The race to succeed term-limited Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler has its first two contenders: former Chief Brent Gibson and Chief Deputy Bernie Lyons.
Gibson, a 50-year-old Republican, served the Knox County Sheriff’s Office starting in 1999 before retiring this year.
Lyons, a 66-year-old Republican, started at the department in 1979.
Knox News left a voicemail for Gibson, but he did not call back. Lyons declined to comment to Knox News.
Gibson filed paperwork to appoint a political treasurer and started collecting donations. Lyons has only filed paperwork to appoint a political treasurer.
Spangler, a Republican, was elected in 2018 and 2022, which means he cannot run for the position again.
The primary is in spring 2026 and the general election is in August 2026.
Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.
