# Craig Fitzhugh
Calvin Craig Fitzhugh (born 1950) is a Tennessee banker, lawyer, and retired Democratic politician who represented District 82 in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the mid-1990s until 2018 and served as the House Democratic Leader.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) • [2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) He was the runner-up for the 2018 Democratic nomination for governor of Tennessee.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh) He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps, and the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility lists him as an active attorney in Ripley, Tennessee, under BPR Number 000090.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) • [4](https://www.tbpr.org/attorneys/000090)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1950[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) |
| Education | B.S. in Finance, University of Tennessee, 1972; J.D., University of Tennessee, 1975[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) |
| Legislative service | Tennessee House, District 82 (Lauderdale, Crockett, and Haywood Counties); House member of the 99th through 110th General Assemblies; Democratic Leader[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) |
| Military service | Captain, U.S. Air Force JAG Corps; Major, U.S. Air Force Reserve[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) • [2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) |
| Business career | Chairman/CEO, Bank of Ripley, listed by Vote Smart as beginning in 1992; past chairman, Tennessee Bankers Association[2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) • [1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) |
| 2018 gubernatorial primary | Second place: 19.4% (72,263 votes) to Karl Dean's 75.1% (279,324)[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh) |
## Early life and education
The [Tennessee General Assembly](https://www.edgepedia.org/tennessee-general-assembly)'s official biographical record for the 110th General Assembly gives his date of birth as 1950, and lists both of his degrees from the [University of Tennessee](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-tennessee): a B.S. in Finance in 1972 and a J.D. in 1975.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) According to Vote Smart, he practiced as an attorney from 1980 to 1992.[2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh)
## Military and legal service
Fitzhugh's military record combines active-duty and reserve legal service. The General Assembly's official page lists him as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force JAG (Judge Advocate General) Corps and a [Major](https://www.edgepedia.org/major-united-states) in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) Vote Smart records the same two ranks and adds that he practiced as an attorney from 1980 to 1992.[2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility's attorney registry confirms him as Calvin Craig Fitzhugh, BPR Number 000090, status Active, with an office at 135 S Alpine St, Ripley, TN 38063.[4](https://www.tbpr.org/attorneys/000090)
A 1982 opinion of the U.S. Air Force Court of Military Review captioned *United States v. Fitzhugh* concerns a courts-martial appeal under [Uniform Code of Military Justice](https://www.edgepedia.org/uniform-code-of-military-justice) provisions 10 U.S.C.A. §§ 934 and 933, with an approved sentence extending to a dismissal.[5](https://openjurist.org/14/mj/595/united-states-v-fitzhugh) The opinion does not identify the appellant, and the case cannot be confirmed as involving him.
## Tennessee House of Representatives
Fitzhugh represented House District 82, covering Lauderdale, Crockett, and Haywood Counties in western Tennessee.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) The official record shows him as a House member of the 99th through 110th General Assemblies, a span of twelve consecutive terms, and as Democratic Leader.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) Ballotpedia dates his service from assuming office in 1994 to leaving in 2018, while Vote Smart lists the representative's years as 1995 to 2019.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh) • [2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh)
His leadership career began with a whip position: he served as Assistant Majority Whip in the 99th General Assembly, which Ballotpedia dates as 1994 to 1996.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) • [3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh) His committee work centered on fiscal and procedural assignments. The official page lists Finance, Ways and Means; Calendar & Rules; Government Operations; and Education Administration & Planning.[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) Vote Smart adds service on the Fiscal Review Joint Committee, and Ballotpedia's 2017 assignments also include Pensions and [Insurance](https://www.edgepedia.org/insurance).[2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) • [3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
Fitzhugh weighed a run for governor before the 2014 election, but in July 2013 announced that he would instead seek re-election to the House.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
## 2018 gubernatorial campaign
Fitzhugh sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018 and lost the August 2, 2018 primary to Karl Dean by a wide margin: Dean received 75.1% (279,324 votes) to Fitzhugh's 19.4% (72,263 votes), out of 371,840 total votes; Mezianne Vale Payne also appeared on the ballot.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh) Dean went on to lose the November 6, 2018 general election to Republican Bill Lee, who won 59.6% (1,336,106 votes) to Dean's 38.6% (864,863).[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
## By the numbers
The documented election results include his final re-election to the House and the 2018 statewide primary:
- **2012 general, District 82**: Fitzhugh 60% (12,273 votes) over Republican Johnny Edwards at 40% (8,172), of 20,445 total.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
- **2016 general, District 82**: Fitzhugh 55.96% (10,443) over Republican Andy Cole at 44.04% (8,220), of 18,663 total, a 11.92-point margin.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
- **2018 gubernatorial primary statewide**: 19.4% (72,263) against Dean's 75.1% (279,324), a 55.7-point margin.[3](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
[His House](https://www.edgepedia.org/his-house) tenure, whether measured as 1994–2018 or 1995–2019, covered twelve General Assemblies (the 99th through the 110th).[1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html)
## Later career
Vote Smart lists Fitzhugh as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Ripley, with service beginning in 1992, a banking career that ran alongside his legislative service, and the General Assembly's page records him as past chairman of the Tennessee Bankers Association and a former member of the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility.[2](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh) • [1](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html) The bar registry shows his Tennessee law license as Active.[4](https://www.tbpr.org/attorneys/000090)
## References
1. [Representatives, District 82, 110th General Assembly archive, Tennessee General Assembly](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/Archives/110GA/members/h82.html)
2. [Craig Fitzhugh biography, Vote Smart](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24397/craig-fitzhugh)
3. [Craig Fitzhugh, Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Craig_Fitzhugh)
4. [Attorney Details for Fitzhugh, Calvin Craig, Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility](https://www.tbpr.org/attorneys/000090)
5. [United States v. Fitzhugh, 14 MJ 595, OpenJurist](https://openjurist.org/14/mj/595/united-states-v-fitzhugh)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › Law officers, prosecutors, and military legal personnel › Military judge advocates › US Air Force judge advocates*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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