Occasionally, he still flies himself from Fayette County to Nashville for legislative meetings, a distance of almost 200 miles (320 km).

Contact:
District 26 - Chester, Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman,
Hardin, Haywood, McNairy, and Wayne counties

District Address
4020 Highway 59
Mason, TN 38049
Phone (901) 465-4647
 
Nashville Address
2 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 741-2368
Fax: (615) 253-0211
Staff Contacts: Nova Buker, Christy Montgomery

Email: sen.john.wilder@legislature.state.tn.us