John Rose

John Rose
Birthplace	Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Known for	U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district; 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial candidate
Education	Yale School of Management (MBA, 1982)
Awards	Family Research Council Action award (2026)

John Rose is an American politician, businessman, and farmer serving as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Rose has represented a large swath of middle Tennessee in Congress and has built a reputation centered on his background in agriculture and business. In 2025, he entered the race for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election cycle, positioning himself as a candidate who would bring private-sector experience and a willingness to listen to constituents to the state's highest executive office. His gubernatorial campaign attracted early attention for its substantial fundraising, with Rose reporting more than $6.1 million in campaign contributions by mid-2025. Rose has been a vocal figure in Tennessee politics, commenting on issues ranging from local governance and education to federal policy, and has drawn both support and scrutiny for his outspoken positions on state and local leadership matters. His career has spanned farming, public service in state agricultural policy, and multiple terms in the U.S. Congress.

Early Life

John Rose is from Cookeville, Tennessee, a city in the Upper Cumberland region of the state. He grew up in a rural environment and developed an early connection to agriculture and business, interests that would later define much of his professional and political career. The Upper Cumberland region, known for its farming communities and small-town character, shaped Rose's worldview and his emphasis on rural issues throughout his public life.

Rose's background in farming has been a central element of his public identity. He has frequently referenced his agricultural roots in both his congressional service and his gubernatorial campaign, using his experience as a farmer and businessman to distinguish himself from career politicians.

Education

Rose attended the Yale School of Management, graduating with an MBA as part of the class of 1982. His education at Yale placed him among a cohort of graduates who went on to careers in business, finance, and public service. The combination of an Ivy League business education and deep ties to rural Tennessee agriculture would become a defining feature of Rose's professional profile, allowing him to operate in both corporate and agricultural settings.

Career

Early Career and Agriculture

Before entering politics, John Rose was involved in farming and agribusiness in Tennessee. He has described himself as a farmer and businessman, and his agricultural enterprise in the Cookeville area has been a consistent part of his public biography. Rose also served in a state-level role related to agriculture in Tennessee, gaining experience in agricultural policy and rural economic development before seeking federal office.

His business background has been a recurring theme in his political messaging. In a 2026 interview with the Knoxville News Sentinel, Rose emphasized his business acumen as a distinguishing factor in the Tennessee gubernatorial race, telling the newspaper: "Tennesseans are very concerned about having a governor who will listen to them, who won't just talk at them." This framing positioned Rose as a pragmatic, results-oriented candidate who would bring private-sector sensibilities to state government.

U.S. House of Representatives

John Rose serves as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district, a largely rural district covering a significant portion of middle Tennessee. As a Republican member of Congress, Rose has focused on issues affecting his district, including agriculture, rural infrastructure, education, and federal spending.

Rose has maintained an active presence in his district, regularly appearing at local events and engaging with constituents. In February 2026, he spoke to the Portland Chamber of Commerce at The Farmers Bank in Portland, Tennessee, addressing a range of issues affecting the state. The event drew a substantial crowd, reflecting Rose's ongoing engagement with local business communities during his time in Congress.

During his tenure in Congress, Rose has taken positions on a variety of national and state-level issues. He has been recognized by conservative organizations for his voting record and policy positions. In February 2026, Rose received an award from Family Research Council Action, a conservative advocacy organization, in recognition of his legislative record. The recognition from FRC Action, which scores members of Congress based on their votes on issues such as family policy, religious liberty, and the sanctity of life, placed Rose among the organization's highest-rated members of Congress.

Rose has also been outspoken on matters of local governance in Tennessee. In early 2026, he described local leadership in Memphis as a "disaster" and indicated he had a plan for state control measures following the work of a task force examining local governance issues in the city. His comments, reported by the Daily Memphian, reflected his willingness to weigh in on contentious state-local policy disputes. His remarks on Memphis governance drew attention in the context of his gubernatorial campaign, as the relationship between state government and Tennessee's largest cities has been a recurring political flashpoint.

