December 11, 2018
By:
Congressman-Elect John Rose (TN-6) has tapped former Congressman Van Hilleary as his chief of staff. Hilleary was asked to lead the new Congressman’s staff as Rose aims to make timely, effective constituent services the cornerstone of his service to the people of Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.
Van Hilleary knows about connecting with constituents; he served as the congressman for Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District from 1995 to 2003. He built a solid conservative record in support of a strong national defense, balanced budgets, tax cuts, business deregulation, the Second Amendment, and rights of the unborn. He left office to run for Governor of Tennessee in 2002 on an education reform and anti-income tax platform, but fell just short in a close race to now former Governor Phil Bredesen.
Congressman-elect Rose, a small businessman and farmer, was a first-time candidate for elective office in 2018. Rose stated, “Having an experienced person like Van Hilleary agree to serve as my chief of staff will greatly benefit me and my constituents from day one. He will bring the Washington know-how to our team, but is not a Washington insider. He is my friend and I could not be more proud to have him on board. Together, we will work to bring the highest level of service to this office so the people I serve are represented in the fullest manner possible.”
State Representative and House Republican Caucus Chairman Cameron Sexton of Crossville added, “As a member of his campaign staff in 2002, I was an up-close witness to then-Congressman Hilleary’s renowned work ethic, knowledge of public policy, and respect for the people of Tennessee. I believe Congressman-elect Rose’s inspired selection of such an experienced and accomplished public servant as his chief of staff will pay dividends for him and the people of Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.”
Also commenting on the selection, State Senator Paul Bailey of Sparta said, “Van Hilleary was a popular and respected congressman in his old congressional district, and a number of those counties are now included in our 6th district. I think he will be a great right hand to Congressman-elect Rose as he seeks to hit the ground running in Washington, while at the same time making sure his constituents’ needs are addressed in an effective and timely manner.”