Circuit Court Judge Neil Thomas has endorsed Kyle Hedrick as his successor in District IV of Circuit Court.
Judge Hedrick, who was appointed the fill the unexpired term of Judge Thomas, also received the endorsement of other judges.
Judge Hedrick will be on the May 1 ballot.
Catherine White has qualified to run. Joe Degaetano has picked up papers.
Judicial endorsements for Kyle Hedrick include:
Judge William M. (Mickey) Barker – Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, retired
Judge William L. (Chink) Brown - Circuit Court Judge Division IV. retired
Judge Jacqueline Schulten Bolton - Circuit Court Judge Division I, retired
Judge Howell N. Peoples – Chancellor of the Chancery Court, retired
Judge Walter F. Williams – Chattanooga City Court Judge, retired
Judge Hedrick said, “I am absolutely overwhelmed. First, to receive the full confidence of the governor in being appointed as the newest judge in Hamilton County; and now to receive endorsements from the amazing judges in front of whom I practiced most of my professional life -this is quite simply the greatest honor of my legal career.
“The endorsement given to me by all of these judges, and their trust in my ability is truly humbling -and is so very much appreciated.
“I now seek to fulfill the judicial responsibilities entrusted to me by the governor in serving the people of Hamilton County as did my predecessors: with fairness, respect, integrity, and plain old hard work.”
Judge Hedrick received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1987 after earning a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University in 1984, and he has been in practice at Ramer & Hedrick since 2001. He was also serving as the Administrative Hearing Officer for the cities of East Ridge, Collegedale and Red Bank and had just received the offer to serve as the AHO for the city of Chattanooga as well.
He served as the youth minister for the Mountain Creek Church of Christ from 2007-2013 and the Central Church of Christ from 2001-2007.
Kyle and Brenda Hedrick are Hamilton County natives and have been married for nearly 34 years.
Brenda Hedrick is a teacher at Boyd-Buchanan School.
Early voting for the May primary begins Wednesday, April 11.