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Mike Croley
Mike Croley (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Tennessee's 6th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Croley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Mike Croley was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2009. He graduated from Ohio County High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 2005 and a graduate degree from Tennessee Technological University in 2020. His career experience includes working as the founder of The Tranquil Path, as a park ranger, and Presidential Management Fellow at NOAA and the U.S. State Department.[1]
Croley has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Tennessee Democratic Party
- Cumberland County Democratic Party
- Veterans for Peace
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- National Parks Conservation Association
- Engaged Mindfulness Institute
Elections
2026
See also: Tennessee's 6th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 6
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 6 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Craig Ballin (D) | ||
 | Lore Bergman (D) | |
 | Mike Croley (D)  | |
 | Dale Braden (R) | |
| Brad Gaines (R) | ||
| Johnny Garrett (R) | ||
| William Hilleary (R) | ||
 | Joe Reid (R) | |
 | Christopher Monday (Independent) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mike Croley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Croley's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Most recently, I worked as a Presidential Management Fellow at NOAA, where I helped lead climate resilience efforts and supported community-centered science. Then, with the stroke of a pen, the program was shut down. My colleagues and I were left without a path forward; not because we failed, but because we refused to play political games.
I’m running for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th District because I’ve seen what happens when no one stands up for working people. I’ve seen the cost of silence. And I’ve had enough. If they won’t fight for us, I will.
I don’t believe power should only flow through two parties. I believe it should flow through people who care. I’m not here to sell you a party line. I’m here to talk about clean water, fair wages, better schools, and protecting the places we love. I was raised in these hills, raised by the values of grit, integrity, and looking out for your neighbor.
That’s what drives me. Not money, not lobbyists, and not ego.
I’m not running to build a career. I’m running to rebuild trust in government and remind folks in TN-6 that this is our seat, not theirs. The federal government has spent the last 18 months training me to be a leader. Please, TN6, put me to work!- I’m running because I’ve seen what happens when no one stands up and fights back. After serving as a Navy veteran, a Tennessee State Park Ranger, and a federal public servant, I watched the government I worked for get gutted by billionaires and cowards. I’m not a polished politician, I’m a problem solver. I stepped up because I couldn’t sit back any longer while working families, teachers, and veterans got left behind.
- My campaign is grounded in common sense and service: protect our environment, legalize marijuana, pay teachers what they’re worth, and stop selling out rural Tennesseans for short-term profit. I’ll fight for fair wages, access to healthcare, and real investment in rural infrastructure, not performative culture wars.
- I’m building a grassroots movement. Not for power, but for people. This campaign is powered by volunteers, small-dollar donors, and folks who believe in truth, transparency, and accountability. I’m not running to come close. I’m running to win, and to give TN-6 a representative who actually works for them. The federal government has invested heavily in training me to be a leader in government. I have worked across many departments and agencies including the Department of State, the National Ocean Service, and the United States Department of Agriculture.
I have family members working in education, I see the daily struggle of teachers and underfunded schools. I’m a disabled veteran who’s navigated the VA system and knows we can do better. I support legalizing marijuana and taxing it substantially to support economic growth. We are farmers in Tennessee and the soil is ripe for change.
He’s been consistent for decades, fighting for working people, calling out corporate greed, and never backing down from a tough truth.
Also, The Life Aquatic is in there too. It’s raw and human. That oddball crew, chasing something bigger than themselves, it’s a fairly apt metaphor for public service. We need leaders who aren’t afraid to be honest, even if it means looking ridiculous in a red beanie sometimes.
I believe you need to have backbone. You should be able to say the hard things, even when it’s uncomfortable. If you’re scared to speak up, you’re in the wrong line of work. Leaders should also know how to shut up and listen. Not every problem needs a speech. Sometimes people just need to know their concerns are being heard and taken seriously.
You don’t run for office to impress people. You run to serve them. That means showing up in your district, being available, and not making folks jump through hoops to get help. It means putting your ego in check, knowing you're not the smartest one in the room, and being willing to learn.
