James William Macon III is running as an independent for U.S. Senate in Tennessee in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
Macon describes himself as a business leader and problem-solver, not a career politician. He said on his Civoren candidate questionnaire that he has "spent more than two decades leading complex organizations, managing billion-dollar budgets, delivering measurable results, and bringing people together to solve difficult challenges."
Candidate information
- Name: James William Macon III
- Party: Independent
- Office sought: U.S. Senate - Tennessee
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Experience and public service
Macon's professional background spans media and corporate procurement, according to BallotReady profile data. He worked at CBS News/WBBM Chicago from 2000 to 2001 and as a network video editor at CNN from 2002 to 2004. He served as operations manager at Williams Sonoma from 2006 to 2012.
His later career shifted to medical-device procurement. He held the title of director of indirect sourcing at Wright Medical from 2019 to 2020, then became director of indirect procurement at Stryker Careers. BallotReady lists his Stryker role as current.
Macon also listed employment at Medtronic on his Civoren questionnaire.
On the issues
Campaign finance
Macon said he does not accept contributions or donations. "I believe elected officials should spend more time listening to citizens than dialing for dollars," he said in his Civoren questionnaire response. He said he has emphasized independence from traditional political fundraising and special-interest influence.
Campaign platform
Macon described a broad set of priorities in his questionnaire response. He said his campaign focuses on restoring accountability, strengthening oversight and checks and balances, improving education and healthcare outcomes, supporting economic growth, protecting homeownership, strengthening agriculture, reducing poverty and putting the nation on a path toward long-term fiscal responsibility.
The questionnaire response did not include specific legislative proposals, funding mechanisms or implementation timelines for these priorities.
The race
The other candidates certified for the Tennessee U.S. Senate race, according to BallotReady, are Bill Hagerty (Republican), Marquita Bradshaw (Democratic), Andrew Gerena (Independent), Catherine Barcel Whitson (Independent), David Sutman Jr. (Independent), Jeremy Dean Hearn (Independent), Robert Jones (Independent), Tharon Chandler (Independent) and Yoshi D. Matthews (Independent).
Candidate positions and biographical details are drawn from the candidate's Civoren questionnaire response and BallotReady profile data. The Franklin Beacon did not interview the candidate for this profile.
