Richard Briggs

Richard Briggs is an American politician and retired U.S. Army colonel serving as a member of the Tennessee Senate for the 7th district. A cardiothoracic surgeon by profession, he served in Operation Desert Storm and later in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the state legislature, he has chaired the Senate State and Local Government Committee and advocated for medical exceptions in abortion laws. Known for his moderate stances, he notably declined to support efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results and has worked to reform school library book-ban legislation.