I work hard, I treat people right, and I don’t make promises I can’t keep. That might sound simple, but that kind of consistency is rare in politics. I’m not doing this to build a brand. I’m doing it because it needs to be done.
Second, it’s about solving problems, not scoring political points. We need more public servants, fewer performers. That means doing the work: crafting good legislation, building coalitions, and knowing when to fight and when to negotiate. You don’t have to agree with someone to work with them.
Accountability matters. If I screw up, I’ll own it. If something’s not working, I’ll say so. Too many politicians pretend everything’s fine when it’s clearly not. That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.
Lastly, an elected official should protect the Constitution and defend democracy, even when it’s not politically convenient. If you’re not willing to stand up for the process, the rights of voters, and the basic rules of the game, you don’t belong in office.
I would hope that folks would say, “Mike listened, he showed up, and he never forgot where he came from and who he worked for,” then I’ll know I did my part.
It wasn't until years later that I fully understood what we had witnessed. That memory has always stuck with me, how something so monumental can feel so surreal when you're young.
That early experience grounded me in the value of hard work and craftsmanship. When I turned 19, I joined the Navy, carrying those lessons with me. Both jobs, building homes and serving in uniform, instilled in me discipline, integrity, and the importance of having your team’s back.
Smart, rugged, hates Nazis. Archaeologist with a whip and a doctorate? That’s a solid combo.
The last song that got stuck in my head was “Creep” by Radiohead. It wasn’t random, in that it hit during a five-day meditation retreat. Total silence. No phones, no distractions. Just me, my breath, and somewhere around day three… “I’m a creep... I’m a weirdo...”
At first I was annoyed and couldn't understand why it was so persistent. But then I gave it my attention. That song captured something I think a lot of people feel, like they don’t quite fit. Like the world wasn’t made with them in mind. And it made me think of all the folks who’ve been pushed to the margins or told they don’t belong. That’s who I want to fight for.
So yeah, “Creep” stuck with me, because it reminded me why I’m doing this.
I joined the military to serve, became a park ranger to protect, worked in federal government to improve lives and in each role, I’ve seen firsthand how bureaucracy, politics, or apathy can get in the way of real progress.
It’s frustrating. But it’s also what drives me.
I didn’t walk away. I stepped up.
It’s loud, dynamic, and often chaotic, but that’s part of the beauty. It reflects the real energy and urgency of the country. It was designed for accountability, with short terms and direct elections, and I respect that. It reminds any candidate that they can be replaced if they don't listen to the needs of their people.
The red tape, the committees, the procedures, all of it can slow things down or trip you up if you’re not prepared. Having walked those halls, worked in government, or served in public roles helps you navigate the system more effectively.
Climate change is accelerating and threatening our food, water, and energy security. Meanwhile, corporations and billionaires have bought influence while working people can’t afford healthcare, housing, or higher education.
At some point, it stops being about the people and starts being about power. You’ve got members of Congress missing votes, stalling progress, and clinging to influence they no longer use for good.
This power gives the House a key position in shaping how money moves in this country, and I’ll use it to push for fairness, transparency, and real investment in working families. It’s about choosing people over profits, every single time.
These powers should shine a light on corruption, waste, abuse of power, and threats to our democracy. They’re not for scoring points or making headlines, they’re for restoring public trust and making sure our government serves the people, not itself. When used correctly, investigations are a tool for justice and reform.
I’ve worked the land, served in uniform, and I’ve seen firsthand how federal decisions hit home. I’d also be interested in Oversight, because someone needs to keep the billionaires and bureaucrats honest. My focus would be practical: get things done, protect what matters, and speak up when nobody else will.
I support independent audits, real-time public spending dashboards, and strict penalties for misusing funds. No more black boxes or bloated budgets tucked into bills no one reads. Government should be held to the same standards we hold our families to, don’t spend what you don’t have, and don’t lie about where it went.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
