Who is Charles J. Fleischmann?

Charles Joseph Fleischmann is a United States Representative from Tennessee’s 3rd congressional district, and has been at the position since 2011. 59-year-old Fleischmann is set to contest the Republican primaries for a candidature for re-election to his current post. Sandy Casey has challegened the incumbent Fleischmann, and their GOP primary is scheduled for August 4. The winner of this Republican primary will go on to face Meg Gorman, who does not have any opponent in the Democratic Party primary.

A Manhattan, New York native, Fleischmann has an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in political science. He went on to obtain a Juris Doctor degree in law from University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville. A former president of Chattanooga Bar Association, Fleischmann began his professional career by founding a law firm in 1987 called Fleischmann and Fleischmann. 

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Fleischmann’s political career began in 2010 when he emerged victorious in a Republican primary contested among 11 candidates. He even managed to defeat Robin Smith, who was the former state chair of the Republican Party. He went on to defeat the Democratic Party’s John Wolfe in the general election. Since then, the veteran lawmaker has been able to hold on to his position, winning five elections in the process.

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Fleischmann has been quite vocal regarding his stance on gun control. He opposes gun laws and is of the opinion that carrying a firearm is an American’s “God-given right”. He was also among the 126 Republican members of the house who signed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit that contested the presidential elections of 2020. Fleischmann is currently a member of the United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus and the U.S.-Japan Caucus. A supporter of using nuclear power, Fleischmann is also a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

While the primary is scheduled fo August 4, the general election is set to be held on November 7.