2026 Tennessee Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2025, John Rose announced his candidacy for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election, seeking to succeed the term-limited incumbent. His entry into the race was accompanied by significant early fundraising success. By July 2025, Rose's campaign reported raising more than $6.1 million, a figure that positioned him as one of the leading candidates in the Republican primary field. The Tennessee Lookout reported the fundraising total, which signaled strong donor support and organizational capacity in the early stages of the campaign.

Rose's gubernatorial campaign has centered on several themes drawn from his background in business and agriculture. In an interview with the Knoxville News Sentinel, Rose described his approach to the race in terms of listening to voters and applying practical business skills to governance. "Tennesseans are very concerned about having a governor who will listen to them, who won't just talk at them," he told the newspaper. The Knoxville News Sentinel characterized his campaign strategy as leveraging his "business acumen to earn votes," a framing that distinguished Rose from other candidates in the Republican field who came from more traditional political backgrounds.

Rose also sat for a video interview with the Knoxville News Sentinel during the same period, in which he discussed his platform and qualifications for the governorship.

The campaign's emphasis on Rose's rural roots and business experience reflected a broader strategy to appeal to Republican primary voters across Tennessee, from rural communities in the Upper Cumberland and West Tennessee to suburban areas around Nashville and Knoxville. Rose's comments on Memphis governance, in which he described local leadership as a "disaster" and proposed state intervention, were seen as part of his effort to establish a strong gubernatorial profile on issues of accountability and governance reform.

Rose's recognition by the Family Research Council Action during the campaign period served a dual purpose, reinforcing his conservative credentials with social conservative voters who play a significant role in Republican primary elections in Tennessee. The award highlighted his congressional voting record on issues prioritized by the organization, including family policy and religious liberty.

As of early 2026, Rose continued to serve in Congress while actively campaigning for the governorship, balancing his legislative duties with a demanding campaign schedule that included appearances across the state, from Portland in Sumner County to events in Knoxville and Memphis-area media markets.

Personal Life

John Rose is based in the Cookeville, Tennessee, area, where he has maintained his farming operations alongside his political career. His ties to the Upper Cumberland region have been a consistent feature of his public identity, and he has frequently emphasized his connection to rural Tennessee in both his congressional service and his gubernatorial campaign.

Rose's background combines an Ivy League education at the Yale School of Management with deep roots in Tennessee agriculture, a combination that has shaped his approach to both business and politics. He has presented himself as a figure who bridges the worlds of high-level business strategy and grassroots rural community engagement.

Recognition

In February 2026, John Rose was recognized by the Family Research Council (FRC) Action for his congressional voting record. The award, announced from Cookeville, Tennessee, highlighted Rose's legislative positions on issues prioritized by the conservative advocacy organization, including family policy, religious liberty, and related social issues. FRC Action regularly scores members of Congress based on their votes on the organization's priority issues, and Rose's recognition indicated a high score on the group's legislative scorecard.

Rose's fundraising performance in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race also attracted attention. His campaign's $6.1 million total, reported by the Tennessee Lookout in July 2025, was noted as a significant early showing in a competitive Republican primary field. The fundraising figure was widely cited in Tennessee political coverage as an indicator of Rose's viability as a top-tier gubernatorial candidate.

His appearances at local business events, such as his February 2026 address to the Portland Chamber of Commerce, have also contributed to his profile as an engaged and accessible representative.

Other Notable Individuals Named John Rose

The name "John Rose" is shared by several notable individuals across different fields. A separate John Rose (Yale School of Management class of 1982) spent decades at McKinsey & Company before leaving in December 2001 to join EMI Music, the music publishing and record company, in a senior leadership role. This John Rose's career trajectory from management consulting to the music industry represented a significant transition that was noted by the Yale School of Management in its alumni profiles.

Additionally, the John Rose Oval in Roseville, Minnesota, is a prominent outdoor ice skating and speed skating venue. In 2025, the facility gained national attention when it was featured in a Honda Olympic advertisement starring American speed skater Jordan Stolz. The commercial, which showcased the Minnesota venue, highlighted the state's deep connection to winter sports and speed skating culture. The John Rose Oval is named for a former mayor of Roseville and is one of the largest outdoor refrigerated ice surfaces in North America.