Darden Copeland

Copeland was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to his Candidate Connection survey, he grew up in a working-class family in Virginia and attended the University of Richmond.[1] He says he was involved in campaign leadership for Democrats including Gephardt, Gore, Lieberman, Kerry, Edwards, Kaine, Warner, Beyer and Kennedy, and he cites Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO), for whom he previously worked, as a role model of "honest midwest values." In 2025 he described serving as a campaign manager and political strategist on congressional and presidential campaigns. His campaign website says he left electoral politics in 2005.[1][5]

Copeland says he started Calvert Street Group, a national public affairs firm headquartered in Nashville, about 17 years ago. He describes the firm as helping clients through local approval processes for projects such as solar generation, affordable housing, rural hospitals and mass transit. He moved to Nashville in 2008.[1][5][6] He says he has never run for or been elected to political office other than as an Elder at his church, and he sits on the boards of Historic Nashville, Inc. and the Nashville Wine Auction.[1]

Copeland ran in the October 7, 2025 special Democratic primary for the seat and placed second with 24.9% of the vote, behind Aftyn Behn. He then won the August 6, 2026 Democratic primary with 32.7% of the vote in a five-candidate field.[1][2] He describes himself as married with two children and an Elder at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville.[1][5][6] During the campaign, he said he was running to focus on the middle class, affordability, and an independent check on the White House.[1][2] He received 48.1% of the vote to Matt Van Epps's 50.3%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[3]