Catherine Barcel "Barcy" Whitson, an Independent from Chattanooga, is running for U.S. Senate in Tennessee's Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She qualified for the ballot by petition, filing Feb. 27, 2026, according to Tennessee Firefly.
Whitson said on her campaign website that her campaign centers on "What Tennesseans Want" and that she is not beholden to any party. As an Independent, she did not run in a primary, according to Tennessee Firefly.
The race includes Republican Bill Hagerty, Democratic candidate Marquita Bradshaw and seven other Independent candidates: Andrew Gerena, David Sutman Jr., James William Macon III, Jeremy Dean Hearn, Robert Jones, Tharon Chandler and Yoshi D. Matthews, according to BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Full name: Catherine Barcel Whitson
- Nickname: Barcy (short for her middle name, Barcel)
- Party: Independent
- Residence: East Brainerd area of Chattanooga, where she said she and her husband, Randy, have lived for 40 years
- Family: Married to Randy Whitson for 42 years, according to her campaign website
- Education: Bachelor of fine arts in dance and physical education, with a minor in science, according to her campaign website
Experience and public service
Whitson described her professional background on her campaign website as including work as an insurance professional. She also listed volunteer roles as a life coach, pastor, prayer minister and mentor.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Whitson's campaign website. They reflect the candidate's stated priorities, not independently verified proposals.
Healthcare: Whitson said she supports maximizing cooperation across healthcare entities, improving accessibility, reducing prescription drug costs, protecting rural hospitals and promoting and protecting programs for veterans, senior citizens and those in need.
Education: She said she supports boosting funding for public schools, expanding vocational training, promoting private and home schooling options, finding ways to pay off student debt and making every school venue safe and secure.
Affordable housing: Whitson said she advocates for assistance for what she described as approximately 10,000 unhoused Tennesseans. She proposed partnering with churches and businesses to create safe tiny house communities.
Transportation: She said she supports building mass transit options connecting Tennessee cities and bringing back a bullet train initiative between Chattanooga and Atlanta.
Agriculture: Whitson said she supports promoting farm-to-table accessibility, reducing reliance on over-processed food, protecting migrant workers' rights and implementing organic practices to keep soil, water and air safe.
Candidate responses were gathered from Whitson's campaign website. The Brentwood-Nolensville Record did not interview the candidate. This profile is part of the outlet's 2026 election coverage and does not constitute an endorsement.
