Darden Copeland is a husband, father, brother, business owner and entrepreneur who believes the current political system is broken, and families across middle Tennessee deserve better. 

A public school kid with working class roots, Darden is no stranger to hard work. His father started an industrial uniform company where Darden worked every summer and each day after school. He was fired three times, but was always hired back before breakfast the next morning. Student loans and multiple jobs got Darden through the University of Richmond, and into a career in political campaigns and business.

“As a kid, when times got tough, we were fortunate to have a safety net. My mom worked 40-plus hours on the overnight shift at the local factory so we could have health benefits. I tripled my student loan debt and held four jobs each semester in college. My sister joined the Air Force so she could go to college, and my brother joined a labor union (UFCW). And my parents spoiled us with unconditional love.”

Watching Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and the $10 billion ripped from NPR / CPB pass the House by one and two votes, respectively, was the impetus for jumping in the race.

“Mark Green forgot where he came from, he lost sight of what’s most important, and that’s true for too many politicians. They are abandoning the middle class, and serving the billionaires, bigots, and bullies. We’re adding trillions to our national debt, while cutting the safety nets so many of us depend on - expanded Medicaid, Medicare, affordable healthcare premiums, student loans, food assistance.”

“I have never forgotten where I come from and it’s why I have built a career working to protect the working and middle class, and I want to take the same experience to Washington.” Darden says.

Darden spent his early career working to elect common-sense Democrats across the country, leaders like Beyer, Gephardt, Kennedy, Gore, Lieberman, Kaine, Warner, Kerry, Edwards, Salazar among others. Stepping away from electoral politics in 2005, Darden began his career in public affairs and entrepreneurship, where he built the nationally recognized public affairs firm, Calvert Street Group.

Darden has achieved results for clients and communities across North America –winning approvals to build solar farms, affordable housing, rural hospitals, memory care and recovery facilities, grocery stores, critical infrastructure projects and dedicated funding for mass transit, among other projects. He knows how to win in both Republican and Democratic districts and that is one of the reasons why he is the best Democratic candidate to win this upcoming special election. 

Darden lives in Nashville with his wife Natalie, two children, and their rescue dog, Kathy.