Kip Capley

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kip Capley

| image =

| state_house = Tennessee

| district = 71st

| term_start = January 10, 2023

| term_end =

| predecessor = David Byrd

| successor =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|3|18}}

| birth_place = Tennessee, U.S.

| education = Middle Tennessee State University (BA)
Trevecca Nazarene University (MBA)

| party = Republican

}}

Kip Capley (born March 18, 1997) is an American politician from Tennessee. He is a Republican and represents District 71 in the Tennessee House of Representatives.{{cite web |title=Representative Kip Capley |url=https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H71 |website=capitol.tn.gov |access-date=March 31, 2023}} As of 2023, Capley is the youngest member of the State House.

Capley was born on March 18, 1997, in Middle Tennessee.{{cite web |title=About Kip Capley |url=https://votecapley.com/ |website=votecapley.com |access-date=March 31, 2023}} He graduated from Zion Christian Academy in Columbia, Tennessee.{{cite web |title=Zion Christian Academy |url=https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/news/education/2015/06/04/zion-christian-academy/25702152007/ |website=The Daily Herald |publisher=Gannett |access-date=March 31, 2023}} Capley attended Middle Tennessee State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in history and political science.{{cite news |last1=Christen |first1=Mike |title=Summertown resident Kip Capley seeks House District 71 seat |url=https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/02/10/summertown-resident-kip-capley-seeks-house-district-71-seat/6727836001/ |access-date=March 31, 2023 |work=The Daily Herald |publisher=Gannett |date=February 10, 2022}} While at MTSU, he became a founding member of the school's Turning Point USA chapter.{{cite web |title=Maury County Candidate Guide |url=https://mauryalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NOV-2022-Candidate-Guide-new.pdf |website=mauryalliance.com |publisher=Maury Alliance |access-date=March 31, 2023}} Capley also earned a Master of Business Administration from Trevecca Nazarene University.{{cite web |title=New Members of the 113th Tennessee General AssemblyNew Members of the 113th Tennessee General Assembly |url=https://advocacy.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/11/New-Members-Bios-Final-Draft-UT-Advocacy.pdf |website=advocacy.tennessee.edu |publisher=University of Tennessee |access-date=March 31, 2023}}

Capley's first campaign for the State House was in 2022, when he ran to succeed David Byrd who decided not to seek re-election.{{cite news |title=PRESS RELEASE |url=https://www.lawrenceburgnow.com/02092022kip.html |access-date=March 31, 2023 |work=Lawrenceburg Now |date=February 9, 2022}} Upon his announcement, Capley received an endorsement from Manny Sethi, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020.{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Chris |title=Kip Capley Announces Bid for Tennessee State Representative, Gets Endorsement from Manny Sethi |url=https://tennesseestar.com/news/kip-capley-announces-bid-for-tennessee-state-representative-gets-endorsement-from-manny-sethi/cbutler/2022/02/10/ |access-date=March 31, 2023 |work=The Tennessee Star |date=February 10, 2022}} He won the Republican primary and went on to defeat Democrat David Carson in the general election.{{cite web |title=2022 Tennessee State House - District 71 Republican Primary Results |url=https://www.indystar.com/elections/results/race/2022-08-04-state_house-R-TN-43409/ |website=The Indianapolis Star |publisher=Gannett |access-date=March 31, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Bartlett |first1=Kerri |title=Kip Capley takes 71st District House seat |url=https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/news/2022/11/09/kip-capley-elected-71st-district-house-seat-tn-election/69621429007/ |access-date=March 31, 2023 |work=The Daily Herald |publisher=Gannett |date=November 9, 2022}}

In 2023, Capley supported resolutions to expel three Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/us/tennessee-democrats-office-removal-voteindex.html|title=Tennessee's Republican-led House expels 2 Democratic lawmakers over gun reform protest, fails in bid to oust a third|last1=Andone|first1=Dakin|last2=Young|first2=Ryan|last3=Simonson|first3=Amy|last4=Almasy|first4=Steve|website=CNN|language=en|access-date=2023-04-07}}